Television celebrities Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse recently spent time filming for their TV series, Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, on-board Stort Challenger, one of CanalAbility’s three specially adapted canal boats.  

Following his heart surgery in 2015, Bob Mortimer was invited by his longtime friend and colleague Paul Whitehouse, who has also had heart surgery, to go on a fishing trip to help with his recuperation. This gave them the idea for their BBC programme Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. 

In an interview with the Daily Express, Bob said: “I remember approaching this beautiful river for the first time and thinking that everyone should be able to get a ticket that allows them to have a two-hour stare at this environment.” 

Research by the Canal and River Trust, who protect the majority of the UK’s canals, has discovered spending time on our inland waterways is being recommended by GPs as a way to help combat mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and severe stress.  

Our own research with clients has also shown that they very much valued the ability to get away, relax, and feel good when participating in one of our canal boat trips or holidays, and that they enjoyed the peace, tranquillity, and stress-free environment of being out on the river. 

CanalAbility were able to hire Stort Challenger to the production company Owl Power TV, and filming took place with Bob and Paul spending time fishing in Hertfordshire and returning to the boat to prepare their evening meal and spend the night on-board. 

Make sure you catch Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing featuring CanalAbility on Sunday 30 August 2020 on BBC 2 at 8pm. 

We’re Back Out on the Water!  

With new safety procedures and hygiene measures put into place, we have reopened for day trips and holidays (subject to some restrictions and in-line with the latest Government guidelines).  

So do come and enjoy the peace, tranquillity and spectacular scenery of the river on one of our three specially adapted canal boats. They make it possible for anyone with disabilities and mobility impairments to enjoy Canal Boating, for a day or a longer holiday. 

If you would like to explore the beautiful Essex and Hertfordshire countryside and arrange your own canal boat experience, email , or visit the website for a live availability calendar.