JOHNNY BEATTIE, one of Scotland's best-loved entertainers, is retiring after 13 years on screen in BBC Scotland soap River City and more than six decades in showbusiness.

He filmed his final scenes on Good Friday as lovable pensioner Malcolm Hamilton in the Shieldinch-set drama, a role he has championed since the series started in 2002.

The 88-year-old, who was born in Govan in 1926, has been involved in some of the soap's biggest moments. Viewers will see his last scenes when they are screened in June, focusing on Malcolm's ailing health due to vascular dementia and the impact it has on him and his loved ones.

"I've had a great time on River City over the last 13 years. But when I read about the boy, Zayn, from One Direction leaving I thought maybe it was time for me to go," he joked.

"You see, now that I'm 88, I'm nearly as old as my gags. I'm one of the original River City cast members and I've had a wonderful time working with great people who have become lifelong friends.

"It's strange to say goodbye to Malcolm but the time is right for me. River City, its cast and crew, hold a very dear place in my heart - I'm going to miss them all."

The actor and comedian, whose peers included Rikki Fulton, Jack Milroy and Stanley Baxter, became a popular stand-up in the early 1950s after initially working as an apprentice in the Clydeside shipyards and went on to work in film, television, radio and theatre.

He was one of the best-known summer season performers at Rothesay Winter Gardens and appeared regularly at Ayr Gaiety Theatre in the 1950s and 1960s. He earned the title of honorary president of the Scottish Music Hall Society.

Johnny Beattie's Saturday Night Show ran on BBC1 in the 1960s, though by 1974 he moved to STV to take part in A Grand Tour with Rikki, Jack, Billy Connolly, Mark McManus and Stanley Baxter.

He was later back on BBC, appearing with Rikki in Scotch & Wry and appearing alongside Gregor Fisher in Rab C Nesbitt as his dad.

On the big screen, he played alongside Billy and Liam Neeson in The Big Man.

Awarded an MBE in the 2007 New Year's Honours List for services to entertainment, Johnny's impressive showbusiness career has spanned everything from variety and quiz show Now You See It to fabulous panto dames.

His many roles established him as one of the giants of Scotland's comedy scene.

He has rubbed shoulders with comedy greats, such as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Bruce Forsyth and Jimmy Tarbuck and Hollywood A-listers including Sean Connery and Burt Lancaster.

And he has travelled the world, as well as the length and breadth of Scotland - he even played New York and Cowdenbeath in the same week.

Johnny was married to model and theatrical agent Kitty Lamont for 33 years and though they separated were on the point of reconciling when she died in 1994.

"It's been a pure joy all these years working with Johnny and what a marvellous company member he's been - always interested in people's lives and always has a joke to tell," said Eileen McCallum, who plays Malcolm's wife Liz in River City.

"Our journeys back and forth to Dumbarton were often together so I'm going to miss him terribly. It's going to be a very emotional week."

Johnny's daughter's Maureen and Louise both followed his footsteps into the entertainment world. Maureen is in BBC's Casualty and has made award-winning stage appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe and around the country. While Louise is an actor and writer, better known for The Planman, Milner and Blood Red Roses.

"I've known Johnny for such a long time. We first met in the 1960s and over the years we've worked together on various things and the Beattie family have become good friends," said Una McLean, who plays Molly O'Hara in River City.

"When Russell [Hunter] and I got married, Johnny did a wonderful speech. It was absolutely brilliant. Then years later, when Russell and I were offered doctor of letters together from Queen Margaret University, Johnny was just over the moon about it, even more excited about it than we were. So we included Johnny as one of our family to come along to ceremony.

"Johnny's a great blether and joke teller, in fact I often say to him, 'You open the fridge door and do 40 minutes.' He loves that.

"Johnny will be missed on the River City set, he's worked so hard throughout his career this is now his time. He has loads of friends and family so it'll be nice for him to relax and spend some more time in his beloved Rothesay. I wish him all the best in the world and the enjoyment of taking it easy, drinking cups of tea and the odd wee brandy."