Husband and wife team, Jane and Jeremy Hooper have decided to move back to their home at Barnstaple in Devon but their restaurant The Thatch is set to remain open.

Mastermind of the BBC2 series and the restaurant's operation, Raymond Blanc has not yet commented on the couple's decision to move back to Devon despite the financial backing and expertise he has put into the venture.

The couple opened The Thatch in October last year after they transformed the building from what was formerly The Old Trout.

A spokesperson from Raymond Blanc's restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, said the couple had made an agreement with Mr Blanc over The Thatch's finance and ownership although failed to comment on what would happen as a result of the couple's decision to move.

They assured customers, however, that the restaurant would remain open.
Prior to their running The Thatch, Mr Hooper, 33 worked as a Royal Marines chef and his wife Jane, 29 was a trainee teacher.

Meanwhile, the second series of The Restaurant is about to start filming at a pub in Haddenham.

The Green Dragon has recently changed ownership and the new operators will be letting out the pub for the BBC to return and film a contestant who will be competing for the overall prize of a new restaurant, with help from Mr Blanc.