Zoe Ball

Sara Cox lands new TV deal as BBC insiders praise their new ‘golden girl’

Sara Cox has landed a new deal after her hit series The Marvellous Miniature Workshop was recomissioned for a bumper new series – with DOUBLE the number of episodes

Presenter Sara Cox has officially cemented her status as the BBC’s golden girl after landing a major new television deal just days after being unveiled as the new host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

In a move that proves the broadcaster is firmly betting on the 51-year-old star, the Beeb has handed Cox a bumper new contract for her hit series, The Marvellous Miniature Workshop.

Insiders say the move is a “huge vote of confidence” in Sara, who is now arguably one of the most in-demand women in British broadcasting. The BBC One show, which Sara hosts, has been recommissioned with more than DOUBLE the number of episodes. It will also be extended from 30 to 45 minutes.

The crafting show is seen as a “new Repair Shop” for the channel and was a big hit when it launched at the end of last year. A BBC insider said: “This is a massive show of faith in Sara who is going down a storm with audiences – and the BBC is backing her all the way.”

The show sees Sara and a team of expert miniaturists recreate cherished buildings and locations tied to contributors’ personal histories. BBC bosses have upped the show from eight to 20 shows.

Sara said: “I’m absolutely over the moon about the new series of Marvellous Miniature Workshop, it’s easily the most heartwarming and wonderful programme I’ve ever been involved with. I can’t wait to hear more stories, help unearth more memories and watch our superb miniaturists breathe life back into places long since gone or neglected.”

The show – which was nominated for a Royal Television Society award earlier this year – is made by EarlyBird, the newly launched production company founded by Dom Bird.

Bird, who is also the executive producer of Gladiators and The Apprentice, said: “I’m delighted Sara’s returning to BBC One for this new run.

Seeing audiences respond so positively to The Marvellous Miniature Workshop has been a real pleasure and I’m thrilled that the BBC has commissioned EarlyBird to deliver this super-sized order.

These extended 45-minute episodes will enable Sara to immerse viewers even further into the extraordinary artistry of our miniaturists, showcasing the programme’s exceptional ability to capture the magic in the minutiae.”

Rachel Platt, commissioning editor for BBC Daytime added: “We’re delighted to be able to bring back this absolute treat of a series with an extended run and run time. Sometimes small things need bigger packages.”

News of the new TV deal comes after Sara was announced as Radio 2’s second female breakfast host, after Zoe Ball. It came after Scott Mills was sacked by the BBC over an investigation into serious sexual offences involving an underage boy.

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James Martin says ‘it’s a sadness’ as he makes heartbreaking family admission

The celebrity chef opened up about his beloved grandmother Marjorie who died before seeing him star in a show she was a ‘huge fan’ of

James Martin has shared a poignant family revelation that he admits leaves him with “sadness”. The 52-year-old chef first gained recognition as part of the Ready Steady Cook team.

Since then, he’s featured across numerous television programmes including the likes of Housecall and Entertaining with James. In 2006 he joined Saturday Kitchen, presenting the weekend programme for a decade.

Throughout his professional journey, James has relied upon his family’s steadfast support, particularly from his devoted grandmother Marjorie, who he says tuned into every programme he featured in.

Tragically, she passed away before James appeared on one specific show that she was a “huge fan” of. In conversation with Candis magazine, he revealed: “Mum is my biggest fan and the most honest person I know. My granny, Marjorie, also watched everything I did.”

He continued: “She was a huge fan of Strictly and it’s a sadness to me that she didn’t live long enough to see me take part in 2005.”

James took part in the third series of Strictly Come Dancing, where he was paired with professional dancer Camilla Dallerup. He secured fourth place behind radio presenter Zoe Ball, with Olympian Colin Jackson finishing runner-up and cricketer Darren Gough claiming the Glitterball Trophy.

James, who grew up on a farm in North Yorkshire, attributes his culinary passion to his grandmother’s influence. In a 2011 Mirror interview, he recalled enjoying fresh produce from his grandparents’ allotment during his childhood.

The chef even credits his grandparents with nurturing his passion for cooking, backing him when he secured a position in a local kitchen before attending culinary school. He said: “My grandmother was a huge influence in my life and inadvertently inspired me to be a chef.

“She baked and cooked, and she was just wonderful. If I could be 10% of what she was, I’d be a lucky man.

“As a boy, my most vivid memories are of helping her dig up potatoes fresh from her allotment, then boiling them up with some mint. If someone asks you what your most memorable meal was, it’s seldom something you had in a restaurant, it’s what you ate at home as a kid, isn’t it?”.

He added: “I remember going shopping with her and watching her buy bacon and crusty white bread. You’d just see her backside as she disappeared into the shelf, reaching right to the back for the freshest loaf, squeezing them until she found it.

“When we got home she’d grill the bacon on one of those old enamel gas cookers with red buttons. It would take ages to warm up and cook, and the room would fill with the smell of cooking fat.”

James returns to television with James Martin’s Saturday Morning from 9.30am today (March 14). Joining him will be vocalist and television presenter Jane McDonald alongside chefs Judy Joo and Curtis Stone plus mixologist Merlin Griffiths.

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