The Gone Fishing Comedian Opens Up About His Near-Death Experience During Triple Bypass Surgery, Finding Peace in Mortality and Embracing Life’s Absurdity

LONDON – November 18, 2025 – Bob Mortimer, the beloved British comedian whose deadpan wit and surreal storytelling have entertained generations, has delivered one of his most poignant lines yet: “I’m not afraid of death anymore – because I’ve died once.” In a raw, unfiltered interview on the Dish from the Pond podcast released Monday, the 66-year-old Gone Fishing star candidly shared his brush with mortality during emergency heart surgery in 2015, describing a surreal “light” that washed away his lifelong fear of dying. The confession, laced with Mortimer’s signature gallows humor, has resonated deeply with fans, sparking a wave of tributes and reflections on the fragility of life.

Mortimer’s health crisis struck like a bolt from the blue. In October 2015, just as he was preparing for a stand-up tour, excruciating chest pain sent him to London’s Wellington Hospital. Diagnosed with severe coronary heart disease, he underwent triple bypass surgery – a procedure that saved his life but plunged him into a three-week medically induced coma. “I was gone,” Mortimer recalled, his voice steady but eyes distant. “The doctors said I flatlined twice. But in that darkness, there was this… light. Not like the cheesy near-death stories you hear – no tunnels, no relatives waving. Just a warmth, a certainty that it wasn’t frightening. It was peaceful.”

Upon waking, Mortimer found the experience transformative. “Before, death terrified me – the unknown, the end of the jokes,” he admitted with a chuckle. “Now? I’ve died once. Seen the light. It’s like peeking behind the curtain at a bad magic show. Spoiler: there’s no big reveal, just quiet.” The comedian, known for his absurd tales on Would I Lie to You? and heartfelt camaraderie with Paul Whitehouse on Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, has long woven personal vulnerability into his work. But this revelation marks a new level of candor, one that strips away the laughter to reveal a man at peace with his mortality.

The podcast, hosted by comedian Paul Tonkinson, delved deeper into Mortimer’s post-surgery life. “The op changed everything,” he said. “I stopped smoking after 45 years – cold turkey, no fuss. And fishing with Paul? It’s not escape anymore; it’s gratitude. Every cast, every missed bite – it’s bonus time.” Whitehouse, his fishing buddy and co-star, echoed the sentiment in a supportive tweet: “Bob’s faced the reaper and come back funnier. That’s the real magic.”

Fans have flooded social media with adoration. #BobMortimerNDE trended with 1.2 million posts, users sharing their own brushes with death and praising his bravery. “Bob’s always made us laugh through pain – now he’s teaching us to live without fear,” one wrote. Another: “From Vic and Bob to this – the man’s a legend on and off the stage.” The response underscores Mortimer’s enduring appeal: a surrealist who grounds the absurd in humanity.

Mortimer’s journey isn’t without its shadows. Post-surgery, he battled depression and the fear of losing his creative edge, channeling it into A Series of Birds (2022), a memoir blending ornithology with memoir. “Death’s not the enemy – forgetting to live is,” he quipped. Now, with a new stand-up tour slated for 2026 and a third Gone Fishing series, Mortimer is thriving, his humor sharper for the scare.

In an era of filtered facades, Bob Mortimer’s honesty shines. “I’ve died once,” he concluded. “The light was kind. So I’ll keep telling stories – because life’s too short not to laugh at the dark.” Millions agree. From the man who once joked about his heart “being like a dodgy carburetor,” comes wisdom that heals. Bob Mortimer didn’t just survive – he emerged unafraid, reminding us all: the best punchlines come from staring down the void.