Torie Campbell was blown away by Cape Town

TV presenter Torie Campbell loved her surprise trip to Cape Town.

“I was brought up outside Southampton, next to the New Forest, and my childhood memories were the great British institution of holiday camps. I absolutely loved it and wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

“We stayed at Haven holiday camps, either on the Isle of Wight or Hayling Island and they were just great, fun times with my mum, dad, older sister Katie and younger brother Tom. The one big foreign holiday we had was to America and we looked forward to it for years.

“It was to Florida and there were lots of disasters, including having to stay in our apartment for three days because of a hurricane. But we had a fantastic time at Disney World and the other theme parks.

“It made such a huge impression that Steve and I can’t wait until Franklyn is old enough to take him. I think that’ll be an amazing holiday. The first time I went away without my parents was to Magaluf with all my girlfriends from college.

“It was your typical ladette-type holiday and it was quite a culture shock for me and not really my scene at all. Having had all those Haven holidays I actually moved away when I was 18 and worked at rival Butlins.

“I was a compere at one of the venues at Minehead and did that, living on a holiday camp for three years. It was one of the best places to learn the trade I’m in.

“I did all the singing and dancing but wasn’t too good at that bit, which is why I was given the role of compering. That’s what led me into presenting as a career.

“My all-time favourite holiday has to be our honeymoon, as much for the story behind it as the destination.

“I didn’t think we were having a honeymoon, I thought we were just going to have a couple of weeks off together. But Steve totally surprised me by booking a trip to Cape Town.

“He kept it secret and had even booked for us to go diving with sharks, which I’ve always wanted to do.

“He kept it to himself all through the wedding planning before saying: ‘There’s something I need to tell you before we get married’.

“I thought: ‘Oh God, what this?’ but it was the best surprise ever. There were lots of tears! My job has taken me all over the world and Detroit was the place that really shocked me.

“The car plant closures have decimated the place and there was so much dereliction and poverty. The US is such a rich country I just didn’t expect it.”

TV presenter Torie Campbell has worked on many programmes and is currently presenting One Second In Formula 1 Racing. It takes an inside look at the business of the motor sport that’s gripping race fans again with Lewis Hamilton having a fine season. Petrolhead Torie, 31, is also a lifestyle presenter for Mercedes Benz and tests cars all over the world. Torie and husband Steve live in Hampton, just outside London, and have a five-month-old son Franklyn. One Second In F1 Racing is shown globally on CNBC. It goes out here on Thursdays at 10.30pm.