Stephen Purdon says he is "humbled" to have River City 's 20th anniversary episode focused on his character and admits it was emotional filming it.
The 39-year-old first arrived in Shieldinch back in 2002 as lovable rouge Bob O'Hara, dressed in a shellsuit and gold jewellery, and he is the only original cast member left in the BBC soap.
It's exactly two decades to the day since the River City appeared on our screens, and that will be marked with a 'River City: 20 Year Celebration' on BBC iPlayer tonight, followed by a special anniversary episode on Monday September 26.
It'll see Bob O'Hara, and best mate Angus Lindsay, played by Scott Fletcher, wake up in a parallel dimension where all is not as it seems as they come face-to-face with ghosts from Shieldinch's past.
The storyline centres around Bob's disastrous birthday celebrations where - after drinking a 20-year-old bottle of vintage wine with Angus - the hungover pair wake up in a world they don’t recognise, where their lives have taken an altogether different direction.
Stephen told the Daily Record: "When I signed up many moons ago, it was a three-month contact. I was still at college.
"I was quite lucky because everyone knew a Shellsuit Bob, I found it really enjoyable, it was all just about coming in and having a laugh. It was well written for me.
"It just felt right, I fitted in alright and I could easily say the lines.
"It's humbling. When I first heard about it Martin McCardie, the executive producer phoned me up and told me what their idea was and what they were going with.
"And it was quite emotional, when I think back to my life here, I was 19 when I started and I am 39 now.
"Still being here, and still having storylines, but then such a big episode... monumental episode being focused around my character, it's a huge compliment and humbling."
Speaking about his highlights in River City, he recalled an episode Bob jumped in a cherry picker in a bid to make a proposal.
Stephen says to this day it still makes him laugh.
He added: "I would say that was probably the time I felt my character had arrived.
"That was a big deal, and I can remember seeing the script and one thing that scared me was... I was to sing 'Sunshine on Leith' by The Proclaimers, and I'm not a very good singer.
"It was just such fun.
"I remember that episode came on the BBC Scotland channel and I was sitting with my son, daughter and my wife and they were in stitches and I was in stitches.
"It's always been well documented that he [Bob] has been unlucky in love. But you name a storyline and he as probably done it. But I am sure there is more him and Angus can get up to.
Do you have any burning questions for the cast of River City? Or perhaps you simply want us to pass a message on to your favourite character. We’ll be back with the cast for a Facebook Live on Monday where there’ll be the chance to ask questions. Tell us what questions you want answered here.
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