CELEBRITY chef Antony Worrell Thompson is hoping to add a dash of spice as the new executive head chef of a village pub.

The Angel Inn, Heytesbury, has been bought by villager Tim Etchells who has employed the famous chef to set the menus and run the kitchen.

On Tuesday night Antony Worrell Thompson, star of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, was introduced to regulars at a free evening at the pub.

But the celebrity admitted: "It's unlikely the regulars are going to see me in the kitchen every night of the week because I have lots of other restaurants around the country.

"But as executive chef I will be spending a considerable amount of time here and having input in the menus and the standard of the food.

"There is no point coming here and being poncey with food too many pubs in the countryside try it and it doesn't work.

"The countryside is a lovely place and has a lot going for it and one of its most important aspects is fresh food, so that's what we will concentrate on.

"Of course we will be bringing something a little bit extra but if we stray away from the countryside too much I think we will fail."

Villager Tim Etchells purchased The Angel Inn last summer and spent thousands of pounds renovating the kitchen and restaurant.

Mr Etchells has been a regular at the pub and has a longstanding friendship with Antony Worrell Thompson.

He said: "We have opened the building out and expanded the restaurant exposing the beams but all the work only took five weeks. It is great to have Antony on board. I have always wanted to run this pub and it is great to have someone like him alongside me."

The pub was officially reopened on Tuesday evening with the whole village invited to meet the new owners.

Mr Etchells said: "Tonight we want everyone in the village to enjoy themselves and have a drink on us."