Last week I showed you around Brookford where Escape To Curlew Cottage is mostly set.

Today we’re going to meet the cast. So, without any further faffing about, allow me to introduce you to…

Claire Mansfield

Born and bred in Brookford, Claire moved to London to do a journalism degree when she was 18 and, after graduating, worked for a London newspaper for a number of years. Her break came with a regular column writing about British regional bakes. In it, she’d look at the history of each and bake an original recipe and a more modern version. It developed quite a following.

Now she’s the host of the top-rating reality TV show Time For Tea.

Part travelogue, part cooking show, Time For Tea is a combo of Escape To the Country and Bake-off. Each week Claire visits a new village and meets a new group of bakers who will bake afternoon tea to raise money for a village charity. It is, everyone agrees, the nicest show on television and Claire is the nicest person on British TV – the darling of the bake and the queen of the scone.

Claire lives in an apartment in London with her partner Giles – an investigative journalist – and her cocker spaniel Nigel.

While her parents and brother live in Sydney, Australia, her sister Grace lives on a farm a few miles out of Brookford with her husband Bill, their son Milo and their dog Bella.

Owen Gallagher

Also from Brookford, Owen and Claire were best friends as children and then childhood sweethearts.

He also left Brookford at 18 and travelled around South East Asia. Now back in Brookford he is the owner and head chef of The Lamb.

Harris Bartholomew

Barty, as he’s known to everyone, is Claire’s manager and closest friend.

They met while still at uni when they both answered an ad for rooms in a dodgy share house and have been friends ever since.

The Cotswolds Culinary and Cookbook Society

Based in Fenwyck, a village not far from Brookford, Claire meets the women of The Cotswolds Culinary and Cookbook Society when Time For Tea visits Fenwyck.

Tallis Harlow

Tallis lives in a large Georgian house not far out of Fenwyck with her husband Derek – a successful business owner – their son Adam and their 2 labradors Cocoa and Bailey.

Gail Longmuir

A single mother, Gail moved into Fenwyck about 5 years ago. She works for a local solicitor and her daughter Anna is dating Tallis’ son Adam.

Caroline (Caro) Norton and Fiona (Fee) Perry.

Caro and Fee have been friends since their schooldays. They were other’s bridesmaids – both times in the case of Fee – and godmother to each other’s children. And, because Caro’s son married Fee’s daughter, they’re now also grandmothers to their baby’s babies.

Escape To Curlew Cottage will be released on March 12 and is available for pre-order now.