BUTCHER Thomas “Tommy” Topping is tasting fame after cooking up a stir on television.

The 61-year-old Ramsbottom businessman was invited on to There’s No Taste Like Home on ITV1 with celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo.

And Tommy made such an impression that within minutes of it being aired, he was approached by another production company.

The married father-of-three works at the family business in Bolton Street, which dates back to 1928.

On the cookery show — where Gino goes on a nationwide hunt throughout the UK to celebrate home cooks, and their incredible family heritage dishes — he cooked up steak cow heel pie, a recipe Tommy says goes back several generations in his family.

“I was not fazed during the filming of it, but I was nervous while watching myself on television,” he said.

“They came to my home first and then I went to Nutter’s Restaurant in Norden for the filming.

“Apparently I did well, everyone said I was brilliant.”

He added: “I went home to watch the show between 4pm and 5pm and came back to the shop where I had a phone call from a television company asking if I would like to appear on a show which runs over four days.

“They haven’t told me what it is, and have just asked for photographs of me and my house, so I have sent those off.”

While awaiting his next television appearance, Mr Topping is back behind the counter preparing dishes.

He added: “All the food I use is mine, I would never use anybody else’s.”