Great British Bake Off star David Atherton to front new Yorkshire travelogue series

The 2019 GBBO winner, who is originally from Ruswarp near Whitby, fronts the four travelogues which explores the North York Moors as a ‘capital of cake’.

In each of the four episodes, which will go live on the North York Moors National Park’s website and YouTube channels, David David interviews some of the owners of the tearooms and bakeries which “define what makes, not just a good, but a really great place to have a slice of cake”.

He said: “Apart from the obvious requisite of having lovely cakes for sale, the truly great places are those that have real soul and are grounded in personality rather than simply being one of those identikit hipster eateries that are two-a-penny across Britain.

“Take for instance Lockton Tea Rooms, where the walls double as the art gallery for the village’s residing artists and the owners have planted a raised bed of edibles that are free for people to help themselves.

“Or there’s Bob and Bev’s Brew Organic Tea Garden at Glaisdale which was an absolute delight as the couple share their passion for gardening with visitors who can sit and enjoy the landscaped surroundings and even purchase a plant or two.”

“There were some really lovely surprises throughout my journey but it was also great to know that some things just haven’t changed since I was growing up here, particularly the Whitby legend that is Botham’s. I was especially proud of my efforts to ice the Whitby lemon bun and be reminded of the correct way that the locals eat one!”

The final episode sees David return to his hometown, where he create shis very own North York Moors birthday cake.

The National Park first proclaimed itself to be the Capital of Cake back in 2015 in recognition of the huge array of cafés, bakeries and tearooms that contribute so much to people’s experience when they visit the North York Moors.

David added: “It’s one of life’s simple pleasures and can add to the whole community spirit when people meet friends and chat while tucking into cake; plus baking can be a meditative process which is really calming.

“The other aspect I loved as I toured across the North York Moors was showing how many ways people can ditch their cars and use alternative modes of transport that enable them to appreciate the journey to a café much more – whether it’s renting a bike and pedalling through quiet scenic countryside between Malton and Pickering or hopping on a boat at Whitby to see the coast in all its glory before diving into a tearoom.”