This Morning presenter Josie Gibson has secured her own regional food and travel series on ITV, inspired by her co-host Dermot O'Leary's Taste of Ireland. The new programme, titled Josie's Taste of the West Country, sees the proud Bristol native exploring the culinary delights of her home region.
Josie's Pitch for the Show
Speaking about the inspiration behind the series, Josie revealed that she had long harboured a desire to create a show celebrating the West Country's diverse produce. "I've wanted to do 'Taste of the West Country' for ages because we've got so much amazing produce that comes out of my neck of the woods," she told Woman Magazine. She admitted to asking her agent to approach ITV with the concept, adding, "I thought, 'I can't let Dermot have all this fun!'"
Support from This Morning Team
Josie expressed gratitude for the encouragement she has received from her colleagues on This Morning. "They let me wander off and do my little bits and pieces," she said, referring to the flexibility she has been given to pursue other projects alongside her daytime television duties.
A Diverse Career
Josie first rose to fame in 2010 after winning the 11th series of Big Brother. Since then, she has appeared in a variety of television programmes, including Celebrity Wedding Planner, Celebrity Impossible, and Let's Do Lunch with Gino & Mel. She has also fronted her own reality shows, such as Josie and John James: What Happened Next and There's Something About Josie, and was a finalist on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. More recently, she has added Would I Lie to You?, Clean It, Fix It, and Around the World in First Class to her CV.
Future Aspirations
Josie has set her sights on another major television programme, confessing that she would "love" to appear in Celebrity Traitors.
New Series Features Celebrity Guests
Josie's Taste of the West Country launched last week and features celebrity guests such as Countryfile's Adam Henson. The series also includes expert guidance from Michelin-starred chef Paul Ainsworth, patron chef at Paul Ainsworth at No. 6. Josie was particularly thrilled to collaborate with him, remarking, "I've always tried to get into his restaurant. He made so many incredible dishes, with layers of flavour in a way I've never experienced before. We'd source the ingredients and he'd show me how to transform these wholesome ingredients into mouth-watering, unforgettable dishes!" She added, "Maybe I'll get a table at No. 6 next time I go to Padstow, Cornwall... It was an amazing experience making the show together."
