TV Times – 27 July 2019

Wacky

winners

John Thomson on his quirky clip

show inspired by the world of sport

H

orses playing

football and

escalator-racing

pensioners are

all just part of the

wacky world of Zone of Champions,

a new series where anything can be

a sport and anyone can be a winner!

Presented by Jack Bullman and

Nicky Brimble (Cold Feet and The

Fast Show star John Thomson and

comic Jessica Knappett),

the six-part clip show

features funny videos

and archive clips that

have been woven into

a scripted comedy.

Here, John, 50, tells

us what to expect...

How would you

describe the show?

It’s comedy clips with

sports punditry, so presented like a

legitimate sports show. It brings you

all the sports that might not look

like sports, but definitely are sports.

What’s your character Jack like?

He’s an old-school sports presenter

trying to get with the times. He’s

trying to follow the politically

correct and modern approach to

things, but he’s struggling a bit.

Nicky constantly keeps him in

check in case he drops a faux pas.

What are your favourite clips?

I’m very partial to Human Skittles,

which is dogs knocking over their

owners. Escalator Racing is a high

point, as is Entry-Level Parkour,

but my favourite is The Musical

Animal Invitational, where animals

play musical instruments. There’s

even a chicken playing the piano!

What makes a good

clip for a show like this?

It has to have a broad

appeal. If all the family

are laughing together,

then it’s a good clip.

Do you play or watch

any sport yourself?

I absolutely hate sport.

When England play in

the football World Cup,

I go shopping and it’s fantastic

as I have the place to myself. I’m

only competitive when it comes

to something like quizzes!

Sean Marland

ZONE OF CHAMPIONS IS PREVIEWED

ON PAGES 32-

NEW ENTERTAINMENT

Zone of Champions

SATURDAY / ITV / 6.45PM

There’s a

chicken

play ing

the piano!

Paul Whitehouse

and Bob Mortimer

tell TV Times how

fishing together has

changed their lives

PHOTOS: ALAMY, BBC/OWL POWER, ITV

MORTIMER & WHITEHOUSE:

GONE FISHING IS

PREVIEWED ON P80-

T

wo blokes

having a natter

while fishing

hardly sounds

like unmissable

T V. But BBC2’s Mortimer &

Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, in

which The Fast Show’s Paul

Whitehouse and Shooting

Stars’ Bob Mortimer do just

that, turned out to be one of

the surprise telly hits of 2018.

The comics, who’ve both

had heart operations, started

fishing together when Paul,

who had stents inserted,

coaxed pal Bob – who’d had a

triple bypass – out of the house

for a spot of recuperation.

The experience spawned

the series, which makes a

welcome return this week with

a trip to one of Paul’s childhood

fishing haunts in Wales.

Those who caught the

first run will know that the

show is

not just

for fishing

aficionados,

nor is it all

larking about, since Paul,

61, and Bob, 60, touch

on serious subjects such

as health problems and

growing old, as well as

making each other, and

the viewers, laugh a lot. And

if none of that appeals, you

can sit back and enjoy the

glorious British countryside.

Here, in a TV Times

exclusive, Paul and Bob tell

us what they’ve learnt from

each over the years about

fishing, friendship and

finding joy in each day...

Ian MacEwan

ENTERTAINMENT

NEW FACTUAL

Mortimer &

Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

FRIDAY / BBC2 / 8PM

Life le

12 TV TIMES