The Mount Stuart programmes, which have been showing every weekday since the beginning of last week and continue until next Friday, December 8, have attracted considerably more viewers than the first half of the present series, which was based around Burghley House in Lincolnshire.

Corporation spokesman Steve Potter said: "The Mount Stuart programmes have had up to 1.6 million viewers per edition which is a record for the programme.

"The additional viewing figures are consistently 300,000 more than the previous editions, which came from Burghley Castle and which finished the week before the Mount Stuart editions began.

"On the strength of these figures the programme has been recommended for a new series - so thank you Mount Stuart."

The Mount Stuart segment of the series began last Monday with an interview with Johnny Bute himself, conducted by series co-presenter John Craven, and explored several of the house's hidden nooks and crannies - many uncovered by house guide Leonard Cumming.

This week has seen Nicki Chapman, Craven's co-presenter, receive a guided tour of Mount Stuart, Paul Atterbury from the Antiques Roadshow explain the astrological importance of the stained glass in the house and Diana Moran travel the island in search of artistic inspiration.

The programme continues throughout next week - tune in every weekday on BBC2 from 3.15pm. And those suitably inspired by the series might be pleased to note that Mount Stuart is open to the public this weekend, December 2 and 3 - the house from 11am to 5pm on Saturday (gardens 10am-6pm) and for the annual Christmas fair from noon to 5pm on Sunday.

(This story first appeared in the December 1, 2006 issue of The Buteman.)