He is known for his rare-breed pigs, but entomologist-turned-farmer Jimmy Doherty’s latest initiative lets their veggie sidekick – the humble potato – do the talking.

“The Jersey Royal is an iconic food item and something we should celebrate,” the 40-year-old enthuses of his collaboration with the seasonal spud. “If the Italians or French had this, they would be going on about it all the time.”

Since taking on a 100-acre farm more than 10 years ago, which was famously documented in BBC2 series Jimmy’s Farm, he has made a name for himself in the world of TV, appearing in shows including Food Unwrapped and Jamie And Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast, with childhood friend Jamie Oliver.

Add to that three books and a number of free-range food products, and it stands to reason that he’s the ideal patron to champion the Jersey crop – or, as he dubs it, “the champagne of potatoes”.

“As a kid, having Jersey Royals with your spring lamb was pretty important,” he muses. “I’m a big believer in seasonality.”

Available until the end of June, Jersey Royals’ Protected Designation of Origin status means its five-generational farmers use 130-year-old techniques to ensure their nutty flavour, creamy consistency and flaky skins.

“I visited Jersey and I arrived thinking ‘I’m used to farming in the British Isles’, but I’ve never seen it like that before,” admits Jimmy.

“They’re all crackers and the fields they hand-plant their crops on – cotils – are steep, so the planters have to be winched up!”

“I wish we could emulate what Jersey does,” he continues. “If all of the schools [across the UK] were excited by Jersey Royal season and did little competitions where they grow the potatoes, it would show pride and respect for the environment.”

It’s an ethos he looks to implement at Jimmy’s Farm, which today boasts a nature trail, butterfly house, award-winning restaurant, science and food festivals – and a zoo licence in the pipeline.

“It never ends!” Jimmy admits, laughing. “There are 30 full-timers and, I’ll tell you what, dealing with pigs is a lot easier than dealing with people!”

When he’s not running the land, the star feels lucky to be dipping his toe in the world of showbiz – and even luckier, on occasion, to be doing so with Oliver.

“We muck around and get told off because we talk rubbish,” he reveals of his time filming Jamie And Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast.

“We’ve never grown up, but it’s fun.”

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Try your hand at one of Jimmy’s family-friendly recipes, specifically created for the iconic Jersey Royal...

SAUSAGE AND JERSEY ROYAL BAKE

(Serves 4)

600g Jersey Royal new potatoes, scrubbed (not peeled) and cut in half lengthways
8 large herb sausages
2tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
Half a red pepper, deseeded and cut into quarters
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into quarters
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
10 large sage leaves, roughly chopped
200g cherry tomatoes
150g asparagus
2tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Coarsely-ground black pepper
Crusty bread and mustard to serve
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
2. Cook the Jersey Royals in a medium pan of salted water for eight to 10 minutes until just tender.
3. Add the sausages to a large roasting tin with two tablespoons of olive oil and roast for 10 minutes.
4. Drain the Jersey Royals and add to the roasting tin with the remaining ingredients, excluding the tomatoes and asparagus. Mix together and roast for 25 minutes until vegetables are slightly caramelised around the edges; stir occasionally.
5. Scatter over the tomatoes and asparagus, mix well and roast for a further 10 minutes until the sausages are golden and cooked through.
6. Serve hot with crusty bread and mustard.