An advert in the Bucks Free Press helped a Bucks New University staff member to bag a starring role on a new TV show.

The university's co-ordinating chaplain, Revd Jenny Ellis, applied to Tom Kerridge’s Lose Weight for Good, after spotting an advert for the BBC show in the Free Press.

Revd Ellis, who is also a member of the Church of England’s West Wycombe team, is one of just 13 people chosen to be a part of the show, which airs in the new year.

She will undertake a regime of weekly weigh-ins, a food diary and a fortnightly sheaf of recipes to try out – all calorie-counted.

She said: “I spotted an advert in the Bucks Free Press asking for people who loved good food and wanted to lose weight for a documentary and couldn’t resist applying.

“The film crew accompanied me to work at Bucks New University, I was filmed cooking in my kitchen, at St Botolph’s, reading in my study, enjoying a family meal and at my weekly riding lesson.

“The latter caused much hilarity as the film company insisted I rode in my dog collar for ease of identification.

“It was because we all had to have a ‘signature’ outfit we wore every time we were filmed.”

Mr Kerridge is famous for losing 12 stone and is now on a mission to help others lose weight by making “small but significant” lifestyle changes.

Examples include swapping mayonnaise with a low fat crème fraiche in a potato salad, and using sliced courgette instead of pasta in lasagne.

Revd Ellis added: “One aspect of Tom’s ‘message’ was that people gave up on diets because the food was boring, so he set out to create food that we would enjoy eating.

“I can honestly say there were times when I sat down to my ‘diet’ supper and was totally incredulous that I would actually lose weight eating the quantity of food on the plate.

“I counted and recounted the calories, and sure enough, there were nowhere near as many as you might expect from a plate groaning with colourful, tasty food.

“A particular favourite became griddled halloumi cheese with griddled Mediterranean vegetables and beetroot hummus.

“Some of the options were so simple it was ludicrous that I hadn’t tried them before.”

“All of the recipes I tried actually tasted better than their higher calorie counterparts. I found I had more energy and hardly ever suffered from indigestion.”