Bradford lecturer Gillian aims to be the big cheese after winning heat in new BBC Two series

And now her cheese has featured on BBC Two, as one of the artisan food producers appearing on the new series, Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge, in which small-scale food producers compete for the title of best up-and-coming artisan.

During the episode, Gillian competed with three other cheese producers trying to convince the locals in Malhamdale that Tenacres Cheese should sweep the board. And after a gruelling series of challenges, including persuading local shoppers to buy, marketing their product, choosing a dish to showcase their cheeses, and convincing Tom’s fellow judges Alison Swan Parente and Nisha Katona of the quality and viability of their produce and business, Gillian won through to the final.

On getting into the final Gillian said: “I am thrilled to have been chosen to go through to the final of Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge”.

Gillian is a lecturer in diagnostic radiography in the Faculty of Health Studies at Bradford and is a specialist in breast imaging. But when she’s away from the lecture room, she runs Tenacres Cheese in Hebden Bridge, a smallholding she bought in 2007 with her husband and has since developed into a goat’s cheese dairy, the produce of which is much in demand.

And awards have followed in rapid succession. She won gold at the World Cheese Awards in 2017, repeating her triumph at the 2015 awards. In 2017 was a stellar year, as she also collected gold at the British Cheese Awards, and a further two golds and Best Goat’s Cheese designation at the Artisan Cheese Awards.

Now, after tasting success, Gillian is looking forward to the final next month.