What’s the story?

Fishing Scotland’s Lochs and Rivers.

I’ll need more information.

Picture the scene: An unlikely band of celebrities, travelling in convoy, exchanging banter, pitting their wits against pike, salmon and sea trout, doing battle with monster carp and even dabbling in a spot of shark fishing.

The quintet? Fern Britton, Sir Ian Botham, Linford Christie, Les Dennis and Rosemary Shrager embarking upon an epic road trip. Here. In Scotland.

The Herald: Les Dennis and Linford Christie preparing salmon on the River Tay in new Channel 5 series Fishing Scotland’s Lochs and Rivers. Picture: Thomas Skinner/Ricochet/Channel 5Les Dennis and Linford Christie preparing salmon on the River Tay in new Channel 5 series Fishing Scotland’s Lochs and Rivers. Picture: Thomas Skinner/Ricochet/Channel 5

Starting in Arbroath, home of legendary smokie, and finishing in Oban, aka Scotland’s Seafood Capital, they will visit some of the country’s greatest fishing locations. The group is mainly plucky novices, apart from Beefy Botham who is a self-taught angling expert.

Pardon?

I know. It’s a lot of information to take in. And things look set to get even more surreal when, halfway through, Botham leaves and Shane Lynch joins.

The Boyzone singer?

Affirmative. Although Lynch does have some experience of piscine-themed action having been on Trawlermen: Celebs at Sea alongside Antony Worrall Thompson and Ben Cohen in 2019.

READ MORE: The Scottish island that has won the heart of farmer and TV presenter Adam Henson

Fishing programmes are all the rage?

It seems that way. We are big fans of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.

When can I watch?

Fishing Scotland’s Lochs and Rivers begins on Channel 5, Friday, at 7pm.