A carpenter is set to star in a new woodwork TV series hosted by one of his favourite celebrities; comedian Lee Mack.

Saf Fakir is one of 10 contestants on 'The Chop: Britain's Top Woodworker', which starts on Sky History this week.

The show, hosted by Mack, TV presenter Rick Edwards and master carpenter William Hardie, sees the country’s finest carpenters gather in Epping Forest in Essex to whittle, carve and chop their way to the final, to see who will be crowned Britain’s top woodworker and the chance to stage their own personal exhibition at the prestigious William Morris Gallery in London.

The Chop features the building of a cabin in the woods, adding a new room every week, each on a different historical theme. These include Nelson’s cabin on HMS Victory, a Victorian pub, a Gothic bedroom, a Georgian hunting lodge, and a 1960s’ Mad Men-inspired lounge.

Each week there will be a series of challenges for Mr Fakir and his fellow contestants to create objects as groups or individuals and one person gets voted off at the end of each episode leading to an eventual winner.

Mr Fakir, 40, studied industrial design at Keighley College and Huddersfield University before following in his father’s footsteps to become a joiner.

He now specialises in bespoke staircases and furniture, owning and running two companies; JXR Design and Build and JXR Woodworks.

He says he was given a pleasant surprise when he met Mack on set and even managed to ask him for a selfie.

But Mr Fakir was keeping tight-lipped about how far he progressed in the competition.

He said: "I had a great time doing the show. It was really good. It was filmed last September. I can't believe it's been a year.

"I didn't know Lee (Mack) was going to be there until the first day. I was gobsmacked.

"Me and my brother are big fans of him. We wanted to get tickets to see him in Leeds before the lockdown happened.

"He is just how he is on TV, he would not switch off. He was awesome.

I do keep in touch with the other contestants. They were a really good bunch of guys

"If I could do it again I would. You forget the cameras are there when they are filming the show. I injured myself a couple of times on the show.

"I didn't think anything of it. It's quite dangerous, you have to be so careful with tools."

Mr Fakir added the show's setting was a far cry from his home city.

He added: "Epping Forest was a massive change from Bradford, coming from such a massive metropolis in Bradford."

Mr Fakir has made furniture for a string of high-profile clients, including England and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who had a loan spell at Bradford City earlier in his career.

The Chop: Britain’s Top Woodworker premieres on Sky History on Thursday, October 15 at 9pm