Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

by Bob Mortimer

TWO COMEDY GREATS TALK LIFE, FRIENDSHIP AND THE JOYS OF FISHING...

Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse have been friends for 30 years, but when life intervened, what was once a joyous and spontaneous friendship dwindled to the odd phone call or occasional catch up. Then, Glory Be! They were both diagnosed with heart disease and realised that time is short. They'd better spend it fishing...

So they dusted off their kits, chucked on their waders and ventured into the achingly beautiful British countryside to fish, rediscover the joys of their friendship and ruminate on some of life's most profound questions, such as: How did we get so old? Where are all the fish? What are your favourite pocket meats? What should we do if we find a corpse?

Following the success of the BBC's Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing series, this wonderful book by two lifelong friends is a love letter to the joys of angling, the thrill of the catch and the virtue of having a right daft laff with your mates. On the fish, the equipment, the food, and the locations, Gone Fishing is the perfect book for fans of Bob Mortimer, Paul Whitehouse and for anyone who wants to read a brilliantly written and endlessly funny joint memoir on life, friendship and joys of fishing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Humor, Comedy, Biography, Autobiography, Memoir

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Robert Renwick Mortimer is an English comedian, podcast presenter and actor. He is known for his work with Vic Reeves as part of their Vic and Bob comedy double act, and more recently the Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing series with comedian Paul Whitehouse. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Mor...]

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever popular real life UK comedians, Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse, regale us with tales of their fishing trips throughout the United Kingdom. Their little tête-à-tête’s covering everything from their shared diagnosis of heart disease, ( Bob actually ‘died’ for 37 minutes) to something as ordinary as “What’s your favourite pie”?

Paul has fished all his life, and is really quite knowledgable, whilst Bob is a newbie, and it’s endearing the way that Paul takes Bob under his wing, and shares his expertise with his long standing friend. The locations add huge interest to this novel, but the stars of the show are Bob and Paul - Bob is funny and endearingly childlike, while Paul has some great one liners, and it’s amusing to listen them take the mickey out of each other, and are good enough friends, that it never offends.

Believe me, you don’t have to like fishing to get enjoyment from this book, it’s just a delight to witness two 60 somethings philosophising, and engaging in lots of banter in beautiful locations, and generally just chewing the cud, making the most of life, and recognising the joy in simple pleasures. Just wonderful, and what an antidote to what has been a terrible year for the whole world.

[[ J o ] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I'd see the day when I would whole-heartedly recommend an audiobook over an actual, real, phsyical book, but here I am.

Though, to be honest, this is more of a podcast than an audiobook. There is a little "reading out", but it is so much more. They even go fishing in the audiobook and the noises you hear are so different to what you hear on the television programme: you can hear the reeling, the fight of the fish, the trickling of the water, the blackbirds singing... It's the perfect bridge from the television programme to the book, and it sits in between them so perfectly.

I can't think of many things better than listening to my favourite old white men babbling on about anything and everything, and being genuinely funny and charming. It's such a lovely listen, though I would be wary of calling it a proper audiobook. It is an audiobook full of pure joy.

[[ J o ] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without going too far in to it, Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are two of the finest comedians (or comedy actors, whichever term is in vogue right now) Great Britain has ever produced. They've graced our screens for about 60 years if you add them both together. Bob Mortimer is probably best know for Shooting Stars and Paul Whitehouse mostly known for The Fast Show. Everything else they've done is also magnificent.

Being white, old and men means they've also had heart troubles, which in both cases was trouble enough to nearly kill them. In fact, Bob was dead for about 37 minutes and Paul was about the same amount away from certain death. This leads to all sorts of philosophical thoughts and zen-like moments of clarity on what life is all about.

Apparently, it's about fishing.

Again, without going too much in to it, Paul has fished all his life, Bob hasn't. But in order to get themselves back in to life-and in to each other's lives again-they start fishing together. Which ends up becoming a TV series on the BBC; and becomes one of the loveliest programmes that has ever existed. It is calm and serene, it is two comedy legends being funny but not scripted, it is the greatest of the Great British countryside and it is a slow look at life away from the busy milennial, city-dwelling, need-to-get-from-Manchester-to-London-in-less-than-two-hours (WHY?) kind of life that apparently everyone lives (except for, you know, people who don't. We exist; hello!)

