This Christmas BBC Two has the perfect festive treat for Gone Fishing fans. For the first time in Gone Fishing’s history, the angling duo leave the riverbanks of Britain behind and Paul takes Bob on a dream fishing trip to Norway – the country were Cod is God and a place that truly embodies the traditional spirit of Christmas.
They travel to The Lofoten Islands which are in the arctic circle, 1,000 miles north of Oslo and are made up of majestic mountains, deep fjords, long, surf-swept beaches – the scenery is breath-taking and the historic fishing villages, and the seas around it are teeming with fish.
Neither Paul or Bob have visited Norway before and it’s an angler’s paradise. Paul is like a kid at Christmas, excited at the possibilities of catching species of fish he’s never fished before.
They are on a mission to find a variety of species including: cod (otherwise known as a ‘Norwegian White Gold’ such has been its significance to building the wealth of the nation); halibut, pollock, ling, trout, char and the ultimate prize – an attempt to catch the hard-fighting coalfish, nicknamed cold water cheetahs in the tough waters of the legendary maelstrom.
Along the way Bob surprises Paul with some unique accommodation in the most remote locations they’ve ever experienced – complete with all the trappings you’d expect of a Christmas trip. Bob searches out the most interesting culinary delights from Christmas porridge to traditional Christmas cookies and they meet with locals as well as a very special guest from their past.
Sadly, trusty terrier Ted is unable to join the pair on their festive adventure to Norway but Paul makes sure he is certainly there in spirit …
On this trip they make memories to last a lifetime, both on and off the water and viewers will be left reeling by their adventures.
Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing, is made by Owl Power. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producer is Lisa Clark and the Commissioning Editor is Max Gogarty.
