Bob Mortimer recalls 'bursting into tears' over long-awaited moment 'Couldn't help myself'

Bob Mortimer has revealed how he "burst into tears" when he finally saw his idol Joni Mitchell perform live.

The comedian and TV star said he had been a devoted fan of the singer for years but that he never dreamed he would get the chance to witness her singing on stage.

But when he found himself in the US and discovered she was performing, he managed to secure a ticket. Speaking on The One Show on Friday (October 3), Bobrevealed that the performance left him emotional and that it was something he would "never forget".

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The star was chatting about Joni - whose classics include Help Me and Big Yellow Taxi - with fellow guests Brandi Carlile and Maya Rudolph, reports Teesside Live.

"Yeah, she's my musical life... I love her music," he revealed.

He continued: "I never thought I'd get the chance to see her live. She very rarely came over to Europe. But I was in New York one time, and she was on at Madison Square Garden.

"Went over and saw if I could get a ticket, and I got in the front row. And when she came out, because of all those years of wanting to, I just burst into tears on seeing her.

"Couldn't help myself," he confessed.

"It was amazing to have seen her, I'll never forget that."

The other guests proposed that Bob should invite singer Joni to go angling with him on his popular TV programme Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, which he presents with Paul Whitehouse.

"I would love that," he responded.

Viewers were delighted to see Bob on The One Show sofa, with many posting messages on social media expressing their admiration for the star. "Love him," one individual posted on X, which was previously known as Twitter.

Another user shared: "If Bob Mortimer is on The One Show then there really isn't any need for any other guests. Just a thoroughly entertaining man."

"Can't wait for Gone Fishing to be back on, Bob is a legend," chimed in another fan.

The One Show airs at 7pm on BBC One on weekdays.