A CHILDREN'S entertainer has swapped magic for cooking to take part in the Big Family Cooking Showdown.

Ian Lees, 56, from Woolston, appeared on two episodes of the BBC two cooking programme as part of the Lees family, where teams of three family members compete in challenges in front of presenter and MasterChef winner, Angellica Bell and Michelin star head chef, Tommy Banks.

Ian said: "We did alright and we managed to do two shows which were filmed in June.

"I applied in January with my brother and my cousin because I like cooking.

"You just applied and we then we had an audition and someone had to come to your house to see if you were right on camera.

"It probably helped with me being a children's entertainer."

Ian, known in Warrington as Zippy, has 20 years of experience as a children's entertainer, providing magic shows, circus workshops, ballroom modelling and birthday parties to people in Warrington and the north west.

His appearance on the cooking programme was a change of pace but Ian stressed that he fully enjoyed the experience.

"We were in the studio from 8am to 10pm, so a long time," he explained.

"But, we had a fabulous time and we were the only ones from the north west so to come in the top eight was great."

The Big Family Cooking Showdown is shown at 7pm on weekdays on BBC two.