GAME FOR A LAUGH

TV funnyman Grado joins his Two Doors Down co-star and friend Johnny Watson as they kick off the football celebrations with some hilarious impressions both old and new

- HEATHER GREENAWAY

WHEN Grado was a boy he used to beg his mum to stay up late on Hogmanay so he could watch his hero Johnny Watson in Only An Excuse? Never did he dare to dream that one day he would be teaming up with his childhood idol in a one-off reboot of the hit BBC Scotland show.

In tomorrow night's All Star Euros Sketch Show, Johnny will once again send up Scotland's most famous footballers, aided and abetted by actor and wrestler Grado.

While Johnny, 67, takes on old favourites Sir Alex Ferguson, Steve Clarke, Frank McAvennie, Jim White and Kenny Dalglish, Grado will become Ally McCoist, Kris Boyd and Ange Postecoglou.

Dad-of-one Grado, 36, who became pals with Johnny while starring in BBC sitcom Two Doors Down, said: "Johnny is my hero and my inspiration.

I couldn't wait for Hogmanay every year because it meant I got to watch Only An Excuse? "I used to tape it and watch it again on New Year's Day with my mum. I still have all the official VHS tapes in my loft and won't throw them out.

"Johnny was a comedy icon in my household so getting the chance to work with him in Two Doors Down was a dream come true but nothing will ever beat co-starring with J Dub in the Only An Excuse scenario." The Scot Squad star, from Stevenston, Ayrshire, added: "I used to drive Johnny crazy on the set as we would be sitting on the sofa about to do a scene and I would lean over and say, 'Goan do Graeme Souness. There were times he wanted to kill me.

"Johnny has taught me a lot over the years like how I shouldn't a**e about until after all the work is done and then there will be time for a blether and a carry on. He is one of the funniest people in the business." Only An Excuse? was a Hogmanay highlight before its run came to an end in 2020 and Johnny is just as big a fan of Grado, real name Graeme Stevely.