Cast off...Bob and Paul go fishing together

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Having said that, few could have predicted that watching a couple of ageing comedians catching – or not, as the case may be – fish would prove to be so popular.

But that’s the basic premise of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. It’s gone down a treat with viewers and is back for its third series, which was shot pre-lockdown.

Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse have been friends for decades. They first met in the 1980s while appearing at a festival in Canada; Bob was there with his comedy partner Vic Reeves, while Paul was featuring alongside Harry Enfield. Paul claims they “gravitated towards each other” at the event, and have been firm pals ever since.

So when Bob suffered a heart scare a few years ago, Paul – who’d already undergone a similar experience – thought he’d found the perfect activity to help him get back on his feet again. He’s a keen angler, and felt that getting out among nature would do Bob the world of good. The duo took a camera crew with them, and Gone Fishing was born.

“When Paul and Bob first came to see us three years ago with the idea of making a series about fishing, we couldn’t have imagined their daft idea would become one of the most loved shows on TV,” laughs BBC Two’s controller, Patrick Holland. “Brimming with friendship, care, beauty, escape and a bit of fishing, it’s a show we are so proud of on BBC Two.”

“With Bob and Paul, we capture something very special,” adds producer Lisa Clark. “Genuine, authentic conversation. Much has been said about the magic of the series and all I can add is that making it is unlike any other programme I’ve worked on.

“Bob and Paul are a sheer joy to work with and I’m delighted we’re returning to eavesdrop on their riverbank conversations in some of the most beautiful locations in the British countryside.”

The show recently received industry approval in the form of a Bafta nomination in the Best Features category, although it lost out to The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan.

“The response has been a little bit overwhelming,” says Paul. “We’ve had the most incredible messages from people who have suffered similar issues with their hearts or have had long-term illnesses and have found something in the series that has resonated with them. We’re really pleased that people can see the joy that fishing can bring and I’m also very proud that people who wouldn’t normally watch a fishing programme can enjoy the series too.”

Once again the duo can be found messing around on the river in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, while putting the world to rights.

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