TAGGART

When I was 19 years old, I made the ill-advised decision to move to the city of Hull. Famous for cream phone boxes and having a massive drag community (seriously, I still have the feather boa to prove it), I lasted three whole weeks. When I think back to this time of my life, my overriding memory is of the amount of people, who on finding out I was from Glasgow, asked me to say "THERE'S BEEN A MURDER" in my accent.

Original Inspector Taggart Mark McManus in 1983, outside the city's Mitchell Library.

That phrase has been synonymous with Glasgow ever since it was first heard in crime drama Taggart almost 30 years ago. Initially the show followed veteran DCI Jim Taggart, played by Mark McManus, attempting to solve numerous and puzzling murders around the city. When the show was first broadcast in 1983, Glasgow was under the constrained grip of Thatcher's government. The city was post-industrial, holding connotations of a dangerous, dirty place, ravaged with knife-wielding gangs, to which tourists didn't visit. In many ways, this created the perfect setting for a crime drama.

In 1994 the show suffered the ultimate television tribulation; lead actor Mark McManus died whilst filming. What could have been the grizzly demise of the entire show, actually proved to be the kiss of life, and the maverick cop format which had been growing stale was replaced. As the city of Glasgow modernised throughout the 1990's, the show moved with it, introducing younger characters and more dramatic storylines. In its current format, Taggart showcases Glasgow to be the vibrant, multi-cultural place it is today. Numerous cast members have came, and went. But the only constant has been the city of Glasgow

The shows current murder-solving team - Blythe Duff, Alex Norton, John Michie.

Sadly Taggart's coat seems to be on a shaky hook, with national broadcaster ITV stating it would no longer be showing the drama to viewers in England & Wales. ITV blame falling ratings south of the border, but many see this axing as a retaliation to STV's decision not to broadcast a number of high-profile ITV shows in Scotland. Almost 30 years, and over 100 episodes later, the show has become ingrained in the Scottish psyche; as much a part of Glaswegian culture as Billy Connolly or the Duke of Wellington statue, complete with traffic cone.

RUN:- 1983-present
STARRING:- Blythe Duff, Mark McManus, Colin McCredie
WEEGIE RATING:- *****