Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing will return with Series 8

Virgin Radio

12 Jun 2024, 14:01

Comedy duo Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse return for a nostalgic new season, fishing their way through their formative haunts.

Hook, line, and sinker! Fans of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing are in for a treat as the beloved comedy duo reel in an eighth series of their hit BBC Two show.

This time, they’re casting their lines back in time, revisiting the riverbanks and fishing spots that shaped their younger years.

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With six new episodes on the horizon, it's time to dust off those rods and prepare for more laughs, memories, and perhaps a few slippery catches.

Bob Mortimer, ever the eager angler, couldn't contain his excitement: "I'm looking forward to visiting old haunts from my younger years as Paul and I will be travelling back in time for this series, going to fish in places which shaped our lives."

It seems this new series will be a trip down memory lane for the dynamic duo, and we’re all invited along for the ride.

Paul Whitehouse, with his characteristic wit, added: "I can't wait to get back to Gone Fishing with that other bloke in tow." Clearly, the comedic chemistry between Mortimer and Whitehouse is still as strong as ever, promising plenty of banter, bickering, and brilliant moments.

This upcoming series will see the pair venturing to Whitehouse’s birthplace of Wales and delving into Mortimer’s formative fishing grounds in the north-west of England. And let’s not forget their trusty sidekick, Ted the dog, who’ll be joining them on this nostalgic adventure.

Before we dive into the new series, let’s not overlook the excitement of the seventh series, set to air later this year. With a bumper crop of eight episodes, fans can look forward to the pair’s fishing escapades in Bedfordshire, North Norfolk, and even Northern Ireland.

The show’s sixth series proved a hit, with over a fifth of viewers catching up on iPlayer, and the Christmas special filmed in Scotland was the fourth most-watched factual series on BBC Two over the past year.

Clearly, Mortimer and Whitehouse have cast a spell over the nation, and it’s not just the fish that are biting!

There were some unexpected twists in the tale last season when Mortimer fell ill ahead of the fifth episode. With the comedian out of commission while fishing for wrasse on Burgh Island, the ever-charming Lee Mack stepped in to fill Mortimer’s waders.

Though Mortimer made a brief Facetime cameo, he later admitted to feeling 'rotten' about the criticism Mack received for breaking up the iconic partnership.

"But there you go, that's the world we live in, innit?" sighed Mortimer.

Ironically, Mortimer himself was a stand-in for Bill Bailey on Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, adding another layer to the comedic cover-ups.

Reflecting on his on-screen bromance with Whitehouse, Mortimer said: "I genuinely have worked with Paul since 1989, so we're just mates. And we're going fishing together, before we did the show. And I do think that's something you can't do as a pretence."

Mortimer's musings on the show’s success are as candid as they are insightful.

"There's a show I saw where there was a celebrity who would invite their celebrity friends to come away with them to stay places. And lovely show. But you knew they weren't that person's friend.

"Paul and I have just got lucky in that respect because unbeknown to us, I think people have quite enjoyed just watching a genuine friendship. Nothing more than that really."

Indeed, it’s the authenticity of their friendship, coupled with the serene and sometimes comically chaotic backdrop of the UK’s finest fishing spots, that has endeared Gone Fishing to so many.

Mortimer continued: "We make the UK look beautiful because we have the time to do that. We're fishing for six hours, so the crew can go off and take beautiful shots.

"It's occasionally a bit funny, just because, you know, we're there for eight hours. But at the end of the day, I think the success is actually just that friendship."

The show is produced by Mortimer and Whitehouse's own company, Owl Power, with Lisa Clark at the helm as executive producer.

Commissioned by Catherine Catton, head of commissioning, factual entertainment and events, with Patrick McMahon as the BBC commissioning editor, the team is set to deliver another round of fishy fun.

"We're so happy to welcome Paul and Bob back for another slice of fishing, friendship, and riverbank philosophy," said McMahon.

"Following their adventures and spending time in their company is always a treat, and this series promises to be the most personal and pleasurable yet."

Clark echoed the sentiment: "I'm so delighted we can continue to showcase our beautiful country in the company of Paul, Bob and Ted, of course.

"There's so much more to explore for both man and beast with plenty of muck for Ted to roll in and Bob to fall over, while Paul quietly concentrates on the fishing in hand."

Whether you're an avid angler or just along for the laughs, Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Series 8 is sure to be a reel treat!

Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing series one to seven is available on BBC iPlayer.