Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

The third series of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing begins with Paul and Bob taking a trip to the River Tweed in Scotland, where they continue their quest to catch a salmon.

In this first episode, Paul and Bob return to Scotland to fish for salmon once more, this time on the mighty River Tweed. As we remember the agonising last-ditch attempt to catch a salmon on the River Tay in series two, this time around Paul is determined to fulfil his promise to help Bob get his first salmon - a rite of passage for any angler.

They start their search for a so-called 'bar of silver' surrounded by banks of lush tall trees at the Bemersyde Estate, a place where it's easy to forget the outside world and do nothing but put all your concentration into fishing. Paul is intent on catching, and Bob is hopeful that his angling skills have improved since last time, but whether this is enough for them to hook a salmon is anyone's guess.

After a night in some beautifully renovated traditional roulottes rounded off with a campfire supper cooked by Bob, the next morning Paul gets some mystical predictions from a familiar character. They try a different beat on this day, and visit the Bridge Pool at Kelso, arguably the most renowned salmon fishing beat in Scotland. Today they try boat fishing again, and the memory of the last time they were in Scotland fishing in a boat together spurs them on to try to not just hook, but also land a salmon this time.

As Paul and Bob fish the conversation takes a familiar yet comforting form. Punctuated with both laughter and moments of reflection, they exchange memories of their past lives and thoughts on their present and future selves. They discuss the things that they are grateful for, as well as thinking about what else they want to achieve. Is this the trip where Bob finally ticks 'catch a salmon' off his bucket list?