Dame Mary Berry will travel across the British Isles in a new cooking series for BBC Two.

Love To Cook will see the TV cook and cookbook author, 86, meet “kindred spirits”, who will share their favourite recipes in the hope of encouraging a renewed passion for food in viewers.

The former Great British Bake Off judge said she had been inspired to create the programme by the comfort cooking has offered the public during lockdown.

Oldie of the Year awards
Dame Mary Berry (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

She said: “Love To Cook is me in a nutshell!

“My cooking is all about sharing what I know and love, teaching and inspiring everyone to enjoy cooking as much as I do.

“Over the past year many have had unexpected time on their hands at home and have found a love of cooking to be comforting and healing in very difficult times.

“Love To Cook is all about celebrating just that, with wonderful characters as I travel the British Isles in a quest to meet and share in our passion for food.”

The six-part series, which will air later this year, will be accompanied by a cookbook published by BBC Books.

It is Dame Mary’s seventh series from production company Sidney Street, which was founded in January 2016 by former MasterChef creative director Karen Ross with Endemol Shine UK.

BBC head of commissioning for popular factual and factual entertainment Catherine Catton said: “We are delighted to be working with Mary again and very much looking forward to sharing new recipes that she loves to cook.”

Sidney Street managing director Ross said: “This series shows Mary at her best.

“Mary’s understanding of food and cooking outshines everyone, and her desire to pass on decades of experience in a plate of mouth watering food is a joy to watch!”