And he says his TV days are behind him

Vic Reeves creator Jim Moir has admitted that he ‘never really speaks’ to comedy partner Bob Mortimer and has put the kibosh on any hopes of them returning to TV together.

Last week, the star admitted he’d retired his comedy alter-ego and is now happy to spend his days painting.

And in a new interview with the Radio Times 64-year-old Moir said: ‘We never really speak much. Bob and I have never been ones for talking on the phone. [I’ll] see him now and then and have a chat about things.’

And when asked if he would return to TV he said: ‘We’ve had offers from everywhere. But I’m not doing any more. I’ve given up. I’ve done that.’

However, he is appearing with his wife in a new Sky Arts series called Painting Birds With Jim And Nancy Moir in which the pair visit beauty spots to capture the  wildlife in watercolour.

Moir’s comments about his former double-act partner came when interviewer Michael Hodges drew similarities withthe new show and Mortimer’s acclaimed Gone Fishing series with Paul Whitehouse.

It follows an interview in the Daily Telegraph last week to promote the same series in which Moir said: ‘It’s a different show. The similarities [with Gone Fishing] are "it’s wildlife". They get put up for comedy awards. I hope this doesn’t.’

In that same conversation he admitted: ’I said goodbye to Vic years and years ago’ and poured scorn that he might appear on panel shows like Mortimer does.

‘I can’t bear them,’ he said. ‘I don’t really like competition in any way. I find it dull. Panel shows where people are desperate to try to outdo each other.’

Vic and Bob met during a live show and 1986, and they last appeared together on a revival of their Channel 4 show Big Night Out, but for the BBC, in 2017.

They have been working on-and-off on their swansong – a film called The Glove about the hunt for some Michael Jackson memorabilia – but Moir said: ‘It keeps getting moved down the line. It might happen, it might not happen. To do it would be good, but I’m not worrying about it.’

Morgana Robinson, Noel Fielding, Matt Lucas, Tim Key, Tony Pitts, Paul Whitehouse and Tony Way have been attached to the film over its development.

• Painting Birds With Jim And Nancy Moir is on Sky Arts at 9pm from next Wednesday.

Published: 11 Apr 2023