Ford Kiernan facts for kids

Ford John Kiernan (born 10 January 1962) is a Scottish actor, comedian, and writer. He is famous for his work with Greg Hemphill. They created and starred in the BBC Scotland sketch comedy show Chewin' the Fat (1999–2005) and the popular sitcom Still Game (2002–2007, 2016–2019). Ford Kiernan also played Archie Henderson in Dear Green Place (2007–2008) and Colin Holliday in Happy Hollidays (2009).

Kiernan is also one of the main people behind a company called Effingee Productions. This company has produced many of the shows Ford Kiernan has been in, like Still Game and Chewin' the Fat.

Early Life and Education

Ford John Kiernan was born on 10 January 1962 in Dennistoun, Glasgow, Scotland. When he was a child, he went to Alexandra Parade Primary School. Later, he attended Whitehill Secondary School. After school, he trained to be a tailor and also worked as a barman.

Ford Kiernan's Career Journey

Starting in Comedy

Ford Kiernan began performing comedy in 1990. His first show was at a comedy club in Glasgow. By 1993, he decided to become a full-time performer. He performed solo shows, which led to him being invited to the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in 1994. There, he was part of a show called The Best Of Scottish Comedy.

During this festival, Kiernan teamed up with John Paul "JP" Leach. They became a comedy duo and performed at the festival for the next two years. They created shows like After Eight Mince and The Full Bhoona. Kiernan also helped start The Comedy Cellar, a comedy night in Glasgow, in 1993. He also wrote a play with JP Leach called Don't Start Me, which won an award in 1995. Ford Kiernan has also performed on BBC Radio Four and BBC Radio Scotland.

Television Success

Chewin' the Fat Comedy Show

Ford Kiernan's TV career started when he wrote sketches for a show called Pulp Video in 1995. From 1999 to 2005, he was a writer and regular actor on Chewin' the Fat. In this show, he and Greg Hemphill played many different characters. Other actors like Karen Dunbar, Paul Riley, and Mark Cox were also in the show.

Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill became a well-known comedy team. Paul Riley and Mark Cox later joined them in Still Game. At first, Chewin' the Fat was only shown in Scotland. But later, the BBC broadcast the third and fourth series across the whole UK.

The Story of Still Game

Still Game was a spin-off show from Chewin' the Fat. It started by being shown only in Scotland, but it quickly became popular across the entire United Kingdom. Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill wrote every episode of Still Game together. They also wrote for a children's TV show called Hububb in 1999 and 2000.

For a while, the show Still Game went on a break. This happened after a disagreement within the production company, Effingee Productions, which was co-owned by Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill, and Paul Riley.

In 2012, an actor named Kenny Boyle brought the original Still Game stage play back to theatres with a new cast. Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill saw these performances. This made them think about bringing Still Game back officially.

In October 2013, it was announced that Still Game would return for live shows. These shows, called Still Game Live, took place at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow in September and October 2014. They were very popular, with 21 shows performed for over 200,000 fans.

In May 2016, the BBC announced that Still Game would return for a new TV series. This was nine years after the last series. The new seventh series started on 7 October 2016. It was a huge success, attracting a very large audience in Scotland and across the UK. An eighth series was shown in 2018. In July 2018, the BBC announced that the ninth series, which aired in 2019, would be the final one for the show.

More live shows were also announced. Still Game Live 2: Bon Voyage ran in early 2017. The third and final live show, Still Game: The Final Farewell, took place in September 2019.

Other TV Shows and Films

Ford Kiernan has appeared in many other TV shows. In 2007 and 2008, he starred in Dear Green Place, a sitcom about park wardens. He also played a caravan park boss in the comedy Happy Hollidays in 2009. In 2011, he played Gordon Brown in a special episode of The Comic Strip Presents.... From 2011 to 2013, Kiernan played George McVie in The Field of Blood.

Ford Kiernan has also had small roles in movies. In 1996, he was in Carla's Song. In 2002, he appeared in the famous film Gangs of New York. He also lent his voice to the animated movie Sir Billi in 2012. In 2020, he played Gavin in the American comedy movie Then Came You.

Filmography

Personal Life

Ford Kiernan was born in Shettleston, Glasgow. He went to Alexandra Parade Primary School and Whitehill Secondary School.

In 2014, Ford's 12-year-old son, Sonny, passed away. The live show Still Game Live was dedicated to him later that year.