Gone Christmas Fishing 2021: when is Mortimer and Whitehouse Xmas special on TV, and where do Bob and Paul go?

The much-loved light entertainment series Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing is returning for another Christmas special.

It airs on Boxing Day on BBC Two at 9pm, and sees the two comedians go to the north of England in search of a particularly elusive salmon.

Here’s everything you need to know about Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing

What is it about?

Gone Fishing sees comedians Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse

According to the BBC, in this year’s Christmas special “Paul takes Bob to the north of England in search of a prized English salmon,” where they “fish the river Eden and Tyne in search of their elusive quarry”.

This special episode will also be an hour long.

Who is in it?

Comedians Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse both appear (as you probably guessed from the title). You’ll recognise Mortimer from Reeves and Mortimer, or panel shows such as Would I Lie To You and Taskmaster. Meanwhile, you probably know Whitehouse from BBC sketch comedy series The Fast Show, or films like The Personal History of David Copperfield.

Former footballer Paul Gascoigne is also joining Mortimer and Whitehouse for this Gone Fishing Christmas special. Gascoigne played for England from 1988 to 1998, and was described as “the most naturally talented English footballer of his generation” by the National Football museum.

Gascoigne also previously played for Middlesbrough, which is Bob Mortimer’s favourite team.

Dr Anand Patel, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott will also appear in the Gone Christmas Fishing special, as will Mortimer and Whitehouse’s dog Ted.

Where was it filmed?

Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing 2021 was filmed in and around the North of England – specifically the River Eden and the River Tyne.

What time is it on and how can I watch it?

Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing 2021 will air on BBC Two on Boxing Day at 9pm.

It’ll be available on BBC iPlayer immediately after that.

Will there be a Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing series 5?

The fourth series of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing ended earlier this year.

Unfortunately, there’s not been an announcement either way yet as to whether we’ll see the two comedians return to catch any more fish.

Is there a trailer?

The BBC hasn’t released a trailer for the Mortimer and Whithouse: Gone Christmas Fishing special.

Why should I watch it?

If you like fish, you’ll like this! It’s also set to be a gentle and relaxing bit of Christmas television, no doubt a very pleasant way to end Boxing Day.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our email newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.