Glasgow’s historic City Chambers set the stage on Sunday evening for a vibrant Civic Reception celebrating the ambitious, Creative Scotland-backed mission to deliver the television adaptation of Wax Fruit.
Hosted by the Lord Provost, the event welcomed almost 400 guests, including cast, crew, and key supporters of the project, underlining the growing excitement for the project and the demand for its commissioning.
Among the star-studded guests were actors Elaine C Smith, Shirley Henderson, Juliet Cadzow, Jonathan Watson, Julie Wilson Nimmo, BBC Scotland’s Anna Campbell-Jones, Atta Yaqub, and Still Game stars Greg Hemphill and Gavin Mitchell, demonstrating the production’s strong appeal to Scotland’s rich creative community. The evening celebrated the cultural significance of Wax Fruit, emphasising its potential to showcase Glasgow’s architecture, cultural heritage and distinct character on the global stage.
Produced by Sarah Purser, Tommy Gormley and AJ Riach from Little White Rose Films, Wax Fruit reimagines Guy McCrone’s beloved Victorian-era trilogy for television. First published in 1947, the novels follow the rise of the Moorhouse family amidst the stark contrasts of 19th-century Glasgow—an industrial powerhouse of wealth, ambition, and social disparity.
Showrunner and executive producer Purser (pictured, right, with Elaine C Smith) shared her vision for the series: “The Moorhouse family’s story is one of grit, audacity, and ambition—a reflection of Glasgow itself. The city in the 1870s was a melting pot of brilliant minds – a fusion of industry, invention, and art. This adaptation would highlight the city as a character in its own right, capturing the ingenuity, wit and tenacity that defines Scotland. The appetite and support shown at this reception reinforces how much this story is ready to be brought to life”
A seven-minute teaser for the series has already been produced, showcasing a stellar cast that includes Martin Compston, Ashley Jensen, Shirley Henderson, Bill Paterson, Elaine C Smith, Molly Windsor, Kenny Doughty and breakthrough star Frankie Corio. The production is supported by a highly accomplished creative team, including BAFTA-winning writer Andrea Gibb, director Morag Fullarton, Oscar-nominated cinematographer Michael Coulter, and Emmy-winning composer Tommy Reilly.
Envisioned as a multi-season epic, the series has detailed outlines for fifty episodes.
Purser added, “There’s a unique energy about Wax Fruit. It’s unapologetically bold, filled with laughter, tears, unforgettable characters, and a richness that captures Scotland’s humour and warmth. This is a golden opportunity to bring Victorian Glasgow to life on screen, a vibrant and captivating world filled with compelling new characters.”
The Civic Reception was a celebration of the talent and vision behind Wax Fruit, reinforcing the importance of bringing Scottish stories to a worldwide audience. Guest speakers included former Makar and Scotland’s national poet Liz Lochhead, stained glass artist Alec Galloway, Lost Glasgow’s Norry Wilson and Elaine C Smith.
Between 2014 and 2020, seven series of Outlander drew approx 1.9M visitors to Scotland, contributing over £120M to its economy and sparking global interest in its heritage. Wax Fruit, claim the producers, can equally raise Scotland’s profile and create lasting employment in its film, hospitality, and tourism industries.
With its compelling narrative, unforgettable characters, and world-class creative team Wax Fruit – once commissioned, is poised to make television history while shining a light on Scotland’s extraordinary culture and storytelling.
The team behind the adaptation have also launched a petition urging key broadcasters and streamers to pick up the show, which is thus far without a home:
