Regular viewers of the BBC’s Gone Fishing programme will be familiar with Ted, the Patterdale cross dog who was given as a surprise Christmas present in 2012 and then abandoned at the New Year, at just six months old. Luckily for Ted, he was adopted shortly after by Lisa Clark, executive producer of Gone Fishing, who, until Ted’s passing early this year, gave him the best life any dog could wish for.

Lisa very kindly agreed to speak to me about her amazing little companion, who won the hearts of many, and to share some heartwarming stories. First and foremost, I think it is important to note that Ted was not a trained dog; he didn’t perform. In fact, according to Lisa, “He didn’t really do anything except be himself." Ted lived his life on his own terms and was answerable to no one. It was this attitude and the distinct overbite that endeared him to so many.

Ironically, given the medical histories of Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse, the comedians who star in Gone Fishing and have both had heart-related issues, Ted himself succumbed to heart disease. Lisa tells me she took Ted to the vet because he had developed a cough. After the usual routine procedures, the vet x-rayed Ted and found he had an enlarged heart. “I thought it was quite sweet when the vet told me Ted had a huge heart,” Lisa recalls, until, of course, she realised what this meant.

It was clear from speaking to Lisa that her loss is still very raw, and for anyone who has loved and lost a dog, her pain is easy to understand. Filming for the tenth series of Gone Fishing is underway, and Lisa told me she will find it very difficult. “Sometimes we would spend two or three hours together in the car, and I talked to him all the time,” she said. She explained that she will miss Ted’s companionship enormously, and, as Paul Whitehouse reiterated about his little filming buddy, “He wasn’t a dog; he was a species all of his own."

I asked Lisa about Ted’s day-to-day life, and she said he accompanied her on set as often as possible. If the journey were too far, he would stay at home with her husband and enjoy some downtime. Ted didn’t have any toys; he didn’t like them, Lisa told me, although he would occasionally play tug-of-war with Lisa’s other dog, an Old English sheepdog named Dolly. However, Lisa recalled that, if she were away for a few days filming and Ted was at home, he would carry one of her slippers around.

Ted wasn’t a ‘foodie’ either, Lisa told me, though he was often spotted on set sniffing around the camping stove when Bob Mortimer started cooking. Lisa told me that Ted had a penchant for liver treats, and she would make them in huge batches and freeze them. The only thing that got Ted’s attention was the rustle of the treat bag, though even then he was rarely obedient, even when treats were on offer.

One particularly funny story Lisa shared with me was about Ted when he was young. He disappeared into a large bush. He had a tracker on his collar, so Lisa and her husband knew where he was. However, they simply couldn’t get him to come out. Lisa explained that she and her husband took turns watching and waiting for Ted to emerge. Eventually, after about three hours, he did indeed come out. Lisa said she had been told that you should never, ever be cross with a dog if it comes back, and so, despite having waited for Ted for three hours, she found herself telling him what a good boy he was for finally showing his face! Lisa laughs as she recalls this story, and her love for Ted shines through in her voice.

Ted was a dog of many talents, penning two books – with the help of Lisa – with a third due for publication in September this year. Titled The Retirement Plan, the book’s ending will need to be rewritten following Ted’s death, and Lisa says she knows it won’t be easy. Ted had a few plans for his retirement, including volunteering at a dog shelter and accompanying a postman on his rounds as a ‘protection hound’ after the postman had been bitten whilst delivering letters.

I feel Lisa’s pain at losing a beloved pet. When we get a dog, nothing prepares us for the heartbreak of their passing, but for Ted and his many adoring fans, that heartbreak is even greater. However, after speaking to Lisa, I am certain that Ted had a remarkable life, one most mutts would envy, and that he was loved by many.

Not surprisingly, Lisa says she has been inundated with messages from fans of Gone Fishing and Ted, sending love and wanting to donate in his name to a good cause. A JustGiving page has been set up in his memory. Lisa says she is still undecided about which charities the money will support, but “front-runner ideas for the funds so far are Dog charities (obviously), but also maybe a statue of the scruffy old lad!” If you would like to donate, please click here for the official link.




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