Elaine C Smith set to be awarded honorary doctorate by Open University

Elaine C Smith has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the Open University in Scotland for her “services to the arts”.

The actress and comedian will be one of over 600 graduates from across the country to receive their awards at Glasgow Concert Hall on Monday.

Well-known for her BAFTA award-winning portrayal of Christine on BBC Scotland’s Two Doors Down, her illustrious career has spanned over television, theatre and stand-up comedy.

Smith was part of the original theatrical cast in the production of the enduringly popular play The Steamie, and has been one of few female headliners of Scottish pantomime for over two decades.

Susan Stewart, director of the Open University in Scotland said: “Elaine C Smith is one of Scotland’s most recognisable and beloved actors, who has made an exceptional contribution to the arts throughout her long and distinguished career.

“Few performers have brought such joy to our screens for so many years, and few actors can match Elaine’s versatility and verve. It is a pleasure to celebrate her unique place in Scottish culture and our national life.”

Together with husband Bob, she set up her own company RPM-ARTS producing a series of sell-out one woman shows – Shirley Valentine, The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

Other television drama roles include Two Thousand Acres of Sky, 55 Degrees North, and The Syndicate.

The star also fronted three series of STV’s Burdz Eye View, which followed her discoveries as she toured Scotland.

A recent career retrospective, The Moments that Made … Elaine C Smith, called her “Scotland’s undisputed queen of comedy”.