Big gap in your life, when they take cheese from you

Something new - I've not written about summat from telly before

Mortimer And Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

If there's one pastime I have absolutely no interest in ever even attempting, it's fishing.  So why would a programme about two old men - and they're about ten years older than me (and it surprised me that Paul is the older of the two), so they certainly getting on a bit - hold any interest for me?

Well, it's obviously because although they may go fishing, it plays a surprisingly small part of the program.  The background to the programme was Bob's rather serious health issues (a triple heart bypass or something similarly minor) which resulted in him somewhat withdrawing from everything and so Paul decided to get him up and about doing something therapeutic but not too physical (that's fishing, in case you hadn't guessed).  I have a slight suspicion that the fact that Paul is good at fishing might also have influenced his choice.  And Bob?  Well, it's kindest to say he's willing to learn.

And so, every week they head off to a different part of the UK to try and catch a different kind of fish.  And whilst they're trying (and mostly failing) to catch some fish, they chat.  And, as you can probably imagine - they like to chat.  About anything and everything, but it often takes a philosophical or fatalistic bent - I'm guessing a brush with death will do that for you.  Also, it probably won't surprise you to hear that it also takes a surreal turn at times ("Have you ever eaten a picked egg like a Thunderbird?  It tastes so much sweeter"), but not as much as you might be worried about.  And if they actually manage to catch a fish, the childlike glee on display is a joy to behold - and don't worry, they always go back in (on camera, anyway!)

Because they go to somewhere different each week, it gives them an opportunity to show us some fantastic scenery from all around the UK - the camera flies over the most gorgeous countryside delivering some beautiful shots.  We also get a little bit of local history, character and activities - most of which involves Bob being enthusiastic but slightly hopeless (like his fishing).  And for good measure we get some healthy food tips as well since neither of them is allowed to eat anything too unhealthy (although they still manage to drink more than I suspect their doctors possibly want them to).  And you also get to watch Bob make mashed potato out of crisps - although I'm not entirely sure that's a recipe recommended by the medical profession.

But what shines through every moment of the programme is the friendship between Bob and Paul - it obviously goes back a long way, means a lot to both of them and bathes everything in the programme with a joyous warmth.  And yes, I realise there would be absolutely no chance of me managing to get either of my daughters watching this (or even me from twenty years ago) but as you get older sometimes you just need balm for the soul and this provides it in spades.

It also deserves a specific mention for the Christmas Special - Bob's a fan of Christmas but Paul's not so keen, so Bob does his best to convince him of its virtue.  Which obviously involves inviting Chris Rea round for a chat.  And if you think Bob has had a brush with death, then Chris has invited it round for a game of Monopoly - the fact the man is still here is a bit of a miracle (and as he tells it, there's quite a lot of him that's been removed).  But he's still amusingly game enough to respond vigorously when asked upon leaving whether he'll be driving home.  Exchanging presents, Bob then gives Paul a selection of mementos from Paul's mum's career (she was a singer with the Welsh National Opera) which he'd obviously never seen before and to top it all off, carol singers visit the house who are from the Only Fools And Horses musical that Paul was in (but was shut down because of Covid) - and you can tell he had no idea about either because he's left slightly speechless by the whole thing.  Which is just lovely and is what Christmas should really all be about.

So, it won't be for everyone but if you feel the need to slow your life down a bit and just relax with some gentle chat, some gorgeous scenery and just the occasional fish, I can thoroughly recommend this.  And let's give the last word to Paul Whitehouse - "Bob. you don't half talk a load of bollocks".