Just over a year after it was first confirmed that long-running BBC Scotland soap, River City, was coming to an end, the series has just filmed its final scenes.
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The final day of filming on the soap after 24 years took place on Friday 24th April, with 'Shellsuit' Bob O'Hara star Stephen Purdon telling BBC News that it was "emotional, surreal, hard to put it into words".
He said: "I've been here since I was 19, now I am 43. I have lots of memories from here - great memories. I've been lucky to work in this industry for 24 years. We all get on great and there's no place like it."
The end of filming on the soap comes after a strong campaign from cast, crew and fans to keep it on the air.
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When the show's cancellation was announced, Hayley Valentine, director of BBC Scotland, said: "River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course we'll all be sad to see it go. The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year.
"But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK.
"Our goal is to grow Scotland further on the global drama map – with a slate of world-class productions that set the standard not just here but internationally too."
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New Scottish dramas on the way from the broadcaster include Counsels, Grams and The Young Team, while others such as Half Man and Mint have just recently debuted.
The final episode will air at the end of August, and will be followed by a special, one-off documentary called River City: Our Story.
On the final day of filming, executive producer Martin McCardie told BBC Scotland News: "It's very sad. There's lots of people I've known since I first started on the show in 2005, some of them are still here and are the heart of the show. I said on the call sheet today that being the exec producer for people as special as them has been the honour of my professional life."
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
