Toome woman to appear on Come Dine With Me

A TOOME woman is set to star in the new 20th anniversary series of Come Dine With Me next month.

Former nurse Donna Kennedy has already appeared on This Morning and helped record the LadBaby Christmas single through her volunteer work with the Foodbank.

And in March she will be the first host of five dinner parties held all over Northern Ireland, before contestants score each other’s efforts and the winner scoops a cash prize at the end of the week.

Donna wasn’t sure she would be allowed to take part, as a stroke survivor and living with Fibromyalgia and Osteoporosis.

However producers made allowances and Donna revealed that she has been told that the episode is one of the ‘funniest’ the show-runners said they have ever filmed.

The episodes were filmed over 18 months ago, with a gruelling schedule of filming from 9am to the early hours of the morning.

Donna shared cooking duties with a pilot from Lisburn and an influencer from the Crumlin Road, among others.

“I was always a fan of the show and when I saw the advert on Facebook that Come Dine With Me would be in Belfast, I decided to apply,” she said.

“They rang me and did the interview on the phone and a month later they called back and told me I had been picked.

“I am not a professional cook and have never hosted a dinner party before in my life, so I was really nervous.”

Donna was the first host, which put her at a disadvantage, as she did not get to learn the other diners likes and dislikes.

She also set a theme - living close to Moneyglass, she plumped for Game of Thrones!

“I dressed up as a character but HBO wouldn’t give permission for anyone else to,” she laughed.

“I was a big fan of the show and I was an extra too, so I went for it. I got the craft supplies and the glue gun out and made my own Iron Throne and shields for the walls!”

Whilst Donna was unable to reveal too much about her menu or the results, she was sure to add a Lough Neagh staple for her guests.

“I couldn’t live in Toome and not serve eels!” she said.

“My Dad was a fisherman and showed me how to fry them.

“I’ve only ever really cooked for my kids, so I would say my style is ‘threw together’!”

One classic scene from the show’s past features an irate participant, Peter Marsh, who came fourth, declaring: “You won Jane, enjoy the money, I hope it makes you very happy. Dear lord, what a sad little life, Jane. You ruined my night, completely, so you could have the money.

“But I hope now you spend it on some lessons on grace and decorum because you have all the grace of a reversing dump truck without any tyres on.”

Donna said there was no such drama in her episode.

“We did have to say exactly what we thought of our guests and hosts, but there are no hard feelings and we are all still in touch all this time after filming and have a WhatsApp group.

“Hopefully we’ll all still be friends after the show goes out!”

Donna said she felt it was important to feature as someone with disabilities.

“I do have difficulty bending and carrying things so I did get some help though filming,” she said.

“Some people think people with disabilities should just sit in the house and not do anything but I wanted to show that despite having pain and mobility issues, we still deserve to have some fun and enjoyment.”

The episode is set to air on Monday March 3rd at 5.30pm on Channel 4.