The Cotswolds With Pam Ayres

Channel 5, 8pm

Who better than beloved poet Pam Ayres (right) to present a tour of the Cotswolds extolling its attractions? After all, it is where she has her home, and with her distinctive accent, easy warmth and quick humour, Ayres proves herself to be an upbeat guide for this four-part series, navigating 800 square miles of breathtaking natural beauty.

She begins in this week’s opening episode by paying a visit to Blenheim Palace, where she hears, among other things, about the extraordinary story of Winston Churchill’s birth. Then, Ayres looks in on a perfumier who provides scents for the Queen, and meets Blur bassist Alex James at his country estate, where he explains the attraction of owning a farm for him and his peers: ‘It’s the natural habitat of the rock gentleman – it’s where we all end up.’ ★★★★★