Celebrating 15 years of River City

Now, 15 years down the line, River City has become a household name and made Scottish television history.

Since the first episode, which featured Eileen Hamilton and Tommy Donachie's wedding, the show has brought audiences the ups and downs of life in the fictional town of Shieldinch with family breakdowns, murders, kidnapping and love stories.

All the drama is filmed at the specially-built Gooseholm set in Dumbarton which used to be the former J&B bottling plant.

The now infamous set consists of four tenement blocks, a pub, shops, a boatyard - and even has its own Glasgow subway station.

River City has also filmed in other locations across the city including Whiteinch and Partick.

In 2007, when the soap celebrated five years on air, the episode rose from 30 minutes in length to 60, it now airs every Tuesday at 8pm to an average of 500,000 viewers a week.

Executive producer Kieran Hannigan, who got one of his first jobs in TV with the crew back in 2007, said stepping onto the set of Montego Street still gives him a thrill.

"It feels like home," Kieran told The Reporter. "It's the nicest bunch of people I have worked with. I get to work with people who love what they do and love being here. It is such a nice environment.

"I think the show is in really good health at the moment. I think audience reaction is showing that.

"For example, I got really excited seeing the explosion on Facebook after the wedding scene, seeing the reaction and enjoyment from people."

Along with the well known Scottish names, such as Johnny Beattie and Eileen McCallum, River City has long-been a platform for new up-and-coming names to launch their careers.

"It's made by the best established and emerging talent in Scotland," says Kieran.

"It's just a joy when you sit in the editing room and you see that the risk has paid off with new talent."

Kieran says the secret to the show's success is "staying true to what modern Scotland is like and embracing that."

He says: "The ideas make people laugh and that's a really important part of what we do but we also challenge people.

"The set itself is quite beautiful but also has that connection with Glasgow's industrial past. People comment that it looks just like any street in Glasgow."

The set has become a famous attraction for Dumbarton over the years.

MSP for Dumbarton Jackie Baillie said: "River City has been a large boost to our area. The BBC relocating in Dumbarton together with the development of Lomondgate revitalised the part of the town that was blighted by the departure of J&B.

"It has undoubtedly given a lift to our economy and encouraged a new generation of people getting into acting.

"It's really great to see the actors around the town and when you tune in there are so many local people on our screens as extras.

"I much look forward to River City being here for many years to come."

Writer Johnny McKnight, who joined the writing team last year, said: "I was a novice to television writing, getting to put words into the mouths of such iconic characters as Scarlett Mullen and Lenny Murdoch is a real privilege and something I never thought I’d have the opportunity to do.

"It's been a brilliant and massive learning experience. It moves at a speed and pace that I don't think I had ever worked at before. I think it's a totally unique piece of television, with its fantastic mix of high octane drama and character driven Scottish comedy which is why I’ve been loving writing for it.

"It's a real showcase for the breadth of talent that there is in Scotland, and its something I’ve been really proud to have been part of."

River City has also been no stranger to awards throughout the years.

The show has had multiple Bafta nominations across the years and in 2006 it won the Great Scot Award.

Actress Lorna Craig took the Best New Scottish Actor or Actress award at the Scottish Variety Awards for her character Jennifer Bowie.

Episode One of the new season starts on Tuesday, September 26.