Dipa from Wolverhampton to star in new BBC One show Britain's Best Home Cook

Dipa Jakhu, age 44, will appear on the BBC One television programme Britain's Best Home Cook on May 3, battling against nine other wannabe cooks to take home the crown.

The food-loving civil servant said she enjoys cooking with spices and hopes her father's Kenyan heritage and her mother's Indian heritage will inspire her during her time on the televised competition, which is due to be aired in less than two weeks.

Dipa has been interested in cooking from a young age and was making curries at the age of 11 - but said she never uses cook books and relies purely on her instincts, simple ingredients and straightforward methods to feed her husband and three children.

She will be single-handedly representing the city in a battle against nine others, including a farmer from Kent, a children's A&E nurse from West Sussex, and a maths teacher from Surrey.

In a message on social media site Twitter, she said she was 'really excited' to be a part of the new contest.

The 10 skilled home cooks will go up against each other at the beginning of May, to fight it out in the kitchen in a bid to be crowned the nation's best home cook.

The eight-part series will be judged by former The Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry, Chris Bavin of Eat Well For Less, and head chef at top London restaurant The Duck and Waffle Dan Doherty.

It will also be fronted by Strictly Come Dancing presenter Claudia Winkleman.

All contestants are to live in a shared house for the duration of the competition.

The search for Britain’s Best Home Cook begins Thursday, May 3 at 8pm on BBC One.