Beloved British comedian Bob Mortimer has opened up with remarkable honesty about growing older, revealing that one of the biggest challenges he now faces isn’t physical—it’s keeping negative thoughts from taking over.

The 67-year-old TV favorite, known for his legendary partnership with Vic Reeves and appearances on hit shows including Would I Lie to You? and Taskmaster, shared the deeply personal reflections during a candid conversation on the new Outsiding podcast with presenter Adam Frost and journalist Caitlin Moran.

“It’s a Battle”

Speaking openly about aging, Mortimer admitted he often finds himself fighting against a mindset that can become increasingly difficult to ignore.

He explained that, as people grow older, there’s a temptation to become consumed by pessimism and lose sight of life’s joys. Rather than giving in to those feelings, he says he consciously works to focus on happy memories and the experiences that have shaped his life.

“It’s a battle,” he said, explaining that he tries to keep joy alive in his mind instead of allowing negativity to define his outlook.

His honest comments resonated with many listeners, highlighting a side of aging that is rarely discussed publicly.

The Near-Death Experience That Changed Everything

Mortimer has spoken before about the health scare that dramatically reshaped his perspective on life.

In 2015, doctors discovered that around 95 percent of his arteries were blocked, leading him to undergo emergency triple bypass surgery.

Reflecting on the experience during an earlier appearance on Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake, he described what he believed was a near-death experience.

Mortimer recalled feeling as though he was moving toward a bright light and experiencing an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness unlike anything he had ever known.

Although some people later suggested the experience may have been caused by chemicals released by the brain during extreme trauma, Mortimer admitted he preferred believing it represented something beyond this life.

More importantly, he says the experience removed much of his fear of death.

A New Way of Living

The comedian believes surviving such a life-threatening ordeal also transformed the way he approaches opportunities.

Before his surgery, Mortimer admitted he could always find reasons to avoid trying something new. Now, he says, that instinct has largely disappeared.

Rather than searching for excuses, he’s become far more willing to embrace experiences and say yes to life—an outlook he considers one of the unexpected positives to emerge from an otherwise frightening chapter.

Mortimer also continues to live with Rheumatoid arthritis, a condition he has managed since his twenties.

Despite the ongoing health challenges, his latest reflections reveal a man determined to focus on gratitude, optimism and making the most of every day—qualities that have endeared him to audiences for decades.