TV star and Hampstead Garden Suburb resident Jonathan Ross swapped French Open tennis for centre stage at an annual flower show this weekend.

Ham & High: Fancy dress competition winner baby Artie, dressed as a Jaffa Cake, with dad John Mercer. Picture: Nigel Sutton.Fancy dress competition winner baby Artie, dressed as a Jaffa Cake, with dad John Mercer. Picture: Nigel Sutton. (Image: © Nigel Sutton email pictures@nigelsuttonphotography.com)

Having flown in from Paris hours earlier, Mr Ross opened the Suburb Horticultural Society’s 275th summer flower show on Saturday and picked a winner in the children’s fancy dress contest.

The 52-year-old, currently the society’s honorary president, helped kick off the flower show at the Free Church Hall, in Northway, before judging the fancy dress contest - selecting four-month-old Artie Mercer, dressed as a Jaffa Cake, as the overall winner.

There was also a ladies hat competition, won by Janet Towers, in addition to the annual showcase of flowers, fruit and vegetables.

Mr Ross, who has opened the show each year since 2000, was joined on the day by his pet dog Mr Snowball.

Marjorie Harris, a member of the Horticultural Society, said: “Jonathan came straight from watching the French Open tennis in Paris - he went home, fetched his dog and came to see us.

“He was totally brilliant with the small children and equally brilliant with the older people doing the hats competition.

“Jonathan has a knack of lightening the atmosphere.”