Well known comedian and presenter Paul Merton is due to appear on our television screens after making a surprise visit to Tavistock high street.

The historic town centre will feature in the new series of the Channel 5 travel documentary ‘Motorhoming with Merton and Webster ‘ on Sunday, January 22 at 9pm.

The series has already started on Sundays elsewhere in the South West, with the cameras following Paul and Suki Webster (his wife and fellow comedian) on the road in a motorhome, visiting beautiful places, sampling local delicacies and meeting fellow motorhomers to share the need-to-know secrets of life on the move.

Paul, famous for appearing on BBC1 panel show Have I Got News for You, among other programmes, was spotted being filmed buying a takeaway cream tea at Carters Delicatessen on Brook Street.

Customers stood outside the well-known shop until filming finished on the latest of the multi-location filming schedule, which includes Cornwall and Bideford.

After filming, which took place under secrecy by Channel 5 and the film company, Carters owner Denis Mbu said he and shop manager Sue Thomas were given very short notice of the two stars’ appearance and only knew the exact time the day before, with instructions not to tell anyone.

The couple joked with Denis about the importance of which to spread first on your scones, jam or cream, depending on whether you are in Devon or Cornwall.

Merton and Webster then bought chocolates and praised the shop’s ‘appealing’ appearance.

Mr Mbu said he was a fan of Paul Merton because of his sharp satirical and somewhat surreal sense of humour, mostly based on observations of every day life.

His favourite Television comedy programme was QI, which has featured Paul.