NEWS EXCLUSIVE
Series three of BBC’s Gone Fishing is set to hit viewers’ screens this Sunday - we caught up with the duo for an inside line
Mortimer & Whitehouse take us behind the scenes of new BBC TV series
“What could be better than travelling around the country catching fish?”
THE THIRD instalment of the nation’s favourite fishing programme is set to return to living rooms across this country this weekend with the first of six hilarious and heart-warming episodes.
Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing has captivated anglers and non-anglers alike over the last three years – engaging more than five million viewers across their fantastic first and second series.
According to Paul and Bob, series three will follow the same formula, with each episode focusing on the pair trying to catch a certain species of fish. While Paul uses his extensive knowledge of fishing to guide his pal, Bob hunts down places to stay and cooks his trademark heart-healthy meals – but what else can we expect? We caught up with the comedy duo to further pick their brains.
Q Congratulations on the third series chaps! Did you expect the show would go on this long?
Bob: “I certainly didn’t! We were testing the water with it initially as it’s such a different concept, but it seems that people enjoy watching two old codgers exploring beautiful parts of the country.”
Q How is this series different from the previous two?
Bob: “It follows the same theme and tone, but this time we’re targeting different species and revisiting some that eluded us in the past. After losing a salmon last series, I was keen to make amends!”
Paul: “We don’t just go for big fish. I get as much enjoyment from catching small fish on the float as I do bigger ones. In one episode we visit the River Lea at Kings Weir, where I grew up fishing, and we use simple trotting tactics for the river’s dace and chub. We targeted crucians in another episode too, although these were quite a challenge…”
Q Do you think you’ve become better anglers across the three series?
Bob: “I definitely have. I’ve tried so many new techniques and methods and have learned so much. I’ve tried all the fancy stuff, but it’s the simple things I love. One episode this series we visit the Wye, and I freeline meat for barbel and chub. I enjoyed that, and I always love watching a float.”
Q With the current fishing boom, do you hope your series will encourage new people to try fishing?
Paul: “I’ve been asked to do lots of things over the years to boost fishing, and it was something I always hoped for when making this series. So much of the fishing TV about these days is very extreme and masculine and I think that can put people off. The slower pace of our show appeals to people and makes fishing a more welcoming pastime. A lot of the shows about these days also make out that you need fancy, expensive kit, but that isn’t the case. We try to keep things simple and use basic methods to show that you don’t need to be an expert to get out there and enjoy the countryside. If a moron like Bob can catch, anyone can!”
Bob: “It’s true! Our show also celebrates the other sides of fishing. We show the emotional bonds that come out of it, celebrate the British countryside, stay in amazing places and eat all sorts of things.”
Q After three series, do you still enjoy the filming together?
Paul: “We have a great time filming, although the pressure of catching for the cameras is never good and having 15 people standing on the bank behind you isn’t exactly conducive to angling. We’ll usually only fish for around four hours per episode, which isn’t a lot of time. Me and Bob always want to go off and just focus on the fishing!”
Bob: “What could be better than travelling around the country catching fish?”
Q What’s in store next for the show? Is a fourth series on the horizon?
Bob: “We’ll keep doing it as long as the BBC will have us! We enjoy filming it, and there are still plenty of fish to catch. If it was a show that only anglers enjoyed then we wouldn’t have continued for so long, but something that means a lot to us is the number of non-anglers who have told us how much they enjoy it.”