The Romesh Ranganathan Show

Bob Mortimer: Writing Novels, Gone Fishing & Last One Laughing

2026-11-09

Why did Bob Mortimer never speak to Damon Albarn again?In this episode of The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Romesh is joined by comedian, writer and national treasure Bob Mortimer, ahead of his new novel Michael.They talk about how Bob writes a book without a plan, the surprising second series of Last One Laughing, and why Gone Fishing has become so much more than two men by a river. There’s also a heated cats vs dogs debate, a very particular opinion on lard, and a story about a pair of stolen glasses that Bob clearly hasn’t recovered from.A Ranga Bee Production.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:45 Meet Bob Mortimer02:04 Last One Laughing: series two nerves08:09 A gift for Bob11:17 Why Bob prefers cats12:09 Writing a book with no plan15:25 Why Michael is such a brilliant book25:22 How Gone Fishing started33:01 Why Gone Fishing gets so deep38:44 Romesh's House of Fools audition45:12 A question from Shanthi50:00 Bob's notes on the show55:41 Bob's health and the lard question1:09:49 The ending of Michael1:12:59 OutroLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No. of episodes

118

Latest episode

2026-11-09

Where can you listen?

The world’s biggest stars join Romesh for candid conversations and loads of laughs. Every Monday, Romesh Ranganathan meets actors, musicians, comedians and icons who share stories you won’t hear anywhere else, combining humour, heart and genuine insight. Expect backstage anecdotes, untold tales from the spotlight, and extraordinary insight into what makes them tick. On Thursdays, Rom’s mum Shanthi joins the show to share family stories, answer audience questions, and offer her no-nonsense take on life, proving that the funniest and most relatable conversations often happen around the kitchen table. Leave a voice note for Romesh and Shanthi by messaging +447731623355, @theromeshshow on Instagram, or emailing [email protected]. A Ranga Bee Production.