Gone Fishing viewers are mourning the loss of Ted, the mischievous little terrier who became one of the most beloved stars of the BBC series alongside Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse.
The Patterdale Terrier mix sadly passed away aged 13 after spending six unforgettable years travelling across the UK with the comedy duo on their fishing adventures. What began as a small cameo quickly turned Ted into a full-blown fan favourite — with viewers falling in love with his crooked teeth, cheeky personality and habit of causing absolute chaos beside the riverbank.
Ted first appeared on the show in 2020 and instantly became impossible to ignore. Whether he was wandering into fishing rods, stealing bait, lunging at picnic lunches or interrupting emotional conversations, the tiny dog somehow became the soul of the series.
One of Ted’s most iconic moments came when Bob Mortimer hilariously compared their teeth during a fishing trip. Holding Ted in his lap, Bob joked: “Ted’s got the bottom teeth I should have and I’ve got the top teeth that he should have.” As the dog proudly showed off his famous overbite, Bob laughed: “It would make both of us more complete.”
As Ted’s popularity exploded, Bob and Paul even created an entire fictional backstory for him. The comedians jokingly claimed Ted was a former explosives expert obsessed with finding a mysterious missing briefcase. The bizarre running joke became so popular it inspired Ted’s own best-selling books, including Pup Fiction and A Pawtobiography.
Fans also adored the moments Ted completely sabotaged the pair’s fishing trips. He constantly stole food from their picnics — especially Paul’s beloved Jammie Dodgers. In one unforgettable scene, Ted snatched a biscuit from the bag while the comedians were distracted. Watching Ted run off with it, Bob burst out laughing and shouted: “He’s just stolen your Jammie Dodger!”
Ted’s comedy gold continued when Paul challenged Bob to race the dog across a field. While Ted sprinted ahead effortlessly, Bob collapsed mid-run as his trousers began falling down, leaving viewers in hysterics.
Another fan-favourite scene saw Ted being set up on a “date” with another terrier. Bob warned him beforehand: “Don’t just go on about briefcases all the time, and mind your language!” But the romance quickly failed after the female dog ran straight past Ted and ignored him completely.
Following the heartbreaking news of Ted’s death, Bob and Paul shared emotional tributes to their tiny co-star. Bob said: “So very, very sad. Lovely Ted, the best companion and the greatest little chum. Going to miss him so much.”
Paul added: “He wasn’t a dog, he was a species all of his own. He’s gone to the great briefcase emporium in the sky.”
Ted’s owner and executive producer Lisa Clark also paid tribute, saying Ted “loved nothing better than messing around on the riverbanks, nicking Jammie Dodgers from Bob and bait from Paul.”
Despite his passing, Ted will still appear one final time in the upcoming ninth series of Gone Fishing later this year — a bittersweet goodbye for the tiny terrier who unexpectedly became one of British television’s most unforgettable stars.
