And Away...

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Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving memoir, And Away… I found that I no longer felt the need to just be the funny guy,” he says of his career since the heart operation. “I was actually better at just being myself.” The book, too, grows more confident in talking about serious subjects as it progresses and it’s the honesty and openness that he allows in Gone Fishing that make And Away…, by the end, an unexpectedly moving read. He finally reveals that his grand plan is actually a move to New Zealand, and Felicity is stunned – what about the life they’ve been building in Summer Bay? Felicity (Jacqui Purvis) has been on a downward spiral since she was assaulted at the Battle of the Bands competition at the beginning of June. This was a book that I was looking forward to all year and inhaled when the magical publishing time arrived, still wanting to savour every moment. I must admit that it took me a few minutes to get into the audio version as it was delivered in a far less manic pace, despite the huge energy from the cover, but again this matches in with the beauty of Bob as a performer - the total joy is always apparent, even in the melancholic moments, but from a grounded person that turned to the surreal to make life more interesting without it being desperately forced.

It’s not all hilarious though, as he spoke candidly about how’s he really struggled with shyness all his life and with depression at uni. It was really quite sad at times, especially when revealed how hard he found it making and keeping friends. Eden and Remi are lost for inspiration. Marilyn fears she’s lost a friend. Rose defines her parents’ separation. A triumph’ – Daily Mail Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving memoir, And Away…In recent years Bob has become a popular contestant on Would I Lie To You for the incredible stories from his life, and Bob's first book is filled with more of the hilariously unbelievable misadventures that fans love him for. From burning down the family home to starting a short-lived punk band, Bob shares tales from his life with the warmth and good-natured humour that have made him a national treasure. Although a wedding has been the obvious conclusion drawn by many for the formal event, both those on the tour and actor Shane Withington have denied this to be the case. This was so funny. Bob Mortimer has a gift for storytelling, weaving the most interesting stories of his life into a very relatable and honest account. From his childhood in Middlesbrough, we see him roam the streets with his friends, take on various jobs and eventually meet Jim Noir, a partnership that would ultimately change the course of his life. Some of the stories he tells are completely bonkers, from the pony watching TV in a living room to Mark Lemar falling through a ceiling and walking off. It's as chaotic and random as you would imagine from Bob.

I also enjoyed hearing about his TV shows with Vic Reeves, especially when about the revamp of Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), as it’s a family favourite. There was lots of silly stories off and on set and also some embarrassing ones too! I have never minded… playing second fiddle’: Mortimer with Vic Reeves on Shooting Stars, January 2003. Photograph: Kieran McCrum/BBC Can an extremely shy person who has never once dreamed of a life in show business in his approximately 30 years on Earth become a beloved comedian with many stage and TV shows to his credit? Yes! This memoir alternates chapters between descriptions of Bob Mortimer's emergency triple bypass and his childhood, adulthood, and show business success. I suggest getting the audiobook version, which includes enthusiastic singing and about two dozen different accents. I loved the stories from his childhood and adolescence, so many had me crying with laughter, even making me smile now as I think about them. The story about the Greyhound called ‘The Wedge’ and Brian his workmate doing the bins was brilliant! As were the interview at Cambridge University and some of his probation service stories. I loved the witch’s house story, with the tiny pony, old lady and the toilet seat and makeup club at school was hilarious! I’ve absolutely no idea if any of them they were lies or true stories, which is typical Bob Mortimer! 😹

They returned to Summer Bay the following week where Felicity offered them a regular gig. Bob was against the idea and encouraged Kirby to ditch Eden and Remi so they could set up on their own. Kirby tried to broker peace between the others but Bob decided to quit the band. Kirby refused to go with him, breaking up with him. They had to arrange emergency auditions for a new lead singer and ended up choosing Theo. She helped Theo learn how to balance his work with the band with his apprenticeship at the garage, recalling how her family wanted her to study medicine and she went to uni but realised she liked music more.