The sixth most famous Scot

And so, farewell then, Mr Robbie Coltrane.

Although best known internationally for his "Hagrid" in Harry Potter films, I have far fonder memories of the man as a great comedian (his sketch show A Kick Up the Eighties, in which he starred alongside the likes of Tracey Ullman, Miriam Margolyes and Rik Mayall, was a firm fave), with roles in Blackadder, French and Saunders, Girls on Top, The Young Ones, The Lenny Henry Show and many more.

Always full of surprises, over the years he played an ageing rock'n'roller in Tutti Frutti, "Falstaff" in Kenneth Branagh's film version of Henry V,  a drag queen in The Fruit Machine, a mysterious ex-KGB agent in Goldeneye and The World is Not Enough, the Pope in The Pope Must Die, "Charles Bronson playing Ken Livingstone" in the Comic Strip Presents, and was one of the Nuns On The Run. In 2000, he came sixth in a UK poll to find the “most famous Scot”, behind the Loch Ness monster, Rabbie Burns, Sean Connery, Robert the Bruce and William Wallace.

However, it was for his award-winning portrayal of the alcohol-fuelled-yet-brilliant criminal psychologist "Fitz" in Cracker that he really became recognised as a truly great actor - the nation was hooked, and so was I...

A sad loss.

By way of a sort-of tribute to one of Scotland's finest exports - how about something from another?

The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

RIP, Robbie Coltrane (born Anthony Robert McMillan, 30th March 1950 - 14th October 2022)