Grado reveals plans for sensational return to hit BBC show with hilarious best pal
COMEBACK KING Grado reveals plans for sensational return to hit BBC show with hilarious best pal
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GRADO has revealed he hopes to make a ruthless return to River City - by killing best pal and show stalwart Shellsuit Bob.
The wrestler turned actor enjoyed a brief Shieldinch stint in 2014 when he joined the cast as a bonkers grappler named Buster.
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Grado joined the cast of River City in 2015
Credit: BBC
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Grado wants to kill off pal Stephen Purdon's Shellsuit Bob character.
Credit: John Kirkby - The Sun Glasgow
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The telly wrestler wants to floor his friend again
Credit: BBC
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Purdon has been part of the River City cast since the beginning
With the Scottish soap being axed due to bad ratings after a final series next year, time is running out for the Two Doors Down favourite, 37, to make his comeback.
But he's currently on a comedy tour with friend Stephen Purdon, 42 - who has played Bob since River City debuted in 2002 - and he's hatched a dramatic plan.
Grado, real name Graeme Stevely, said: 'My ideal storyline is for me to come back and kill Bob.
'I would choke him to death in the wrestling ring in Shieldinch Town Hall.
'Can you imagine? The ratings would be so good if that happened that they'd maybe keep it going.'
Buster was last seen heading for Las Vegas to pursue his professional wrestling dream.
But while Grado's River City stint ended rather quickly, his friendship with Stephen has stayed strong.
They barely knew one another when they met on set and have now spent years performing as one of Scotland's most popular panto duo's.
The pair also host the hilarious Pint and Two Shots podcast alongside comedian Chris Toal.
Grado and Stephen are also on tour right now - taking their Shellsuits and Spandex performance all over Scotland throughout June.
Iconic Scots BBC show AXED after more than 20 years
The grappler, best known as Alan in Two Doors Down and PC Hugh McKirdy in Scot Squad, said: 'The shows are getting tighter every night. I've uncovered Bob's debut in River City and other acting jobs from over the years.
'He's uncovered videos of mine too and my first episode of River City.
'We're telling stories about that and how it's ending, and I'm talking about Two Doors Down, Scot Squad and wrestling.
'It's a review of the last 20 years and there's a couple of embarrassing stories in there that are a bit close to the bone.
'We had a show in Kilmarnock and the lights came up and I noticed my wean's nursery teachers in the crowd so that was a bit awkward.
'These are the folk I bump into Monday to Friday and these stories weren't exactly PG. They all absolutely loved it though.'
Grado, who also hosts Go Radio's breakfast show every morning, added: 'We do Q&As with the fans and it's hilarious.
'There's a lot of mega River City and Two Doors Down fans.
TWO DOORS DOWN DREAM
WE revealed in March that Two Doors Down was set for a shock comeback.
The popular BBC programme was shelved two years ago following the death of the sitcom's co-creator Simon Carlyle.
But an insider confirmed a one-off special will be filmed this summer featuring all the cast and is set to be screened over the Christmas period.
Fellow creator Gregor Sharp has been working on material to bring the neighbours of Latimer Crescent back together.
A source said: 'Gregor always felt that the show was Simon's baby - they were his characters. That's why he said he could not continue.
'But Gregor has finally relented and said yes. It's great news because the show was just left hanging there for the viewers.
'Doing a one-off special, rather than writing a whole new series, takes the pressure off of Gregor.
'Hopefully if viewers are happy with the results that will encourage Gregor to continue.
'There really would be no better tribute to Simon than to continue with what he created.'
Grado refused to be drawn on the speculation but admitted the series means a lot to him.
He said: 'I think Two Doors Down is brilliant. I'd love for it to come back.'
'When somebody asks a question about Lenny Murdoch, Stephen FaceTime's him and he's usually in his goony.
'I do the same with Elaine C Smith. Three times I've had to phone her and apologise but she doesn't mind.'
It wasn't that long ago that Grado was wrestling more than 150 shows a year.
He's recently taken a step back from his first love and only wants to get back into the spandex when it's something special.
He was part of an event in Italy last month - the first time he's wrestled in the country.
Now he's glad to be on a tour that doesn't leave him in agony afterwards.
He explained: 'There's so many venues where I'm turning up saying I'm sure I wrestled in here before.
'Dunbar is the only place on this tour that I've never wrestled in before so I'm glad to be going there.
'I don't even mind driving for hours because I don't have to take my bags and put the leotard on.
'It's the best feeling not having to stick on the baby oil and lycra and knee high boots.
'These days if I go to tie my boots it takes me half an hour to pull myself back up.
'You've to meet the guy you're wrestling and you never know what will happen in a wrestling match, one dodgy move and you're not driving home, you're stretchered home.'
Grado, who recently celebrated his second wedding anniversary with wife Steph, has also been enjoying feeling like a ladies' man on tour.
The dad of two usually chats about football and wrestling which are typically viewed as more male dominated subjects.
But River City and Two Doors Down must have a large female viewership - as there's been a record amount of women in attendance to see their pair.
Grado said: 'I wouldn't say I'm the eye candy, but people still look at Bob as the wee pint sized cutie. Don't forget he's 42 now though.
'The majority of the crowds have been women and it's been great.
'People in Aberdeen went nuts for Bob. I always knew Aberdeen was a mega River City town because whenever I wrestled there - and I was only in eight episodes - the full crowd chanted Buster.
'Half of them had the hankies out asking what will happen to Bob with River City ending.
'It's funny because I'd never even met Stephen before I joined the cast of River City.
'He'd been on the show for 12 years when I went in and I didn't know how to take him.
'Now we're mates and having all this fun telling our stories.'
But if Grado was hoping to have total support for his River City return dream, he might be out of luck.
His own wife is a diehard fan of the show and doesn't know if he deserves a second shot on the soap - especially if he wants to kill off beloved Bob.
The funnyman joked: 'I told Steph that I'd love to go back, that apparently Buster is currently still wrestling in Las Vegas.
'I said to her that River City has a year left to go and asked if she thinks they might phone me and ask me to come back to Shieldinch.
'She's a proper River City diehard and doesn't miss an episode - and she said 'nah, of all the legends, why would they bring you back?'
'But I'll be ready if they want to bring Buster back.'
Visit allgigs.co.uk to buy tickets for Grado and Stephen Purdon's Shellsuits and Spandex
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