REVIEW: 10 Years Of River City

SCOTLAND’s only TV soap has been with us 10 years – and this picture-packed companion is a great way to immerse yourself in the world of Shieldinch.

Like last week’s happy birthday TV special, Jeff Holmes’ book not only celebrates the first decade but tells the story of how River City came to life and features the events – such as weddings, affairs and murders – and the characters who make up the Shieldinch world.

10 Years Of River City: Behind The Scenes Of Scotland’s Favourite TV Drama ((Black and White Publishing, £17.99) is an encyclopaedia of crucial stuff you need to know if you’ve never been a regular viewer – the full plot catch-up from day one is great for new viewers and will bring back memories for true fans.

From profiles of the cast (remember Joyce Falconer's Aberdeen-accented Roisin?) and behind the scenes crew to the history of everything from the set to the theme tune, the book looks at every aspect of the series – even the Shieldinch spook!

For fans, there’s a section of fascinating facts, such as the revelation pub The Tall Ship was originally to be called The Anchor Inn – or that the Oyster Cafe’s ice cream is actually Philadelphia cream cheese.

There’s a handy list of affairs with dates, weddings and also a guide to the Montego Street mobsters, though an index at the back to look up your favourite actors would have been handy.

A couple of interviews with crucial figures behind the creation of the soap offer real revelations.

Designer Pat Campbell got the whole set to design from scratch for what the book claims is "the biggest and best backlot in the soap world".

But her biggest thrill, she reveals, was being given £1000 to stock up the Oyster Cafe with sweets from the cash and carry!

Writer Stephen Greenhorn – who had to create the "bible" of who lived where so the Dumbarton set could be designed for River City’s first residents – found the whole experience incredibly testing.

In the book, he reveals he became ill with the stress of getting the soap off the ground.

Two years before the first episode was even written, he put some thoughts together for the BBC – and the soap would be set in Leith.

But after he’d begun work, BBC bosses changed their minds and moved the fictional location to Glasgow, so Stephen had to adapt his plans and was asked to work on the stories and characters up to the first three episodes, when he then planned to join a regular writing team.

But in the high-pressure run-up to the first show, Stephen was pushing himself in late-night writing sessions that began to affect his health.

He says: "It was so stressful that even after I’d been gone for months, I was still struggling to write ... I may have been a wreck, but I learned so much ... I’m proud of the part I played in making it all happen."

Over the 10 years, two half-hour episodes have become one weekly hour.

Last year, despite viewing figures claimed to be on a par with EastEnders and Coronation Street, fans battled to persuade the BBC not to shelve the soap over the summer months.

But change is part of the mix.

This week producer Graeme Gordon – who prefers to call the hour-long River City a drama not a soap – revealed the gritty storylines will move aside to allow more humour to come in.

Speaking on the programme’s 10-year anniversary on Monday, he used the example of "the Mullens being evicted for making moonshine to try to make ends meet".

Marking the 10th anniversary with a dramatic storyline – by killing off popular long-term character Deek Henderson - is maybe just what you should expect from the show.

At least, with the help of Jeff Holmes, there’ll be the memories!