Sam & Ade Go Birding: A Gentle Exploration of Nature and Friendship
Channel 5's new series Sam & Ade Go Birding offers a delightful and contemplative look at the world of birdwatching, starring actors Sam West and Adrian Edmondson. The show arrives eight years after the initial success of BBC2's Gone Fishing with Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer, positioning itself as a natural companion piece that explores similar themes of friendship and the great outdoors.
The Sliding Scale of Birdwatching Geekery
Sam West, with his theatrical background and parents Timothy West and Prunella Scales, brings a poetic sensibility to the series. He describes birdwatching as existing on 'a sliding scale of geekery', placing himself at the extreme end where enthusiasts become 'tiresomely diverted by rarities'. This distinction forms the core of the show's exploration.
The programme carefully differentiates between three levels of engagement: casual 'bird watching' (what most people do when glancing at sparrows through a window), more organised 'birding' (involving drawings, lists, and detailed observations), and intense 'twitching' (where enthusiasts chase rare species across the country to complete their catalogues of 636 British species plus unexpected migrants).
An Unlikely Pairing Finds Common Ground
Unlike the established friendship between Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer, Sam West and Adrian Edmondson are relatively new acquaintances. They first met as guest stars on the set of Death In Paradise in 2019, and while it's unclear how much they've seen each other since, their on-screen chemistry is evident.
Both men share a dry sense of humour and appreciation for pubs, embodying what might be described as terribly English blokes of a certain age - West is 59, while Edmondson is ten years older. Their dynamic provides both comedic moments and genuine warmth as they navigate the sometimes frustrating world of bird spotting.
From Empty Hedges to Coastal Wonders
The production faced initial challenges in translating the passive activity of birdwatching to compelling television. Early scenes featured the pair staring through binoculars at hedges full of nothing but leaves, which producers quickly realised lacked visual appeal.
The solution came in moving to Cornwall's dramatic coastline, where the landscape teemed with choughs, buzzards, gannets, and the occasional seal. This shift transformed the viewing experience, offering both beautiful scenery and actual bird sightings that justified the hours of patient waiting.
Poignant Moments Amidst the Feathers
While the series maintains a light-hearted tone overall, it doesn't shy away from emotional depth. In one particularly moving moment, Sam West became visibly emotional upon spotting the paddle-steamer Waverley off Land's End. The ship had been a favourite of his father Timothy West, and had hosted a celebration of Timothy's life just weeks earlier.
This poignant scene suggested an almost spiritual connection, as if the elder West was offering approval of his son's new venture. The moment highlighted how the series balances its gentle humour with genuine emotional resonance, suggesting future episodes might explore deeper personal topics.
Adrian Edmondson, a novice to birding, initially struggled to understand the appeal of standing in fields for hours hoping to glimpse elusive species. Yet through the series, both men find common ground in their appreciation of nature's quiet moments and the simple pleasure of shared experience.
