I have had a superb idea for a television programme. Following on from Robert Llewellyn’s (Kryton in Red Dwarf) superb Car Pool, in which he talks to famous folk as he gives them a lift somewhere, I have a vision of Tackle Out – a talk-show where the host goes off angling with a famous person and they sit by a lake and natter about this and that.

Much of the chat must of course be related to whatever the person is highlighting, a film, book etc, but the conversation could drift around places that guest likes to go angling, where in the world they’ve been fishing and what their favourite fishing tackle is, where they get it and their angling history and stories.

angling has previously provided a pleasant backdrop to a TV show, in recent years Rich Hall had a programme sitting in a boat, on a loch with his mate, doing comedy. And Robson Green has had a programme about extreme angling in exotic parts of the world. There have also been cult figures to come from telly shows about fishing, most prominently of course is the superb Rex Hunt from the Fishing Adventures, but in the UK, John Wilson stands out.

The show could be quite wide ranging. Thinking of the prospective guests who are known to be keen when it comes to the piscatorial pursuits; Jeremy Paxman would be fascinating, Billy Connelly would be raucous, maybe some real pathos in having a programme where Paul Gascoigne could talk through his troubles, and a host of famous people from all areas of life such as Ian Botham might well be easily talked into it if they were to be asked for a day with the fishing tackle and talk about themselves for a few hours.

There is a forerunner for such a show. Many years ago, the idol of golf commentary presented a similarly themed programme where he chatted to a well known golf amateur in ‘Around With Alliss’ which provided gentle, amusing chat with a guest utterly relaxed as they were pursuing their hobby.

What a delight the show could be! The chat-show needs revamping. Jonathan Ross’s BBC1 show went on in the same format for too long, the Graham Norton show that has taken over fromit is a bit old hat so how about a programme that can appeal to people who are active in the most popular participation sport, the interviewees could bring in those who are not actual bothered by fishing but might be drawn to it as a result. There could be tips on fishing tackle for fishers at all levels, what you want to get started, different sorts of fishing and fishing tackle that might be needed for as opposed to reservoirs or gravel pits as well as demonstrating how fishing boost the conservation of the water environs.

The more I consider it, the more I like the plan. It doesn’t need to be primarily an fishing show, in fact far better if it is not, but it could a runner and I shall write to the BBC at once!

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