Collections: Scottish Comedy

This collection celebrates the best of Scottish comedy, spotlighting some of the funniest comedians living and working in Scotland. Here you will find a love for the unusual, surreal, unexpected and sometimes faintly alarming aspects of comedy.

Chewin' the Fat is a hugely successful sketch comedy show, which aired in Scotland between 1999 and 2005. Written by and starring Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, it also featured the talents of Karen Dunbar, Paul Riley and Mark Cox. The show revelled in the silly and ridiculous, and spawned numerous catch phrases and memorable characters including vivacious Glaswegian pensioners Jack and Victor, who went on to have their own spin off show, Still Game.

Created by Edinburgh comedian Greg McHugh, Gary: Tank Commander follows the misadventures of soldier Gary McLintoch, set against the backdrop of conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq. Gary is far removed from the standard serviceman stereotype; he is flamboyant, flippant and funny. In the words of his creator, he is "the most unlikely guy you would get in the Army." Much of the show's inspiration comes from the YouTube videos of real soldiers. Watching these clips Greg was captivated by the friendship, camaraderie and humour of the Army.

Offbeat Glasgow comedian Limmy stars in the playful and surreal Limmy's Show, drawing on paranormal inspirations like The Twilight Zone. Limmy writes and directs the show, as well as playing a wide range of characters including Falconhoof, an unlucky adventure phone-in host; Mr Mulvaney, a successful businessman with delinquent tendencies; and Dee Dee, a spaced out waster with a vivid imagination.

Burnistoun is the synthesis of the comic talents of Iain Connell and Robert Florence. Set in a bizarre parody of a typical Scottish town, the sketches find the extraordinary in the ordinary, playing on everyday aspects of Scottish life. Frankie Boyle is a fan of the show and made a cameo performance in the second series. The Voice Activated Elevator sketch featured in this collection has already gone viral on YouTube with over two million views.

As Burnistoun's Robert Florence says, Scottish comedy is "in a nice place just now", with a "lot of good shows, doing very different things." The future is looking bright for the Scottish comedy scene as it continues to attract the recognition it deserves throughout the UK and beyond.