JONATHAN Watson has more faces than a row of town hall clocks, most politicians and every bar of Five Boys chocolate eaten in Glasgow.

But that's not the only reason Only An Excuse? continues to be part of the Hogmanay ritual.

Johnny and producer/writer Philip Differ make sure the show, which lampoons football personalities almost to the point where they feel they've been waterboarded, is always fresh.

As you can imagine, this year's special could not miss out on Ally McCoist's Rangers' adventure. Even though the programme was filmed a few weeks ago, a sketch was written in such a way football fans won't be left wanting.

"We've anticipated events," says Johnny, smiling in a BBC Scotland office.

"We've got enough in there to cover it and we've taken it as close to recent events as we could. But of course the story will still change before the programme airs.

"What we do is put our own wee spin on the story, in a way we'll still get laughs."

It says a huge amount for the programme that football players and managers can enjoy the laughs made at their expense.

It's certain Celtic management will also appreciate the OAE? spoof featuring Ronnie Dieila.

Johnny does reveal the device used to have laughs with the Norwegian football boss.

"We shot the sketch like an episode of Borgen," he says, grinning at the recall.

"It's all dark, with rain battering on the windows, really really bleak and it was great fun to do."

The new Celtic boss's voice was relatively easy for Johnny to do. But that's not to say he's ready to ignore some of the OAE? stand-out characters. He also does Roy Keane, Martin O'Neill and of course Sir Alex Ferguson.

"The idea we came up with for Fergie this year was to have him in the Gogglebox," he says, laughing.

"I just love the show. It has a real honesty about it from those who aren't self aware about the cameras. And of course you can just imagine Fergie being just as honest about the film clips he's commenting on.

"We've also got Frank McAvennie and Charlie Nicholas in the show . . . ADD>

Johnny admits there is some programme material that's not entirely football-themed.

"We've tried to broaden it out in the past few years, to include material that's not all about football. And the BBC have been keen for us to do this,. "So we've got so pieces on the Commonwealth Games, we have Bono making an appearance and there's a sketch focusing on Glasgow hosting the MTV Awards."

Johnny also gets to impersonate Brian Cox. Not, incidentally Brian Cox the actor, whom Johnny works alongside in the successful Bob Servant sitcom.

He does Brian Cox the scientist. "I love his fringe," says Johnny. "I get a lot of fun with the fringe."

Johnny Watson could never be described as a Festive season talent.

Next year, for example, he'll be starring alongside Alex Norton and Doon McKichan in a BBC comedy-drama Two Doors Down.

Written by Simon Carlyle it appeared last year as one-off comedy set in a chaotic New Year's party thrown by Eric and Beth Baird.

And if was a delightful tale of dysfunctional families, back stabbing and bitching.

"We're trying to pull all the cast together at the moment," says Johnny. "Let's hope it all works out. It was great to do."

Johnny will also be appearing in new BBC series Fried, next year about the goings-on in a take away in South London.

On stage, he'll be appearing with the National Theatre of Scotland in the Argentine play, Yer Granny, a new adaptation of Roberto La Cossa's La Nona, Argentina's favourite play. The production will Scotland from May to July 2015.

It's the story of a family that must maintain a insatiable grandmother. Johnny plays the head of the Russo clan, Cammy Russo. The granny is traditionally played by a man in drag.

"I can't wait to get going on that show," he says of the theatre play which was made into a movie in 1979.

"It's a South American classic and it's easy to see how it could work in Scotland. It's such a dark, but funny story."

And Bob Servant will also be back on our screens this year, with Johnny's character, Frank, once again being humbled by the greater, louder force of nature that is Bob Servant.

"Brian is such a delight to work with," says Johnny. "And it seems as though we've developed a really good double act."

However, no matter how much in demand he is, Johnny hasn't heard the panto call in some years, despite enjoying an auspicious panto career, climaxing at the King's Theatre.

"I haven't been asked back to panto," he says with a wry smile, "even though the King's went through three baddies I still never got the call."

*Only An Excuse, BBC 1, Hogmanay at 11pm.