And now you know the background and we have an already too-long review. Let me tell you right now I am biased beyond belief. I love these two old white men more than you will ever know. Bob is my second favourite comedian ever. Paul is my second favourite actor, first favourite character actor. Totally biased. I love these old men. Love them.

The telly programme was excellent: the book, a little less so. It is a weird mix of autobiography, teaching you how to fish, teaching you the best fishing places, talking about how to be heart healthy and a few other things in between.

My main gripes concerned the actual physical book: there were a few typos that seemed a little too easy, and the black and white photographs were really poorly printed. It still amazes me that they can't print a decent photo straight on the paper. Surely someone has worked out how to do that one a bit better? And maybe I would have liked a little more recent autobiographing. It also didn't contain the splendour of the British countryside (how could it?) like the telly programme did, which whilst seems obvious, was one of the main reasons I loved watching two old men fishing.

There was also a little bit too much about... fishing. Paul went on a bit. I think the composition of the book could have been done better: there was the funny life stuff at the beginning; how they both started fishing, why they started again or kept going, a cheeky look at their heart problems. But then we get a fair chunk that's just Paul going through some different types or fishing, rods, the fish to catch, the lures and bait used to catch said fish... That bit felt heavy. It would have been better served had it been a handbook with anecdotes in between.

Nevertheless, and don't tell anyone this, but I really, really want to go fishing now . Quite badly. I don't really care about what kind of rod I've got or staying up all night making special lures to catch that pike. But just to sit in comfortable silence with (a really old man? probably) someone and be immersed in the countryside for hours and hours without feeling like you're wasting your time because the cool trendy hipsters from London with 50k instagram followers and a SkillShare sponsor on their YouTube channel don't think it's a good idea sounds AMAZING. I need fishing in my life. Honestly, I'd be happy just to sit and watch someone else fish. I reckon I'd get the same amount of enjoyment and would be less wet, which I'm okay with. I could probably just go and sit next to a river-no need to even think about fishing-to get the same kick. But sadly I've got bills to pay and some bread to buy. You know, real life...

[Sara Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t really care about fishing but I could listen to these two talk for ages and would like them to narrate and commentate on all audio books. Please and thank you

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impossible to sit and not smile your way through the entire (audio) book.

Marvellous.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lunchtime Listen November 2024

This book is like an extended version of one of their superb half hour tv programmes, where they fish a little, talk about their past as children, their past in the comedy industry and all about their health issues.
It was written, and in my case read by them both at the end of Season 2 of the TV series, and we are now at series 7, so whilst at the time of their writing this book, I wouldn’t have known a lot of details, now having watched all the tv series many times, some of what they recorded/wrote has been superseded and already mentioned many times.

I think that they have fine tuned their interactions on the tv series through the many episodes that they have recorded together, so this seemed a little less slick than the latest tv offerings.

All of that said this is a very enjoyable book, loads of laughs, lots of reminiscing about their years of growing up and during their comedy hey days, and if one is really interested, they talk about fishing.

[Gearóid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice and relaxing to listen to.
The TV series is great also.

[BeccaJBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this. But I liked it because Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are really funny guys, rather than enjoying what they were talking ab out - which was based around them fishing.

Obviously I knew what this was going to be about and the theme but it was a bit dull when they weren't being funny :)

Other than that, I love to hear these guys talk. They are both warm and inviting, they don't rely on mean humour and are genuinely interested in each other. They are blatantly very good friends and you can hear it when they reminisce.

Overall, enjoyable but very slow. Perhaps an easy Sunday morning listen whilst pottering round the garden, rather than a car journey.

www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com

[Angela Batten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love paul and bob, but I have to confess I don't love the techniques and intricacies of actual fishing. Sorry.

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

After two seasons of the Mortimer & Whitehouse survived heart issues, using fishing as part of their new healthier lifestyles... tada.. the book!
.
That time when you buy a book for laughs and good memories and realise that it really is a book very muchily about fishing - 5 out of 12.

.
On an important note it is highly information and light hearted introduction to fishing.. I just think I could have spent 4 hours doing something else.

