TOP TV fishing presenter and actor Robson Green is starring in a brand new series – and says he is here to stay.
Entitled Grand Slam, the ten-episode series tracks Robson Green in his attempts to achieve one of the hardest feats in all angling, as recognised by the International Game Fishing Association, and become the first actor to do so.
The first show was aired yesterday on Travel Channel, Robson’s first for the Freeview network. He has previously appeared in angling series on Channel 5 and Quest… so has now completed a telly ‘slam’!
In Grand Slam, Robson travels as far afield as Cuba, Alaska and Senegal, trying to catch three different species of big game fish in one 24-hour period.
The 53-year-old told Angler’s Mail: “This has been described as the Olympic gold medal of fishing – catching one game fish of any kind can be an achievement so three different ones in a day is something few manage to achieve.”
“I’m very privileged to be employed to participate in something I really love doing, and in this programme I was thrilled to be alongside some of the biggest names in world sea fishing.
“Miami, where IGFA is based, was perhaps the highlight of the trip, and I had all sorts of wonderful experiences including fishing for blue shark on the fly.
“I also achieved one thing that only one person in the world had done previously and another that only three people have.”
Robson Green on why he loves fishing so much
Robson added: “Some people get a bit chippy about my doing all these programmes but I think they have been popular because I’m naturally so enthusiastic about what I am doing.
“I don’t claim to be an expert angler and my fly fishing style is fairly ugly, but I love fishing and it has helped me be a better person and better actor.
“I fish as much as I can when I’m not making programmes about it or acting and am lucky to live right on the banks of the River Tyne.
“Mind you I plan to start the season this year in Scotland as it begins a month earlier and will be on rivers like the Spey and Tay.”
Robson revealed: “I did introduce my own son Taylor to fishing and when he was seven he caught an 8 lb rainbow trout from a fishery in Surrey – that was quite a day as a fellow angler managed to hook the rear of a horse on the back-cast and it galloped off pulling rod and line behind it.
“Taylor is now a handsome 6 ft teenager so is now more interested in catching other things, but one day he will hopefully return to fishing having caught the bug.
“I plan to carry on making programme for TV as long as I can and they remain popular,” he concluded.
To see whether Robson actually achieves the Grand Slam and view his other successes, tune in on Monday evenings at 9pm on the Travel Channel. Several repeats are aired each weekend.
GOT A VIEW ON TV ANGLING? OR GOT SOME NEWS? Email to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.