AUSTRALIAN chef and Masterchef judge John Torode will headline Bolton's four-day food and drink festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

“I’m so excited that I’m coming back to the Bolton Food and Drink Festival. I love Bolton, and everyone was so lovely when I came down before."

Joining Torode from Friday 22 August to Monday 25 August will be This Morning's resident Italian Gino D'Acampo, Great British Menu and ABode's Executive Chef Michael Caines and Saturday Kitchen presenter and Manchester235 overseer James Martin.

Torode, as well as hosting a cooking demo in the Victoria Square marquee on Sunday, will also be judging a cook-off between a number of the region's finest chefs.

Now in its ninth year, Bolton's annual foodie event attracted over 130,000 visitors last year, making it one of the UK's largest food and drink events.

The festival will see a produce and booze market, street entertainment, live music, craft traders and the TV chefs taking it in turns to serve up demos with the two-Michelin starred Michael Caines appearing on the Friday, Gino'D'Acampo on the Saturday, Torode on Sunday and James Martin on Monday.

GinoGino with a tadger cosy

When asked about his first appearance at the Bolton Food and Drink Festival, John Torode said: “It’s fantastic to be part of Bolton Food and Drink Festival. This will be my first time and I can’t wait. I’m passionate about good, beautifully cooked British food so I’m really looking forward to being involved."

Gino D'Acampo, now in his third stint at the festival said: “I’m so excited that I’m coming back to the Bolton Food and Drink Festival. I love Bolton, and everyone was so lovely when I came down before. I can’t wait to meet everyone again and cook up some more fantastico Italian food.”

Fantastico Gino. Fantastico.

More on the festival here.