Comic reunited with Samuel West

Samuel West and Adrian Edmondson are to make a second series of their birdwatching series for 5.

Six more hour-long episodes of  Sam & Ade Go Birding are now in production by programme-makers Frank Films.

Across the series, West and Edmondson will visit the hills and sea cliffs of Yorkshire, the wilds of West Wales, and the remote isles and coastlines of Scotland, encountering swifts, swallows, curlews, red kites, ospreys, woodland songbirds, puffins, guillemots and gannets.

West said: ’My dastardly plan to get Adrian Edmondson addicted to birding seems to be paying off. Ade said he wanted to see more birds, so I thought we should go and find some. I’m not particularly fond of him, but the birds are lovely.’

Edmondson added: ’More birds, more stunning views, more chats, more trips to the pub - it’s a hard life, but someone’s got to do it.’

The programme takes a leaf out of the Mortimer And Whitehouse Gone Fishing playbook and  centres on the friendship between West and Edmondson, with the pair sharing stories about ageing, family and mortality alongside their birdwatching.

Kit Morey, commissioning editor at 5, described the show as a ‘beautiful, uplifting avian adventure’, adding: ‘Sam and Ade have created something truly special - warm, funny, thoughtful and full of wonder.’ 

Jamie Balment, executive producer at Frank Films, said: ’The first series was such a genuine joy to make, that I feel hugely lucky to have the opportunity to spot more of Britain’s birds with Sam’s knowledge and Ade’s curious eye.’

A broadcast date for series two is yet to to be announced. Rob Gill is series director.

Published: 11 Aug 2026