[Clive Grewcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a how to fish manual, this probably isn't it. However, if you want a gentle read about friendship, surviving health issues, fishing, enjoying the countryside, pies and pints, with a few recipes thrown in then this is the book for you. It might not persuade you to to try fishing, but it might persuade you to do something other than watch day time TV, which is ironic as the book is based on a TV series!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost feel bad adding the audiobook this as a book I’ve read bc I felt more like I was having a conversation with two uncles telling about their passion for fishing. Just cosy, funny and at times actually informative listening.

[Henry Maudslay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

[Ellen O’Donnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skipped most of the actual fishing chat because no plans to take up fishing, but enjoyed the other bits

[Cit Lennox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptionally comforting as an audio listener, felt like checking back in with old pals

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the friendship and camaraderie between these two. Brilliant audiobook, like they were on my walks with me.

[Alex Sarll]

The book of the deeply wholesome TV show, which inevitably overlaps with it in some respects while having a different focus in others. Obviously the format means that sometimes one of them will get a longer section of monologue than they would on-screen, especially when Paul is explaining something technical – though often a little joshing footnote from the other will intrude, and these sections are broken up with more conversational passages of back and forth. Even these, though, will sometimes land on slightly different moods, as in a debate on gravy which could easily have been a snippet Beckett or Pinter rejected as insufficiently portentous:
"B: On pie or near pie?
P: In jug.
B: Then poured on pie or near pie?
P: Tricky.
Long silence.
P: On pie.
B: Nice."

Otherwise...if you think Izaak Walton, but with less on killing otters, you won't be far out. And less on killing fish, for that matter – I was surprised by this when I started watching the series, but the book really doubles down on it, and I'd no idea how many fishermen now consider it absolutely anathema to keep, kill, or really do anything more than very slightly inconvenience a fish. Paul in particular writes very movingly on that, and you genuinely feel that you'd rue the day he saw you distressing a tench. These little modulations of mood as against the TV recur; obviously nostalgia will often crop up in their conversations there too, but if you lose the accompanying gorgeous visuals on the page, the compensation is some really beautiful and bittersweet passages on how to some extent both of them see fishing as a recapturing of a childhood sense of adventure, the first times out and far away, free. Which, while fishing bar the most childish netting of tiddlers was never part of my youth, I absolutely recognise from stuff like climbing trees. Though I was a little taken aback about how they even manage to sound nostalgic when talking about eg getting kneed in the face by skinheads (and yes, jumpers for goalposts is already referenced in the text). They're also good on the paradox of how it's not all about catching a fish, even if the day usually feels like it's missing a capstone without that.

Probably the main difference to the show, though, is that quite a lot of the book offers concrete, practical information – recipes from Bob, or Paul talking about the actual how-to of angling, stuff like the difference between a waggler and a quill float. Clearly these are topics of no interest whatsoever to me, but be warned – even if you feel likewise, make sure you at least skim them, or you'll miss some wonderful asides, not least on Paul's perennial bugbear, Bob winding. Beyond that, I'll admit that even the mention of synthetic baits called things like Quantum Radical, Heavy Metal and Dynamite Crave had me wincing, these words denting the gentle mood of the thing; and let's not get into the book's erratic use of the word 'species'. But these are the most minor of botherations. It's well worth it just for the pair of them continuing to be the pair of them ("If we were fishing in a garden pond, I'd like to be the gnome, while Paul would be the rotovator, doing the lawn"); for discussion of their wise and proper decision to keep making the same series again rather than trying to mess with the format; and for the simple fact that, after 15 years of saying they should go fishing, they finally did, and it went this well. Which gives me hope for some of the old friends I've been meant to be having catch-up drinks with since the early 2010s.

[Raphael Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

This programme is the 21st century’s attempt to fill the gaping hole that Bob Ross left on Television. Nothing could make me hate you Bob, enjoyed the book even though I don’t fish

[Don Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another audiobook. This one was brilliant in places but there were some stretches that I lost interest. When they are chatting to each other it is great but the parts where Paul talks about his favourite fish weren't for me. I'm not actually sure how this would work as a paperback - especially in the sections at the start where it is basically two friends having a chat. On paperback I feel you would miss the interjections and the obvious camaraderie. This is, when it comes down to it, a companion piece for the show, which I have never seen (I rarely watched BBC when I did have a TV subscription, and you can't legally watch iPlayer in Ireland as far as I know). If you liked the show then I am sure you would love this - if not, it is worth a listen for the chats between Bob and Paul at the start. In the later stages it does really become a book about fishing.... hardly surprising really but it wasn't as fun as the rest of the book for me.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Owing to greater familiarity with the author's spoken voice from TV/podcasts, as I read this charming accompaniment to 'Gone Fishing' I did so, not in mine but in their voices. An odd sensation, but this book feels like a long chat with the comedians.

