Bamburgh in TV semi-final

And it is now on the brink of reaching Saturday’s grand final where £10,000 is up for grabs for the winner.

The show is hosted by Penelope Keith, who is joined by judges Alex Langlands, Juliet Sargeant and Patrick Grant on a nationwide quest to find the best village.

Thousands of locations applied and have been whittled down to a select few.

Bamburgh made it through to the Northern Zone semi-final after winning the first regional heat, which aired on Monday afternoon.

The judges picked the village ahead of Boat of Garten, in Inverness; Grasmere, in the Lake District; and Embo, in the Scottish Highlands.

Monday’s episode, which can be viewed at www.channel4.com, showcased various aspects of village life, including the majestic castle and the enthusiastic skiff-building crew.

Penelope Keith described Bamburgh as the jewel of the north east coast, while Patrick Grant branded the village ‘unique and special’.

Alex Langlands labelled Bamburgh a phenomenal place, adding: “The castle in some ways steals the show but despite having this monument looming over the village, there is still a wonderful sense of village activity, life and a connection with the area’s rich agricultural past.”

It bodes well for tomorrow’s Northern Zone semi-final, which pits Bamburgh against three other villages. The episode will be aired at 3pm. And if Bamburgh is successful, it will go through to the grand final, starting at 8pm on Saturday.