STILL GAME

Get your hankies out for finale

STILL GAME star Sanjeev Kohli has warned fans of the hit BBC comedy to get their hankies ready for the show’s grand finale.

The Glasgow actor, best known as shopkeeper Navid Harrid, started filming the final series of shenanigans – written by stars Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill – in Craiglang last week.

Like all the Still Game cast, he’s staying tight-lipped about how it will end but he did say: “The last episode really is properly emotional. I think there will be helplines set up for viewers.

“To be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet that this is the final series.

“We’ve invested 16 years of our lives in this, and even when it stopped for a few years, it never really went away. I was still being called Navid by folk in shops. It was still in the public consciousness. It felt like it was always there and I think it probably always will.

“I think people will watch Still Game over and over again, the way I used to watch The Young Ones and Kenny Everett.”

A glance through social media on the week of the show’s conclusion being announced revealed a mixed response. There were some sad to see it go and others who consider the timing is right.

Sanjeev said: “Fair play to Ford and BY PAUL ENGLISH Greg. I still think there are places they could go with Still Game but they’ve said they want to quit while they’re ahead. They don’t want to tarnish it so good on them.”

While there are tears ahead for Still Game’s poignant finale, Sanjeev hopes his days of making wisecracks from behind the till are far from over.

Before walking away from Osprey Heights later this year, the 46-year-old will launch series eight of another Scottish comedy in which he plays another Scots-Asian shopkeeper.

Fags, Mags and Bags – which Sanjeev writes with Donald Mcleary – returns today on BBC Radio 4.

The series has been a long-running hit and has built a loyal following despite never making the leap to television.

He said: “I don’t think Still Game has