Keen cook Jacquie Hewitt tasted live TV for the first time when she appeared on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen.

Mrs Hewitt, 59, of Willow View, in Malmesbury, and daughter Kathryn joined TV chef James Martin and Scottish actor Alan Cumming in front of millions of viewers at the weekend.

Kathryn had signed them up for the show for her mum’s 60th birthday next year, but on Wednesday the producers called to ask if they could come to the studio.

Mrs Hewitt said: “Someone had let them down so they called Kathryn and asked if we were free on Saturday.

“She then had to ring me and tell me all about it and I almost went into shock. It was a complete surprise.”

They got the 5.55am train from Chippenham. “I was up at 4am and we had to be at the studio by 8am,” said Mrs Hewitt. “It was nerve wracking getting there, but as soon as we arrived everything was fine. Everyone was very friendly and made us feel comfortable.

“They said it would just be like having a dinner party with friends, and it was.

“We got miked up and went into make-up and because it was live, they told us not to swear or advertise brand names.”

Mrs Hewitt, a big fan of James Martin and a regular watcher of the programme, enjoyed seeing behind the scenes.

“We didn’t really have to do much, just taste the food, answer a few questions and look interested, which we were,” she said. “James does a brilliant job cooking and presenting. He’s a talented guy and is very nice with it.”