Fred Sirieix and Deborah Meaden to stay in a coastal B&B for new BBC show

Fred Sirieix and Deborah Meaden are among the famous faces paying a visit to a coastal B&B as part of a new BBC show.

B&B By The Sea will see celebrity guests, all with strong personal connections to the coast, staying in an authentic guesthouse on the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland.

The B&B will be run by a cast of new talent and Great British Menu winner Alex Greene.

The celebrities booked into the B&B include TV star and maitre d Sirieix, 50, and Dragons’ Den investor Meaden, 63, as well as Richard Blackwood and Linford Christie, with more to be announced.

Each episode will see a famous face stay at the B&B as part of a personal journey of discovery and reflection as they make the most of the region’s produce and the restorative location.

B&B By The Sea has been commissioned with BBC Northern Ireland as part of the the BBC’s commitment to its Across the UK plan to inject more local culture into the schedules.

With the help of Greene and the B&B team, the celebrities will explore the surrounding regions and discover local ingredients, before returning to the B&B’s kitchen to create exciting dishes highlighting the flavours of the region.

The series will be available on BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

Popular Northern Ireland police drama Hope Street has also been commissioned for a second series by BBC Daytime and BBC Northern Ireland.

Hope Street follows the working partnership between Detective Constable Leila Hussain and Inspector Finn O’Hare after DC Hussain arrives as the first Muslim police officer in a small Northern Irish town.

The show will begin filming its second series in May and will return to BBC Daytime and BBC One Northern Ireland later in the year.

Eddie Doyle, head of content commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland, said: “Hope Street was a real hit with our audiences and was a great platform for local talent both in front of and behind the scenes. We are delighted to welcome back the cast and crew to Donaghadee.

“I’m also thrilled that B&B By The Sea has been announced which promises to show off the beautiful coast of Northern Ireland. In the series we will see a different side to some of our favourite celebrities all while they explore the local area of Castlerock, its food and tourism.

“These co-commissions between BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Daytime demonstrate our continued commitment to reflect audiences across the UK.”