It's true: I'm returning as Marydoll for a Rab C. Nesbitt special at Christmas

Aug 24 2008 Elaine C. Smith

WELL, folks the rumours are true.

The string vest of Rab C. and the Crimplene trousers and velour top of Marydoll will be back for Christmas.

The BBC have confirmed it - but I can't reveal the storyline or there wouldn't be much point in watching. And writer Ian Pattison would send a hitman out to me.

So all those questions about what has happened to the Nesbitts in the last 10 years will be answered in this special.

Are they still together? Did the love and marriage survive? Is Rab running a multinational firm or the Minister for Culture?

Is Mary a university lecturer with a city centre pad...or have they even moved house to Edinburgh? Well I can't tell you.

The truth is the whole team were nervous about coming back after all this time.

Much as the show was popular, you don't know if tastes have changed and a whole generation of people have never seen it.

So how do you please the real fans while allowing a new audience to enjoy it?

My fear was that we might destroy the memory of the series. I wouldn't want folk saying: "Aye, it wisnae as good as it used to be!"

But we have been asked about it so much that Ian was finally persuaded to write a one-off special. We'll be doing our best to make it as good as, if not better than, the Royle Family's Christmas special (which had me laughing and crying).

The worst thing is I'll have to film it when we are in Edinburgh with Calendar Girls. So it will be wig on during the day and kit off at night.

An actor's life is never boring, eh!.