A popular Billericay farm has been transformed into a TV set for a new prime-time Channel 5 show celebrating the very best of the British harvest - which is being aired live this evening.

Ex-Strictly Come Dancing contestant Helen Skelton and Escape to the Country’s Jules Hudson will be live from Barleylands today where, for four weeks, the pair will be recording the hour-long Live: Harvest on the Farm show.

They will be “mucking in” with Britain’s farmers as they bring in the harvest.

In episode one, airing at 8pm this evening, Helen and Jules meet the wheat farmers who provide daily bread, look at the age-old craft of corn dollies, and taste the best of British brews.

A spokesman for Barleylands said yesterday: "A sneak peek at the This Week on the Farm TV set. Tune in tomorrow at 8pm on Channel 5.

"Jules Hudson and Helen Skelton will be live from Barleylands Farm Park for the show Harvest on The Farm

"They’ll be live every night until Friday at 8pm."

Also, chef Tim Bilton will be cooking up the “ultimate super sarnie”, and Yorkshire’s Cannon Hall Farm brothers Rob and Dave Nicholson go head-to-head in a wonky veg bowling challenge.

As well as the brothers, the presenting duo will be joined by radio and TV host George Lamb, ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain resident doctor Amir Khan, JLS star JB Gill, and Reuben Owen from Channel 5 series Our Yorkshire Farm.

A spokesman for Channel 5 hailed the show "an epic celebration of great British food and farming" ahead of it launching this evening.

Burstead ward councillor Kevin Blake told the Echo last week he hopes the show will showcase the "fabulous facility" and attract more people to visit Barleylands and explore the site for themselves.