Keith Arthur has announced his retirement from the only English national radio show for anglers – Fisherman’s Blues.

TalkSPORT management decided in August to move the two-hour show to an earlier start and after initially opting to broadcast a one-hour show, Arthur has decided to call it a day so he can do more fishing himself. Fisherman’s Blues covered coarse, fly, sea and carp fishing and began broadcasting from 6am to 8am when TalkSPORT launched in 2000. He was given the option of a two-hour slot from 5am, but declined, and soon decided that the one-hour show was too short. “I considered it a step too far,” he said. “With adverts, trailers, news and traffic reports it made it nearer 35 minutes than an hour, so I’m calling it a day. It was entirely my decision.” The show will continue with a one-hour slot with Nigel Botherway as stand-in presenter while TalkSPORT assesses its future. Arthur’s role as presenter of Sky Sports‘ Tight Lines show is not affected.