Darren Rowley has been a fishmonger at Morrisons in Lower Street, Kettering, since it opened nine years ago, and is in London today filming for the chain's Christmas advertisements.

Mr Rowley, 30, of St Anthony's Road, Kettering, said: "It's fantastic. I'm really pleased. I'm a bit nervous but also excited. It's good to get something like this come up.

"It's nice to get something for our store in our area."

Mr Rowley, who is a regional trainer for Morrisons, will be demonstrating his skills by filleting salmon on the advert.

It comes after he recently came third in the 58th National Fishcraft Championships in Cardiff. He was asked to be in the Morrisons 'most important' campaign because of his ability.

He entered the Fish Collage Award in the championships and had to make a display with a box of fish he saw for the first time that day.

Mr Rowley only found out on Thursday that Morrisons would like him to be in the advert.

He had asked previously if he could be in the advert but was told there was no possibility this year.

The celebrities who will share the screen with Mr Rowley are yet to be announced, but Alan Hansen, Richard Hammond, Denise van Outen and Nick Hancock have starred in Morrisons' advertisements in the past.

Mr Rowley's wife is pregnant so has not gone to London with him for filming, but his five and eight-year-old sons are looking forward to seeing him on the television.

He said: "They are really pleased, especially my oldest one, Joshua."

Store manager Alan Kitchin said: "It's great for him to get the chance to represent the company in a good light, the people we have and to show his skills off.

"It's real people doing their everyday job."