The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Comedy duo hooked on story of loyal Tay angler
Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse travel to Perthshire for their hit BBC show
Comedy stars Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse paid tribute to a popular River Tay angler in the latest episode of their hit BBC series.
The duo travelled to Perthshire to try their luck at catching salmon.
Episode three of Gone Fishing, which was broadcast on Friday and is available on the iPlayer streaming service, saw them larking about on a rowing boat, cooking porridge in a castle and playing a not-entirely-successful round of golf.
The show featured and was dedicated to angler John Moses, who was a longtime visitor to the River Tay.
Following his death on Boxing Day last year, a new annual trophy – for the largest salmon caught on the beat – was launched in his honour.
During the episode, Bob tells Paul that he wants to go to speak to “that old fellow” who has been coming to the Tay for years, but “apparently isn’t very well at the moment”.
Bob asks Mr Moses what he finds so magical about fishing.
“Well, of course I would say catching fish,” he replies.
“But there are so many more aspects to it. I haven’t been well for 18 months now. On March 15 last year (2017), I caught my salmon of a lifetime and two or three weeks later I was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus.
“They can’t cure it, but coming up to Scotland fishing – one can’t describe how therapeutic it is. I think the fishing does me more for my health than the chemotherapy, or pills or whatever.”
Bob tells him that when he was in his 20s, he had depression.
“It went on and on for years, and about five years after, I thought: I wonder if I’m better now?
“And then I went to a football match, and my team Middlesbrough scored and I jumped up in the air in celebration, without thinking. And I thought, yeah, I’m better.”
Mr Moses said: “The passion can override the illness. As long as I have breath in my body I’ll come fishing.”
The episode ends with a dedication to Mr Moses, accompanied by the song After You’re Gone by The Proclaimers.
The series has been praised by Mr Moses’ family. Deborah Moses posted on Twitter: “Hard to watch, but lovely to see John doing what he loved. Thank you from all the family.”
Callum McRoberts, the head ghillie at Meikleour Fishing, said he enjoyed his time on the show.
He told The Courier: “They were both really enjoyable company.
“It was great to be able to show them this part of the world.”