A Norwich cook's culinary talent and hard work has paid off as she made it through to the national finals of the ITV show Britain's Best Dish.

Julie Philpot, 50, of The Moorings, off Oak Street, reached the final of the show tonight with her whisked sponge cake called blueberry burst gateau.

Mrs Philpot, who was surprised to have got this far in the competition, took the advice of the judges who commented that her sponge was too dry in the last round.

To combat the dryness she added a cold lemon custard and blueberry coulis to the dish and also took the sponge out of the oven 7 minutes earlier then her usual 30 minute cooking time.

The mother of three said she chose to enter the blueberry burst gateau because she felt it was 'different enough to possibly get selected.'

Her competitor was Becky Carpenter with a hazelnut and sloe gin tartlet.

She was picked by judges Ed Baines and John Burton Race.

Of the pudding, Mr Race said: 'That was amazing.'

While fellow judge Jilly Goolden added: 'It all became a bit more of a marriage than it had been previously.'

Mrs Philpots celebrated her success with friends and family at a party last night.

'It is marvellous,' she said.

'To be the best pudding of the east of the region.'

As well as working part-time for social services, Mrs Philpot's also runs her own cookery teaching business, Plan to Cook and she will be holding a free taste-testing of her blueberry burst gateau at Biddy's Tea Room, Lower Goat Lane, Norwich, on Monday from noon to 4pm.

The ITV series sees cooks battle it out in the kitchen for the chance to have their dish on the menu at London's Savoy Hotel.

Throughout the competition the competitors face a series of cooking challenges while the show's three judges decide whose dishes are good enough to stay in the contest.

Viewers will have to watch the finals, due to be aired the week of May 23, to see if Mrs Philpot wins the competition.

• For more information on Plan to Cook visit www.plantocook.co.uk

• Do you know somebody who is going to be on TV? Call Evening News reporter Donna-Louise Bishop on 01603 772438 or email donna-louise.bishop@archant.co.uk