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Bob Mortimer

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Robert Renwick Mortimer (born 23 May 1959) is an English comedian, author, television presenter, writer and actor. He is one half of the comedy double act Reeves and Mortimer with Vic Reeves, and appears in the Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing series with Paul Whitehouse. He has appeared on TV panel shows such as Would I Lie to You? and Taskmaster.

Early lifeEdit

Mortimer was born in Middlesbrough on 23 May 1959,<ref name="tees">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and grew up with three brothers in the town's Linthorpe area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His father died in a car crash when Mortimer was seven.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At around the same time, Mortimer accidentally burnt down his family's home with a firework.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> He attended King's Manor School in Middlesbrough,<ref name="tees"/> where his schoolmates included future sports presenter Ali Brownlee.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A keen football fan, he had trials for local club Middlesbrough F.C., but abandoned his footballing dreams due to early-onset arthritis.

Mortimer left school with three A-Levels and went on to study law at the University of Sussex and University of Leicester.<ref name="tees"/> There, he became a punk, and started a band called Dog Dirt.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After leaving university with an LLM in Welfare Law, he moved to London and became a solicitor for Southwark Council.<ref name="tees"/> He then moved to a private practice in Peckham, where his work with Public Health Act cases regarding cockroach infestations of council properties led to a local paper, the South London Press, dubbing him "The Cockroach King".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to his autobiography, he was mugged during this time by one of his clients, who stopped and apologised after recognising him; he continued to represent the client.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

CareerEdit

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Partnership with Vic ReevesEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In 1986, Mortimer went to the Goldsmiths Tavern in New Cross, London, to see a new show by the comedian Vic Reeves.<ref name="tees"/> Mortimer was impressed by the performance, particularly the character Tappy Lappy, which was Reeves attempting to tap dance while wearing a Bryan Ferry mask and planks on his feet. Mortimer approached Reeves after the show, and the two began writing material for the next week's show together. They also became good friends and formed a band, the Potter's Wheel. Mortimer began to perform on the show, which was christened Vic Reeves Big Night Out, creating characters such as the Singing Lawyer, Graham Lister, Judge Nutmeg and the Man With the Stick.

The show became successful in South London and eventually outgrew Goldsmiths Tavern, moving in 1988 to the Albany Empire in Deptford. Mortimer soon became an integral part of the performance, providing him with a weekly break from his legal work, which had begun to disillusion him.Template:Citation needed<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Reeves and Mortimer made their television debut on the short-lived 1989 comedy chat show One Hour with Jonathan Ross, in the game show segment known as "Knock down ginger". Later that year, the duo made their first television pilot together, Vic Reeves Big Night Out. The television show remained true to the nightclub act's variety show format. Mortimer took a 10-week break from his legal job to record the series and never returned.

The two later created a one-off pilot for a sitcom called The Weekenders in 1992, followed by the sketch show The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer in 1993, and Shooting Stars, a comedy panel show that first aired in December 1993. After being commissioned, Shooting Stars ran for five series between 1995 and 2002, with a special anniversary edition broadcast in December 2008. A sixth series was broadcast in late 2009, followed by a seventh series in mid-2010, and an eighth in 2011.

In 1999, Reeves and Mortimer appeared in a second sketch show called Bang Bang, It's Reeves and Mortimer. A year later, Mortimer played the part of Jeff Randall in Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), opposite Reeves as Marty Hopkirk and Emilia Fox as Jeannie Hurst.

In 2003, Mortimer and Reeves were listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a 2005 poll to find the Comedians' Comedian, the duo were voted the 9th greatest comedy act of all time by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2004, Mortimer and Reeves wrote and starred in Catterick, a six-episode surreal comedy about an ex-soldier, Carl, who returns home from serving in Cyprus to join his brother Chris, who has agreed to help find Carl's son. Cast included Reece Shearsmith, Matt Lucas, Morwenna Banks, Tim Healy, Mark Benton and Charlie Higson.

File:Bob Mortimer in Middlesbrough in 2010.jpg
Bob Mortimer in February 2010

On 17 November 2007, Mortimer appeared as Reeves' hairdresser, Carl, in the weekly radio sketch show on BBC Radio 2 entitled Vic Reeves' House Arrest.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 27 February 2008, Reeves announced that he and Mortimer were working together on a new sitcom about superheroes who get their powers through a malfunctioning telegraph pole.<ref name="Journal">Template:Cite news</ref>

In November 2013, Reeves and Mortimer filmed episodes of a new BBC sitcom, House of Fools, also featuring Matt Berry (as Beef), Morgana Robinson (as Julie) and Dan Skinner (as Bosh).

In October 2015, the pair cancelled the first leg of their live tour, 25 Year of Reeves and Mortimer: The Poignant Moments, after Mortimer underwent an emergency triple heart bypass.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 29 December 2017, Mortimer and Reeves starred in a relaunch and new singular episode of their comedy Big Night Out for the BBC. The show has been remade and subsequently renamed to Vic and Bob's Big Night Out. The episode remained true to the classic Big Night Out formula and was composed of various comedy songs, skits, characters and sketches. This was the first time the Big Night Out series had featured Mortimer's name in the title. A full series of Vic and Bob's Big Night Out began on BBC Four in November 2018.

