SCOTS actress Hannah Gordon is to join the cast of River City, it was revealed today, despite admitting she has never seen an episode of the soap.

The actress, who became famous on Upstairs Downstairs during the 1970s, said she agreed to do the soap because it meant an opportunity to come back to work in Scotland.

Hannah, 66, will make her first appearance in River City's Christmas special, in which the soap's rowdy Adams family win money betting on horse-racing and reward themselves with Christmas at a luxury hotel.

She plays a posh hotelier who must deal with their antics as they get in to the Christmas spirit and disturb other guests.

Speaking during filming on location at Strathblane Country House Hotel in Stirlingshire, she said: "I have never seen River City so I really can't say what I thought of it.

"I live down south and they don't show it there. My agent rang me up and asked if I'd like to be in it.

"I was sent a script and I liked it, but it was also hugely appealing because it meant I could come back and work in Scotland."