Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing returned for a ninth series on Sunday 25 October, and the run includes one last episode with Ted. Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are back on iPlayer and Two with the same life-affirming format, even as the series says farewell to a familiar part of it.
Paul Whitehouse on The Ribble
Paul Whitehouse said there was one show left that had Ted in it, while Bob Mortimer said, “We have one little visit from Ted; we have one show left that's got Ted in it.” Whitehouse also picked out The Ribble as one of his favourite shows, saying, “That's one of my favourite shows when we visit The Ribble.”
That keeps the series moving in the same register it has always used: travel, fishing and a running conversation between two co-hosts. The new series sends Mortimer and Whitehouse from Shetland to Hampshire, and Whitehouse said the show has not changed really.
Ted leaves the run
The complication is obvious inside the format itself. The series is returning unchanged in structure while also bidding a fond farewell to Ted, who is no longer with them, so the final episode with him becomes the emotional endpoint inside an otherwise familiar run.
Whitehouse called Ted’s send-off special, saying, “The great thing about Ted, really, is he didn't give a monkey's about us, did he, Bob?” Mortimer agreed, saying, “He was the perfect dog in that sense.” He also said of the farewell, “It’s a highlight to have our last dance with Ted.”
Shetland to Hampshire
Whitehouse described Shetland as having “an extraordinary landscape and seascape,” and Mortimer said they had seen a lot more birds this series. He also said, “I looked terrific,” while Whitehouse replied, “As ever! Well, you certainly tell us about how wonderful you look, Bob.”
The show remains a celebration of the rivers, lakes and the British countryside, which is why the locations matter more than a simple list of stops. For viewers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: the ninth series is already underway, and the Ted episode is the one to watch for the series’ farewell beat.
