View source for Offside (TV series)

{{Short description|Scottish TV comedy football series (1998–2007)}}
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{{Original research|date=July 2010}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2010}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

'''''Offside''''' is a Scottish comedy football television show aired on [[BBC One Scotland]] and was presented by Scottish Football journalist [[Tam Cowan]]. It ran from 1998 to 2007.

==History==
The programme began in 1998 and was produced by [[The Comedy Unit]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/media-leisure/television-and-radio-firm-wins-163-4-5m-orders-1-1293170 |title=Television and radio firm wins £4.5m orders |work=[[The Scotsman]] |date=31 August 2003 |access-date=3 January 2016}}</ref> The programme was axed in 2007, for unknown reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merrymedia.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4328&Itemid=62 |title=Merry Media News – TV News – Showbiz News – Radio News + More! – BBC Axe Tam Cowan Show Offside |publisher=Merrymedia.co.uk |access-date=6 July 2010}}</ref>

''[[Only an Excuse?]]'' star [[Jonathan Watson]] also contributed to the show, previously producing the ''Only a Wee Excuse'' section of the show which was replaced by the "Week that Wisnae" sketch for the last series, this was essentially a simplified version of its predecessor.

Every episode Catriona (Cat) Harvey would star with Tam Cowan and Jonathan Watson. Nearing the end of the last series the ''[[Real Radio (Scotland)]]'' star stopped appearing on the show for unknown reason.

== Guests ==

''Offside'' began with only minor footballing guests, however in its later times more widely known celebrities appeared, such as [[Joyce Falconer]], [[Kevin Keegan]], [[George Galloway]] and [[Tommy Sheridan]].

== Audience ==

The audience for ''Offside'' normally come dressed in replica football jerseys, and actively cheer or boo when references are made about their concerning teams. Tam himself is a [[Motherwell F.C.|Motherwell]] fan, and a significant number of the audience normally reflect this. Up until the 2006 Season, the show featured its mascot "Jock the Cock", a giant rooster, who would dance at the end of the show, at Cowan's request: "Take it away, Jock the Cock". Jock the Cock was played throughout by the infamous former fur filler of St. Mirren's Paisley Panda (a.k.a. Andy Duncan)

==Awards==
In March 2002 Tam Cowan won a [[Royal Television Society Award]] for best regional presenter.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/office-beats-spoof-to-prize-1-607420 |title=Office beats spoof to prize |work=The Scotsman |date=20 March 2002 |access-date=3 January 2016}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.comedyunit.co.uk/archive/#tv Archive] at The Comedy Unit

[[Category:BBC Scotland television shows]]
[[Category:Scottish television comedy]]
[[Category:1990s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:2000s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:1990s British sports television series]]
[[Category:2000s British sports television series]]
[[Category:1998 Scottish television series debuts]]
[[Category:2007 Scottish television series endings]]
[[Category:Television series by Banijay]]
[[Category:Football mass media in Scotland]]


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