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Deal couple's taste of fame as winners of Come Dine With Me

A couple from Deal have had a taste of fame after becoming joint winners of Couples Come Dine With Me.

Jill and Geoff Martin, of The Grove, appeared on the Channel 4 show on Monday after filming the episode in March.

The show also featured couples from Rochester and Margate.

Jill and Geoff on the Channel 4 show
Jill and Geoff on the Channel 4 show

Their 1960s-themed menu helped to secure them a shared win with one other couple, Miguel and Marcus, after cooking up a crab cake starter, a hippy dippy coconut curry, and a psychedelic mango and cardamom syllabub.

Mrs Martin, 65, said: “We made some really good friends.

“It was a real challenge. I’m chuffed that we did it, and it’s something for the family and grandchildren to look back on and make them laugh.”

They have three grown-up children, Bonnie, 42, Jessica, 39, and Sam, 34, as well as five grandchildren.

The Deal couple provided the laughs throughout the episode, and were shown dancing, performing Sonny and Cher’s I’ve Got You Babe and flirting with other contestants.

Jill and Geoff Martin were shared winners on Couple's Come Dine With Me
Jill and Geoff Martin were shared winners on Couple's Come Dine With Me

Mrs Martin, a retired sales manager for P&O Ferries, signed the pair up to the cooking show after her husband initially said no.

“Geoff came home from work, and I said please don’t shout or get cross but Channel 4 want to come and film us on Tuesday,” She said.

Mr Martin, 65, who restores stained glass windows for Leeds Castle, Hampton Court Palace and historic sites with the National Trust, eventually warmed to the idea.

Mrs Martin said: “We are both passionate cooks. Geoff thinks he’s the better cook but it’s debatable.”

“Geoff came home from work, and I said please don’t shout or get cross but Channel 4 want to come and film us on Tuesday,” Mrs Martin

With just two weeks’ notice before filming took place, the pair had to create a menu and theme, and get everything together before filming began.

The couple said it was a surreal experience but they enjoyed every second of it and will soon be meeting up with the friends they made while filming.

They won with 30 points and claimed half of the £1,000 prize, which has gone in the kitty towards a trip to India next year so they can gain even more cooking inspiration.

Mrs Martin has also started up her own home-cooking business called Town Kitchen and had a stall at Sandown School fete last week.

She said she now wanted to give something back to good causes, so she contacted Kerry Rubins, fundraising officer, at disabled charity Martha Trust, and has organised to cook for a party of six as an auction lot at the Sandwich Prom.

n The Sandwich Prom will be held on Sunday July 17, from noon until 8pm, at the Secret Gardens of Sandwich.

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