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GREGOR'S DOWN IN THE SOUTH: SCOTS STAR HEADS FOR BRIGHT LIGHTS

Gregor Fisher: Moving south

Saturday April 5,2008

By Gavin Docherty

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WHAT would Rab C Nesbitt think? His alter ego, Gregor Fisher, who found fame playing the Govan layabout, is quitting Scotland for a new life in England.

Gregor, 54, has lived happily with his family in the Borders town of Langholm for several years.

But now he and his wife, the former Taggart actress Victoria Burton, are moving to the picturesque town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, so they can be nearer to acting jobs that come up in London.

Victoria recently announced her plans to return to acting, now that their three children have flown the nest to attend university. Gregor, who recently appeared in BBC2 sitcom Empty, yesterday said the couple had found their “dream village” to start the next stage of their life south of the Border.

He said: “I can confirm we are moving south.

“Mrs Fisher, splendid actress that she is, is going back into the business.

“And as there are not a lot of theatres in the hills where we live, we are moving closer to where the paymaster resides.”

The couple first met when they worked together at the famous Borderline Theatre, which became a springboard for many Scottish stars including Robbie Coltrane and Alan Cumming.

Vicky has appeared in a number of other television dramas, including General Hospital and The Bill.

But while she took a step back to raise their three sons, Gregor rose to fame when he was cast in the 1978 sketch show Scotch and Wry, which became a huge ratings hit.

The Scot said he was working harder than ever following an appearance as Mr Bumble in Oliver Twist, and roles in big West End stage musicals such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Wizard of Oz.

“It would be very unlikely as a husband-and-wife team that we would consider working together,” he added.

“We would end up stabbing each other. I couldn’t work with the wife. And I daresay she couldn’t work with me either.

“We did a couple of Nesbitts once and she never stabbed me, but it was all a bit too close.”