Comedian, writer and broadcaster Rory McGrath has written for shows including Not The Nine O’Clock News and Who Dares Wins. He was been a regular on BBC sports quiz They Think It’s All Over. He and Paddy McGuinness fronted the Five series Rory And Paddy’s Great British Adventure, and he teamed with Dara O’Briain and Griff Rhys Jones in the BBC’s Three Men In A Boat series. His first book was Bearded Tit – Confessions Of A Birdwatcher. He presents ITV1’s The Lakes, charting the lives of people who live and work in the Lake District, one of the most visited parts of Britain.

How do you rate the Lake District?

I’VE been lucky enough to travel all over the world and meet all sorts of interesting people, but I can safely say nowhere compares to this.

This is Britain at its most breathtaking, a landscape that combines the majesty of imposing mountains and fells with the tranquillity of its lakes. It’s no wonder eight million people a year make this Britain’s favourite great escape.

Why was the second series a completely different experience for you?

Even though the Lake District was lovely to revisit, I actually got to meet, work and stay with the people in the stories. They’re all interesting people, but when you have that constant backdrop of the Lake District it makes it more fascinating. I remember standing on top of Hallin-Fell, which is above Ullswater, with a crew member who’s an excellent photographer.

It was a gorgeous evening, the sun was going down and he just said to me, “Look, if we can’t make this look beautiful, if this can’t be spectacular television, then we should all resign now.” He was right, you just can’t fail.

Had you been to the Lake District beforehand?

No. My parents are from Lancashire, which isn’t that far from there, and we use to go for holidays to Lancashire quite a lot. I was brought up in Cornwall, which is hilly with rugged moorlands and has nice beaches. I now live in Cambridgeshire in East Anglia, which is so different from the Lake District.

Bizarrely, just after I filmed the first series I then went back to the Lake District for two other programmes completely unconnected to The Lakes. So having never been there in my life I was suddenly there three times in as many months. I went from being a complete stranger to the area to someone who could say, “Oh, yes, I know Windermere and Ambleside very well. I always seem to be there now.”

What’s your favourite area of the Lake District?

There is one, it’s as you come up the path over into Langdale, on the main road. You just go over the edge of this hill and suddenly Langdale is stretching out ahead of you. It’s a stunning valley with the Langdale Pikes on the one side of you and we were there on a brilliantly sunny day and you just think, Wow. Having said that, there are places like Grasmere and the more remote lakes ones are quite interesting, like Wastwater and Bassenthwaite Lake.

They’re away from the tourist trap.

Why do you think the Lakes are so popular with tourists from the UK and abroad?

Without a doubt it’s the scenery – the lakes, mountains, woods and forests. Also the fact that it’s in a very compact area is a massive bonus. You can see it comfortably in a week or even a long weekend.

Obviously the longer you stay the more you can see and enjoy. It’s very compact which makes it a great British National Park.

Which of the people you met have stuck in your mind?

Well, I have a big soft spot for Thomas Noblett and Andrew Tighe at the Langdale Chase Hotel. They’re like a double act and their friendship is amazing, it’s infectious. Everyone at the Langdale Chase is lovely.

What was the highlight of the series for you?

I did get to stay in Gilpin Lodge Hotel, which is a very, very special hotel. There’s something about having a hot-tub at midnight, with an alpaca in the next field, which took me by surprise I must say.

What else are you working on at the moment?

I’m trying to get a few new projects off the ground and will probably write another book. My second book is published next month, so I’ll spend a few weeks on the road, promoting that. This one is more about my religious up bringing, and all the good and bad things that it has brought to my life. It’s a memoir, seen through the eyes of a young boy growing up Catholic in Cornwall. So it’s interesting and I’m sure it will cause a lot of controversy.

■ The Lakes returns to ITV1 on Monday at 8pm