Tragedy struck when Bob was merely seven years old, as his father was killed in a road accident
Bob has been working on Gone Fishing since 2018 with friend and co-star Paul Whitehouse (Image: BBC/Owl Power/Lisa Clark)
Bob Mortimer is recognised for his quirky sense of humour, bizarre anecdotes and, in recent years, his angling adventures. The entertainer, podcast host and performer rose to prominence alongside Vic Reeves as half of the Vic and Bob comedy partnership.
Throughout his career, Bob has featured on Would I Lie To You, Shooting Stars and Taskmaster and has been named among the 50 funniest performers in British comedy. Bob was born in Middlesbrough on May 23, 1959, and was raised alongside three brothers. However, tragedy struck when Bob was merely seven years old, as his father was killed in a road accident.
Speaking on BBC’s Desert Island Discs, he reflected on that period. He said: “I just remember coming back home, being ushered away by policemen, not knowing what was happening, and then a couple of weeks later being told that my dad had died… and then crying and being very sad about it, then kind of forgetting about it really and thinking that it hadn’t affected me at all.
“But then, later in my life, [I realised] it was probably the defining moment of my life; it’s defined my personality.”
Career as a solicitor in the capital
Following his O-levels, Bob originally aspired to train as an electrician. Nevertheless, he ultimately chose to complete his A-levels and pursue legal studies.
Upon finishing university, Bob qualified as a solicitor and joined a practice in Peckham.
Meeting Vic Reeves
In 1986, Bob visited a London pub with mates to watch a performance by comedian Vic Reeves. After the show, Bob was invited by Vic to join him on stage and discuss his day at work.
This led to a regular feature on the show, dubbed ‘Vic Reeves’ Big Night Out’, where Bob had the chance to collaborate with Vic on writing material.
Vic Reeves’ Big Night Out
The show caught the attention of Alan Yentob from the BBC and Michael Grade from Channel 4. After both broadcasters expressed interest, a deal was struck with Channel 4 to bring the show to live television.
A young Vic and Bob back in 1993(Image: Mirrorpix)
At that time, Bob was still practising as a solicitor, but following Channel 4’s offer, he took a 10-week hiatus to film the series. He never went back to the law firm.
Following ‘Vic Reeves’ Big Night Out’, Bob and Vic collaborated on numerous sitcoms, sketch shows, and surreal comedies.
Would I Lie To You
From 2012 onwards, Bob has been a frequent guest panellist on the BBC’s ‘Would I Lie To You?’. Some of his stories have included accidentally setting his house on fire with a box of fireworks and performing his own dentistry for the past 15 years.
Bob has earned a reputation as one of the best guests on ‘Would I Lie To You’.
Heart surgery and Gone Fishing
In 2015, Bob disclosed how his triple bypass surgery inspired the creation of ‘Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing’.
He said: “You can go two ways after heart surgery; you can either get scared and just shrink onto your sofa and keep yourself safe, or you can engage with life again. I think I was probably in danger of taking the first option.
“Paul just kept asking me, ‘Come on, let’s go fishing.’ [He] kept asking until eventually I did go fishing with Paul, and I absolutely adored it. I discovered something that I’d lost from when I was young: just a purposeless day with a friend just chewing the fat.”
Bob’s battle with rheumatoid arthritis
Since childhood, Bob has been battling rheumatoid arthritis. This long-term condition causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints, typically affecting the hands, feet and wrists.
In the past, Bob has opened up about how the condition can leave him in “absolute agony”. In the latest Radio Times’ My Kind of Day column, Bob said: “I have to be careful because I have rheumatoid arthritis all over my body. Steroids keep it under control. It’s treatable but not curable, and it flares up with a major attack every now and then.”
In September 2022, Bob disclosed his health struggles following a hospital visit due to his rheumatoid arthritis. He said: “I am not very well. I am not very healthy at the moment.
“Yes, I might be fat, but actually I am on steroids… It takes until you are 60 to realise all the things you could have done.”
He went on to say: “At my age, we all feel 47, but then your body packs in.”
