Ian Tough might be 78, but the pensioner will forever be recognised as the 'father' to his 4ft 5in spouse, Janette. The pair are better recognised as Scottish comedy partnership The Krankies, which featured Janette, now also 78, portraying mischievous schoolboy Wee Jimmy Krankie (catchphrase: "Fandabidozi!") whilst Ian depicted the father figure.
They initially achieved stardom on the Royal Variety Performance in 1978, before establishing themselves as children's TV regulars, featuring on programmes such as Crackerjack prior to securing their own series, from The Krankies Klub through to The Krankies Elektronik Komik.
A renaissance of sorts emerged when they featured on Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders' television programmes during the 1990s, alongside numerous successful pantomime engagements. However, a shocking revelation followed...
In 2019, the duo spoke exclusively to the Mirror to refute claims from pal Christopher Biggins that political correctness had signalled the end for their innuendo-laden acts.
Rather, they revealed that health complications had heartbreakingly forced Wee Jimmy to hang up the school uniform for good.
"I was diagnosed with osteoporosis three years ago," disclosed Janette, then 73. "My back's not good and I can't do as much as I used to. So, when Ian and I went off on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate our golden wedding last month we decided it's time to put our feet up."
Their act remained unscathed until 2017, when they appeared in Dick Whittington alongside their friend John Barrowman. "One woman called it smutty," Janette remembered.
"We did a scene in bed with John. Wee Jimmy said 'I can feel your Tinkie Winkie' and pulled out a Teletubby. Then John said 'No – this is MY Tinkie-Winkie' and pulled out a big one."
The pair also confessed to having "a bit of a wild spell" in their intimate lives. "We just had a bit of a wild spell when we had lots of fun – our Dirty Thirties," Ian confessed.
While Janette added: "We were doing a revue act in 1981, which featured a magician who had a leopard named Scorpio in his act.
"He had a lion tamer named Rocky and an assistant named Angie – so I had a little fling with Rocky and Ian did the same with Angie. Ian used to joke that I'd come home smelling of leopard while he'd return with glitter on his bits. We had an anywhere, anytime attitude to sex but we each knew what the other was doing.
"But as we got more famous on kids' TV we were playing with fire. We didn't want kiss-and-tell stories coming out, so we calmed down."
Despite announcing their retirement in 2019 – with Janette still suffering from the aftermath of a dreadful panto fall when she fractured her skull in the early noughties – the couple have continued to make appearances on TV, including GB News's Mark Dolan Tonight and as panellists on this show.
Earlier this year, Janette expressed her frustration over constant comparisons between former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her schoolboy character.
Former SNP leader Ms Sturgeon has been subjected to this taunt throughout her 26-year political career. In 2019, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson even referred to his adversary as "that b****y Wee Jimmy Krankie woman" in a tirade to his aides, following suggestions that she should host the Cop26 summit in Glasgow.
