Ted, the beloved canine star of BBC's Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, has died at the age of 13. The BBC confirmed the news, noting that Ted will make his final appearance in the upcoming series.
Bob Mortimer paid tribute, saying: "So very, very sad. Lovely Ted, the best companion and the greatest little chum. Going to miss him so much.. and away boss." Paul Whitehouse added: "Bye bye Ted old friend. He wasn’t a dog, he was a species all of his own. He’s gone to the great briefcase emporium in the sky. We will really miss you mate."
Ted belonged to executive producer Lisa Clark, who rescued him from a dog home in Surrey at six months old in spring 2013. Clark said: "Ted was a much-loved family pet as well as a treasured companion to Paul and Bob on Gone Fishing. He took fame in his little stride and loved nothing better than messing around on the riverbanks, nicking jammy dodgers from Bob and bait from Paul. He will be sorely missed both at home and on screen."
Making his debut in series three, Ted quickly became a scene-stealer, often poking his snout into fishing bags. The comedians developed a rich backstory for him as an explosives expert who lost his briefcase. Off-screen, Ted amassed 282,000 Instagram followers and authored two books, Ted's Pawtobiography and Ted: Pup Fiction.
Tributes poured in from fans and celebrities. Diane Morgan commented: "Oh god, this has me welling up! What an amazing little character he was." Charlie Baker added: "Good Boy Ted. Hope you find your briefcase. Thanks for the joy." Ted will appear posthumously in one episode of the forthcoming ninth series.
