John Byrne's Tutti Frutti, one of the most popular television shows made in Scotland, is to be re-shown on the BBC 20 years after its only broadcast.

Tutti Frutti, which was revived recently as a stage show by Byrne for the National Theatre of Scotland, was broadcast in 1987 and became an immediate hit.

The comedy is remembered with affection by a generation of television viewers but has never been released on video or DVD.

It was rumoured for many years that the programme, starring Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson and Richard Wilson, had become mired in copyright issues which prevented it from being broadcast.

However, The Herald has been told by the BBC that one of its digital channels, BBC Four, is planning to show the six-part series again, and the corporation is investigating the possibility of releasing it on DVD.

Last night, Andy Park, the original producer of the television series, said there was no reason why the show could not have been re-shown much earlier, and released on video or, latterly, DVD.

"I think it is great it is being shown again but it has been a wholly unnecessary and protracted silence since it was first broadcast," he said. "There has been 20 years of unnecessary interruption."

Park said the uncertainty over the copyright of songs in the show originated when an author of one of the standard rock and roll songs used in the programme complained that its lyrics had been changed. He claimed the song had become merely a "pastiche" of his original.

This was an unintentional and accidental mistake, Park said. The producer quickly came to an agreement with the songwriter, compensating him with a payment of around £1500.

However, this swift settling of the copyright issue was lost in internal BBC paperwork, Mr Park said, leaving an unnecessary cloud over the production which had halted its chances of being shown again.

"There should be no great mystery - it was all settled years ago but in all that time the BBC has not phoned me to ask what happened," he added.

"The number of times they have inquired about this with me has been nil.

"I also think in the transition from BBC Enterprises (the BBC's old commercial wing) to BBC Worldwide (its new commercial arm), something was lost, paperwork was lost.

"I am happy it will be shown again but I suspect it will look a little like a period piece. We made a six-part drama series with only £1.6m - the BBC in London made Fortunes of War for £6.4m."

Tutti Frutti had been due to be shown at the Glasgow Comedy Festival at Glasgow Film Theatre recently but, again, the prospect of copyright problems led to its cancellation.

The comedy serial charted the fortunes of the Majestics, a Scottish rock band embarking on its silver jubilee tour after the death of its lead singer, Big Jazza.

Coltrane played his younger brother, Danny, while Thompson portrayed his old flame, Suzi Kettles.

Wilson played the Majestics' dour manager Eddie, Katy Murphy starred as his secretary, Janis Toner, while Maurice Roeves played Vincent Diver.

A BBC Scotland spokesman said: "BBC 4 are investigating the possibility of showing Tutti Frutti again and hopefully it will all be cleared - the will is there to do it.

"The same applies to the prospect of releasing it on DVD."

If it is released on DVD, it will be published via the commercial wing of the corporation, BBC Worldwide, which will in turn release it through 2entertain, a private DVD company.