Bob's childlike humour and Paul's amusing bluster shine through. There are a few editing annoyances, inconsistencies in regarding the age of fish - 15 years is not a long time here; 15 years is a long time there; equally I'm not sold on anglers being the guardians of British waterways.

However their other thesis that life is short, so die fishing if you love it, is well made; gently and touchingly in places. It's a little too idyllic in places, but the riverbank followed by a pint of best bitter will leave you that way.

Prefixing chapters with quotes - normally smug, vaguely-related gobbets - can irritate me, but the selection here weren't obnoxious and had me ruminating on my own rambling activities. Bob & Paul may have left a researcher to find the Hemingway question prefixing the final chapter, "why do old men wake so early? Is it to have one longer day" but it's something I've come to ask a lot lately and not just every morning at 05:30 when I remove feline excrement from litter trays. Like the TV show, the book makes angling sound like a good answer.

[Dee B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gone fishing is a guide to fishing put together by Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse. It is based in the successful tv show on the same topic.

I have no interest in fishing, this book was picked for a book club so I decided to give it a go.

Whilst I’m not a fan of fishing i am a big fan of comedy and enjoy the work of both MOrtimer and WHitehouse.

I was surprised this book grabbed me straight away but to be fair it is written by two talented writers. I really liked reading about how they met and their relationship and also their near death experiences. The fishing was less interesting, I admit I skimmed those chapters but overall this is a heartwarming read.

I also think it will be a relatable read for older men struggling with health/mental health.

[Martin Braunton · Rating 3 out of 5]

An endearing book that really does capture the charms of the riverbank. Two men just enjoying the silence and escape that only fishing can bring. Whitehouse is the fisherman of the two and provides some basic fishing advice for the reader; Mortimer the willing accomplice who is simply just happy to hold a rod.
Both authors have undergone serious heart surgery so the real message in this story is the importance of making the most of your life because you really have no idea which day is going to be your last.

[Sheila Lofthouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm not remotely interested in fishing, I did really enjoy the TV series which prompted this book, so thought I would give it a go. The audiobook was read/performed by the two authors, and while I wasn't bothered about the fishing details I did really enjoy their easy chat and obvious friendship. Well worth a listen if you like the TV programme, and/or want to find out some basic starter fishing information.

[TraceyL · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like fishing, but I love Bob Mortimer, so when I saw this book pop up I though I'd give it a shot. I listened to the audiobook which I think was a good choice, because it really does sound like Bob and Paul are just hanging out and shooting the shit. The audiobook also has a section where they recorded themselves actually fishing, which was strange to listen to.

It was quite funny and heartwarming at times. There is a lot of talk about fishing, types of fish, types of rods, etc.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audible because I had watched some of the tv series and really enjoyed it.
I m not a fishing person but just listening to Paul and Bobs’ friendly banter was a joy and I did learn quite a lot about species of fish, best rivers to fish and different types of fishing! Very relaxing, funny and enjoyable.

[JJE · Rating 5 out of 5]

After watching the series I was pleased when a book was released and as expected it was brilliant. Laugh out loud funny throughout the book and an excellent accompaniment to the television show. It really puts into perspective that fishing is about more than just catching fish. Would recommend to fishermen and non-fishers alike.

[Dan Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Bob and Paul this is great. If you like fishing I imagine this is also great. If you like both Bob and Paul (Baul? Pob?) AND fishing then I can only imagine this would be amazing. I very much liked this book.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like fishing but this is a lovely listen to two good friends who happen to be funny, warm and entertaining, even when the technical fishing instructions appear (not lot of them). Recommend for a switch off and listen book.

[MISS R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Druss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read even for non anglers. I don’t fish but enjoyed the banter.