Solo career and appearancesEdit

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Older adverts had Mortimer's voice responding to questions posed by his comedy partner, Vic Reeves. In April 2005, however, Reeves was removed from the adverts, after he was convicted of drink-driving.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Six series of the programme have aired to date; a book was released in 2020,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> series 4 and Christmas specials aired in 2021 and 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • On 3 February 2019, Mortimer appeared on the BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • On 25 August 2021, Mortimer appeared on episode 116 of the food and comedy podcast Off Menu, hosted by comedians James Acaster and Ed Gamble.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> His dream menu was an Odeon Cinema hotdog as a starter, with ketchup and mustard, swirled by his own finger. Main course was a "perfect vindaloo" with poppadoms and chips. Side dish was a shallow fried turbot. His chosen drink was a citrus IPA served at minus 20 degrees. Dessert was a syrup sponge pudding and custard, made by his wife. He was allowed to have a Boost baguette and a cube of frozen custard on his way home.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • In September 2021, Mortimer released an autobiography titled And Away....<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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FilmographyEdit

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With Vic ReevesEdit

Year Title Channel Notes
1989 One Hour with Jonathan Ross Channel 4 TV Debut in "Knock Down Ginger" segment
1990-1991 Vic Reeves Big Night Out
1992 The Weekenders Pilot
1993-1995 The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer BBC Two Sketch show

2 series, 12 episodes

1993 Reeves and Mortimer's Driving School 45 Min. Video
1995-1997, 2002, 2009-2011 Shooting Stars Broadcast pilot in 1993

8 series, 72 episodes

1997 It's Ulrika! One-off special
1999 Bang, Bang, It's Reeves and Mortimer 1 series, 6 episodes
2000-2001 Randall & Hopkirk BBC One Acting only

2 series, 13 episodes

2004 Catterick BBC Three Sitcom

1 series, 6 episodes

The All Star Comedy Show ITV 2-part special
2005 Monkey Trousers 1 series, 6 episodes
Star Chamber Pilot, not commissioned
2014-2015 House of Fools BBC Two 2 series, 13 episodes
2015 Celebrity Squares ITV Guest appearance
2017-2019 Vic and Bob's Big Night Out BBC Two BBC Four One-off special, followed by 2 series. Totalling 9 episodes

TelevisionEdit

Year Title Role Channel Notes Ref
1996 Mash and Peas Channel 4 In the Seinfeld spoof sketch "I'm Bland... yet all my friends are krazy!"
1996, 2000, 2008, 2012 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Guest panellist, guest team captain, guest presenter BBC Two Guest panellist in 1996 and 2000.

Guest team captain in 2008. Guest presenter in 2012.

2002 The 100 Greatest World Cup Moments of All Time! Presenter Channel 4 For the 2002 FIFA World Cup
Celebrity Boxing for Sport Relief Contestant BBC One Defeated Les Dennis in a charity match
2005 29 Minutes of Fame Presenter 1 series, 6 episodes
Popetown Father Nicholas (voice) BBC Three Straight to DVD, the series was not broadcast due to offensive content.
2005-2007 Tittybangbang Sketch Show

Co-creator and co-writer with Jill Parker. Director for series 3

2010 The 100 Greatest World Cup Moments of All Time! Channel 4 Updated version for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
A League of Their Own Guest panellist
2012 Would I Lie to You? Guest panellist BBC One Guest panellist

12 appearances, the most of any guest.

2013 Ross Noble Freewheeling Self Dave
2013-2016 Drifters Frank E4 Supporting role, 11 episodes
2013-2019 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown Self Channel 4 8 episodes
2014 Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled Guest Dave
2014-2016 Duck Quacks Don't Echo Guest panellist Sky One 4 appearances
2015 Let's Play Darts Contestant BBC Two On a team with professional darts player Andy Fordham
2017 Taskmaster Contestant Dave Series 5 champion

Contestant in two-part Champion of Champions special

2018-present Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Self BBC Two 7 series broadcast <ref name=":2" />
2019 Travel Man Self Channel 4
2025 LOL: Last One Laughing UK Self Amazon Prime Video Series 1 champion

BibliographyEdit

Year Title Type Ref
2019 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2021 And Away... Autobiography <ref name=":0" />
2022 The Satsuma Complex (released as 'The Clementine Complex' in U.S.) Novel <ref name=":1" />
2024 The Hotel Avocado Novel citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Personal lifeEdit

Mortimer has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since childhood; he controls it with steroids.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During his appearance on Desert Island Discs, he revealed that he dealt with crippling shyness until the age of 30, which only began to improve after his initial television success; he also reflected on how his father's early death had shaped his personality, despite not realising how much this event had affected him as a child.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In October 2015, Mortimer underwent triple bypass surgery, which led to the cancellation of the first leg of the Reeves and Mortimer 25 Years tour.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On the day of his hospital admission, he married Lisa Matthews, his girlfriend of 22 years, under a special marriage licence express from London. They have two sons.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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