Brian Beacom

JULIE Wilson Nimmo smiles as she declares her favourite choice of character to play.

“I love playing a bampot,” says the East Kilbride-born actress, grinning.

“It’s far better than playing a boring get any day. I love to play someone that an audience will really hate, like a murderer.”

Right now, Julie has well and truly landed in the world of bampotery.

She is set to star in Long Night at Blackstone, a new black comedy film by Greg Hemphill and Donald Mcleary.

The kitsch horror tells of the cynical crew of a phoney paranormal TV show who must battle real-life terror.

Julie plays Dominique, the producer of Ghost Haunt Live, a low-rent paranormal activity show.

We discover that Ghost Haunt Live show is fronted by Faye Bowers (Lorraine McIntosh) with psychic sidekick Pat Tomorrow (John Gordon Sinclair).

But Faye is not all she seems. A master of trickery and pretence, the lady is desperate to be taken seriously as a journalist so when she discovers the show is about to be axed, she determines to go out with a bang.

The venue of the must-see final showdown is the mysterious Blackstone Manor, a huge dilapidated pile inhabited by the eccentric Laird of Blackstone (John Michie).

Yet, although filming starts normally enough, it soon becomes apparent that all is not right.

Someone is murdered in a very gruesome manner. 

A long night at Blackstone beckons for Faye and her crew including Dominique, Charlie the cameraman (Lewis Howden) sound recordist Diane (Natali Mcleary) Toby the runner (Michael Abubakar) and make-up artist Susie (Lorna Craig).

“It’s a great film and Dominique is great to play,” says Julie.

“She’s a producer type who says lots of nice things to your face but is very different behind your back.”

Has she met Dominques in real life? “Oh yes,” she says, succinctly. “But the older you get the better you get at dealing with them.”

Julie Wilson Nimmo is an outspoken woman who knows her own mind. Have the Dominiques of this world every merited a slap?

“Oh, no, you don’t need to get physical with anybody,” she says, smiling. “And I’m peace-loving.”

Julie’s Dominique is very much a heightened character in this world of larger than life (and death?) creatures.

And Julie Wilson Nimmo takes to the big comedy roles the way babies take to rusks.

Over the years she’s shone in a range of panto productions and in theatre such as Tutti Frutti. In television she was the delightful Miss Hoolie in Balamory.

But what was it like working with her husband Greg Hemphill, the Still Game star who also happens to be the co-writer (with Donny Mcleary) and director?

Do you feel bossed about on set?

“Oh, you can’t ask that question these days,” in mock chiding voice. “It’s just not PC.

“No, and here’s the thing. I’m not getting at you because I know you, but no one asks Greg what it was like working with me.”

That’s a fair enough point Did you take any of the working day home? Were there any tricky filming moments replayed in the living room?

“No, we left them behind in the bar,” she says, smiling. “And I have to say Greg was busy thinking about what he would be working on the next day he’d be on the set, while I’d be in the bar with Lorraine.”

Julie adds; “It was great to see Greg working on something like this. He loves comedy horror and because of this innate feeling he has for the genre he knew how far to push us in terms of performance.

“But he also created a great, relaxed atmosphere on set. He was so chilled and he makes you feel chilled. Actors such as John Gordon Sinclair really love him.

“It all made for a happy team.”

This is Greg Hemphill’s second adventure in comedy horror. It follows on from the hugely successful West Skerra Light which embraced the spirit of Hallowe’en in 2016.

Julie also starred in that film, as a mad murderess.

“Gosh, I’d forgotten as I mad in that film,” she says, grinning at the realisation her memory had slipped.

“I told you I love playing bampots.”

*Long Night at Blackstone, , BBC One Scotland, Monday at 9pm.