5 minutes with... Jayne Middlemiss

Jayne Middlemiss

Celebrity Masterchef winner Jayne Middlemiss is launching National Steak Week from October 12-18 to celebrate the Beefeater restaurant chain's 35th birthday.

The 38-year-old TV and radio presenter from Northumberland, a surprise winner of the cooking show, is encouraging people across the UK to enjoy steak together.

See www.nationalsteakweek.co.uk for recipes and more information.

IT HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR FOR YOU FOLLOWING YOUR TRIUMPH ON CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF - WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO ON THE SHOW?

Well, I've always loved cooking and I've always wanted to learn how to cook really well, so it just seemed like the perfect opportunity. I was terrified on my first show and it was really scary, but I just couldn't pass it up, to be honest. Where else would you learn from the best chefs in the country how to cook food? You just couldn't pay for an experience like that.

WHEN YOU BEGAN, DID YOU THINK YOU STOOD A CHANCE OF WINNING?

When I began the show they kept asking me about winning and I thought it was the most absurd question in the world. And I still now have to think: 'You won Masterchef!' It's really weird. So I just thought it seemed so far away and out of my league to be able to get anywhere near winning it, but I proved myself wrong, which was very nice. It was an amazing triumph for me.

WHAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE YOU FACED ON THE SHOW?

Definitely the most difficult challenges were in the kitchen when you are put under pressure and you have to cook for paying customers. You have to do quantity, it has to taste amazing, it has to look beautiful and it has to be out on time. There's a lot of pressure, and I think by the time it got to the end where we had to cook for the Michelin-star chefs, it was very difficult because we were just so exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. But I was really lucky as I had such a lovely chef - Theo Randall - who was just the nicest, kindest and most sweet man.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN COOKING?

I think through necessity. I left home when I was quite young so I had to learn how to feed myself, and also there were just so many unusual ingredients for me to use. The whole Jamie Oliver thing really sparked me, too. He was really excited about herbs and I didn't really know how to cook with them. I thought, 'What will that do to my food?'. And then I tried it out. I think it was all about nurturing as well and creating my own family experience at home.

WHAT IS THE BEST AND THE WORST MEAL YOU HAVE EVER HAD?

The best meal - I can't go wrong with beautifully-cooked steak with bearnaise sauce and fat-cooked chips. That sounds really stupid, but if they are done with proper potatoes I don't think you can go wrong. If I had one meal left I would choose that. My worst meal - I can't think of a really bad one. There isn't really anything I wouldn't try. When I was in South Africa I ate lots of weird animals: zebra, crocodile and ostrich. I'll try anything, really.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN BEEFEATER'S 35TH BIRTHDAY AND NATIONAL STEAK WEEK?

Beefeater asked me to help them launch National Steak Week, which takes place between October 12-18, to celebrate their 35th anniversary and I think it ties in nicely because I won Masterchef and I love cooking. It's all about the whole family experience and bringing family together. And I think Beefeater really pride themselves on really well-cooked food at really good prices for the whole family.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO EAT YOUR STEAK?

Rare, rare, rare, rare, rare. I like it practically still with a pulse.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

I've got a couple of shows for Sky coming up. One's a daily chat show called Angela And Friends which I'm really excited about because I love Angela Griffin, who is presenting it. And I'm just off to do a bird-watching show on the Isle of Mull which I'm really looking forward to. It sounds really weird, but I love things like that. I love nature and the countryside and I really love Scotland. I'm also putting a new cookbook together at the moment.

ARE YOU STILL ENJOYING YOUR YOGA?

I'm always yoga-ing away, but I haven't done it for about a week now. I'm taking it easy. I was going yoga-mad so I've slowed myself down.

DO YOU HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF PRESENTING TOP OF THE POPS?

I have really fond memories. It feels like a lifetime ago, and it feels like a different person as well. I had the most surreal experience of my life on that show when I had to do a live link with Madonna standing right behind me. I was just thinking, 'Don't mess it up'. It was the most frightening thing. She was a major hero of mine growing up - the way she keeps transforming herself to stay current is amazing.

AFTER CELEBRITY LOVE ISLAND, WOULD YOU CONSIDER DOING REALITY TV AGAIN?

No. It's sort of been done now. I learnt a lot, but I'm not sure if I would do it again.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN NORTHUMBERLAND, AND WOULD YOU EVER MOVE BACK THERE?

It was nice - lots of countryside, lots of castles and lots of seaside. It's a beautiful part of the country. I've got a little dream in my head about owning a little cottage up there and a garden where I can grow vegetables etc. Whether the reality of it would be the same as my dream is a different story.

DO YOU HAVE ANY REMAINING AMBITIONS?

I'd love to do a big Saturday night show - singing and dancing and sparkly frocks. I'd also love to write a book. I haven't got a synopsis yet, but the idea is in my head.

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