Best on the Box brings us the third episode in this five-part series.
In this series, five national treasures —Fern Britton, Ian Botham, Linford Christie, Les Dennis and Rosemary Shrager —escape the rat race to embark on a fishing trip like no other. An epic road trip sees them travelling from East to West, from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, taking in the picturesque sights, the fascinating history and, of course, landing the catch of the day.
Halfway through their journey, sportsman Ian leaves and pop star Shane Lynch joins. Beginning in Arbroath, the home of the highly prized smokie, and finishing in Oban, they pass through some of the greatest fishing pools on Earth in the hope of landing the local fish hero. Travelling in a convoy, the radio blares with banter as they take in the local sights and delights and uncover the history of the places they visit.
Along the way, the famous five stay in stunningly scenic spots, hunting lodges, tree houses, glamping pods and unique hotels — experiencing Scotland’s warm hospitality. Each week, it’s a different fish they are after —from match fishing for monster carp to stalking elusive migrating sea trout —and eventually they put all their skills and knowledge to the test as they fish for sharks around the waters of Oban. They’re novice fishers, apart from Beefy Botham, who is a self-taught expert. Each has a desire to get away from it all, enjoy a slower pace of life, and have their breath taken away by the sheer majesty of Scotland’s stunning scenery.
“Expect unlikely friendships, lots of laughter and celebrities like you rarely get to see them.” – Channel 5
In this third episode, the group embraces a change in personnel, as Linford Christie, Rosemary Shrager, Les Dennis and Fern Britton swap Lord Ian ‘Beefy’ Botham for pop star Shane Lynch and head south towards Stirling to try their hand at coarse fishing. With Ian gone, they’ve lost the only member of the group who knew how to fish, but Boyzone singer Shane is an instant hit with the group and he’s welcomed with open arms and a healthy dose of friendly banter.
Things get serious (as serious as they ever can get) when they rock up to a coarse fishing lake to discover they’re being partnered with Scottish national angling team members to compete to land the biggest carp. With the night’s accommodation on the line, the gang are even more determined to land a fish. As the fishing buddies draw lots to see who they’re paired with, Fern gets her choice pick, Shane is boosted by drawing the Scottish team captain, Rosemary feels she has a lot to prove, Les learns a lot from his new fishing buddy, and Linford discovers his fishing partner is as competitive as he is, and the pair try every trick in the book to catch a monster carp.
By the end of the competition, carp are caught, the famous five are happy to finally be reeling in the fish, and the winner spends the night in a luxury treehouse. It’s then on to the Carron Valley Reservoir for a day off from the rods, where they meet a medieval Scots warrior, a Celtic bard and enjoy a banquet to celebrate another fun trip through stunning Scotland.
Fishing Scotland’s Lochs and Rivers, Channel 5, 7 pm
