Hogmanay

If there is one country famous for its New Year celebrations, it's Scotland. The role television played in cementing our Hogmanay traditions not only to ourselves, but worldwide has been pivotal through the medium's history.

A copy of the Radio Times from 1984, showing Hogmanay listings.

STV's first Hogmanay show was on the eve of 1958. It was a spectacular event, broadcast live from the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. What I found startling upon watching it was how very little seems to have changed. No, back in 1958 there was no Jackie Bird in an outfit that screamed mutton dressed as lamb, but many of the integral features of our Hogmanay are clearly visible - Highland dancing, pipers, tartan and shortbread. Maybe that's why Hogmanay television has captured a special place in the heart of Scots; despite the ever changing world, the core Scottishness many of us seem to digress from on a day to day basis reminds us of.... It's also one of the few times when people of all ages can watch television together. STV have an amazing archive system, available through Youtube. The Hogmanay video can be located here.

Whilst STV have focused on variety programmes, BBC Scotland have always had a greater focus on comedy. Iconic stars such as Stanley Baxter and Dorothy Paul drew crowds of millions as the lamented about the previous year, and welcomed in the next. Arguably Scotland's leading comedy star throughout the 1970's was Rikki Fulton. His dry as a bone performance as the impossibly dour Reverend I.M. Jolly is etched in the mind of almost all Scots over a certain age.

Never has there been a dryer line delivered than Jolly's "I am joking, of course"

Without dwelling on the negative for too long, there have been times over its history when Scotland has felt marginalised. I would hazard a guess that the annual Hogmanay shows did as much for nation-binding as any SNP policy could muster. . I certainly never feel more Scottish than at Hogmanay. And I think it says a lot about the Scottish nation, that at the most reflective time of the year, there is an unquenchable thirst for comedy.