A TV celebrity chef is hoping to stir up the public’s passion for local produce at a popular annual food festival.

Live cookery demonstrations by Channel Four’s Sunday Brunch presenter Simon Rimmer are among the highlights of the two-day Bishop Auckland Food Festival, which will take place on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27.

The festival will showcase the best home grown and handmade produce from County Durham and the wider region and this year all events and activities will be free.

Organised by Durham County Council with the Auckland Castle Trust and Bishop Auckland Town Council, it will include more family entertainment following feedback from visitors.

More than 35,000 people attended last year’s event and with more than 160 stalls and trailers in the Market Place and the grounds of Auckland Castle, organisers are expecting a large number of visitors once again.

Councillor Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “The food festival is always a fantastic event, offering a real flavour of what County Durham and the wider area has to offer in the way of fresh, home grown and homemade produce – and, of course, it’s also a great day out for all the family with lots of fun and entertainment to enjoy.

“But it’s not just about having a good time. Last year’s event was worth half a million pounds to the local economy, boosting trade not just for stallholders but also for businesses in the town.”

Mr Rimmer became known for his innovative vegetarian food when he opened Greens restaurant in Manchester in 1990. He has gone on to become a familiar face on TV, appearing on The Great British Menu, Saturday Kitchen and Something for the Weekend.

Also showing off his skills will be foraging expert and ex-head chef at cookery training centre River Cottage, Mark Lloyd.

He will be appearing on Saturday and Sunday, as will award-winning food writer and broadcaster Richard Fox, who is a regular on BBC2’s Food Poker.

Award-winning butcher Johnny Pusztai, meanwhile, will be showing how to make barbecue food from scratch on the Broil King BBQ demonstration kitchen CBeebies stars Stefan Gates and Katy Ashworth will cook up some fun for junior chefs at the inaugural Bishop Auckland Food Festival Kids’ Club.

Also signed up are a collection of food-crazy musicians and entertainers including the toe-tapping Courgettes, and The Liver Cottage Kitchen team of Hugh Fearn and Lee Whittingstall.

For more information, visit bishopaucklandfoodfestival.co.uk