Paul Sampson is far more refreshing than some of the drinks he pulled in his 12 year stint as a River City landlord.

The man who played Raymond Henderson in the BBC soap admits, for example, he never really swallowed the idea that acting is a vocation.

Indeed, he didn’t really fancy the idea of becoming an actor at all during his first year in drama college.

“I have a thing about actors in a group, the loudness, the pretentiousness, the luvviness of it all,” he says smiling during lunch in a Glasgow café.

“It really bothered me, and to be honest it still does. Acting to me is a job. I don’t feel I have to do funny voices when I’m not working, to take over a dressing room.

“You see, I’m a working class guy, and as a result I still struggle with some very actory actors, even though some of my friends are like that.”

Paul adds, smiling; “Here’s an example; in River City the directors would say to the runners, ‘Go and get the artists.’ But I’ve never been comfortable being called an ‘artist’. I just do a job.”

That’s not to say Paul, who grew up in St Andrew’s, isn’t happy to be working as an actor. Right now he’s loving rehearsing for a new starring role in Celtic: The Musical, which opens at the Pavilion Theatre next week.

In the show, produced by Liverpool company Alterean, who made the hugely successful Liverpool musical, You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Paul plays a series of fathers across the generations who get to weave the history of Celtic from 1888 into a collection of songs, guaranteed to make send Hoops fans into a state of near delirium.

But he admits he never grew up with a dream of one day treading the boards. At school he was quite cocky, and confident and it was only when one teacher suggested he do drama the cheeky schoolboy couldn’t resist the challenge.

“However, I really didn’t enjoy my first term,” he says, with a wry smile.

“In fact I was all set to leave until Lynn Bains, an America drama coach arrived. She coaxed me to wait until the following term because she had a play I may be interested in.

“This really was my Sliding Doors moment. The play turned out to be The Crucible and I loved appearing in it, so much so the following years I went to RSAMD.”

Paul was now convinced he would become an actor. But he wasn’t as resolute as two of his fellow hopefuls at college, John Hannah and Alan Cumming.

“They were both terrific at the business of getting work,” Paul explains.

“At the end of first year, for example, I was desperate to go home and hang out but John wanted me to go on a tour of the working men’s clubs, doing a two-hander play.

“I thought the idea was mad, but John did it and came back to college with his Equity Card.

“In second year, both John and Alan were appearing as extras in TV. By third year, John was actually too busy to graduate and Alan had projects everywhere.”

Paul may not have had the drive of his pals, but talent did out and he went on to land work, at Dundee Rep, working with Bobby Carlyle and Caroline Paterson and Alan Cumming.

“Alan had two jobs even then. There was really something about him. It’s not that he’s a brilliant actor, but he’s a terrific all-rounder.”

Paul became close friends with future Taggart star James MacPherson, which turned out to have an added benefit.

“Jim took me home to his parents’ home in Hamilton one night for tea and told me his sister would be arriving later on.

“When she arrived I was taken aback by this vision.” He adds, grinning; “She looked nothing like Jim.”

Paul and Maggie went on to have a son, Sean. But times were tough.

“We relied on Maggie to pay the mortgage,” he recalls. “She had the steady job which paid the main bills. What I brought in was the extras.

“In fact, things were so tight by the time I heard of the arrival of River City I was ready to chuck acting and get a real job. I figured with all those jobs on offer if I didn’t get one I should give up.”

Paul did land a part, and it lasted an incredible 12 years.

“I felt I’d joined the human race at the age of forty,” he says, his face recalling his delight.

“For the first time I could plan a holiday, I could buy a car. I didn’t have to depend upon my wife paying the mortgage. And it allowed us to move to St Andrews with our son, where we’ve been really happy.

“Don’t get me wrong; I’d love to still be there. And I told the producers at the time – who are no longer there - that I didn’t agree with the decision to kill me off.

“But the truth is I’m an actor. Not a producer. It was their decision. And River City gave me far more than I gave them. They owe me nothing.

“I’ve got some great pals I’ll have for life and it even paid for my wedding.”

What River City also gave Paul is a national profile, which means he can put bums on theatre seats and fill the Pavilion when he stars in Celtic: The Musical.

“This is a great job for me, especially because I’m working with Julie Duncanson, who played my wife, Shona, in River City.

“In fact, we’ve been married several times in different productions. “We were actually married twice in River City and were once married in a road safety advert.

“It’s been great knowing you have a pal in a production.”

Paul adds; “I haven’t been in theatre for years. But what this production shows me is how much young Scottish talent there is out there.

“And the band are great, who join in some of the action on stage.”

Given Paul grew up in St Andrews, he won’t be a Celtic fan.

“It’s funny you should say that,” he says, grinning.

“I agree with Tam Cowan about how people should support their local team.

“But although I grew up in St Andrews, my first football shirt was a Celtic strip, thanks to my dad’s affiliation with all things Irish, even though he wasn’t a Catholic.

“I would say I am a Celtic fan, but I don’t go every week.”

And the world of football theatre isn’t at all luvvy.

“It isn’t,” he says, grinning. “I’m back on the tools with the rest of the guys.”

• Celtic: The Musical, The Pavilion Theatre, September 7 - 17.