Popular TV presenter Anita Rani is joining the celebrity line-up at this year's Southport Flower Show.

Anita, who is known for appearing on BBC shows Countryside and Watchdog, will meet visitors to the show on the opening day in August.

The talented broadcaster was a semi-finalist on the 2015 series of Strictly Come Dancing and returned to the dance floor as host of the Strictly live tour last year.

Anita will speak to guests at Southport's Celebrity Theatre on Thursday August 16th at 3pm and be present at the Kuoni stand throughout the day.

She recently presented and co-produced a two part series on BBC One titled My Family, Partition and Me, examining the human impact of the partition of India in 1947.

Last year she also co-presented World's Busiest Cities for BBC2, a four part series taking in the sights of Hong Kong, Mexico City, Delhi and Moscow.

The 2018 line-up also features entertainment for all the family, with Justin Fletcher on hand to entertain the children, who can enter free with a paying adult.

Anita will join a host of famous names at Southport this year including Christine Walkden and Matthew Wilson who will be passing on their gardening tips.

I am curious, why do the flower show organizers feel that they have to pay celebrities to attend the flower show? Surely you are either going to go or not, especially with the cost involved, whether there are celebrities there or not.
I can understand having gardening experts/celebrities there, who are going to contribute something to the show, but not celebs who just swan round having their photo taken. Would anybody really cough up to go, just because they might catch a glimpse of a celeb?

Anita, who is known for appearing on BBC shows Countryside?

Such a popular BBC show!