Jeremy Vine's favourite UK seaside town that he's visited for 20 years
The BBC Radio 2 host has been visiting the same seaside town in Devon for over two decades, and loves it so much that he included it in his debut murder mystery novel
Devon has long been a beloved hideaway for famous faces, with comedian Jennifer Saunders, property expert Kirstie Allsopp, and artist Damien Hirst among those with homes in the area.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine is another high-profile fan, having frequented the charming seaside town of Sidmouth for over 20 years, describing it as his 'summer place'.
In an article for The Guardian, the 60-year-old BBC Radio 2 host revealed how, following his 2002 wedding to Rachel Schofield in nearby Tipton St John, he keeps returning to Sidmouth.
Vine's love for the town is such that he features a scene set on its coastline in his debut murder mystery novel, Murder On Line One, where a character saves his manager after a "massive wave" sweeps them out to sea.
Describing Devon as "a place to leave the real world behind", the father-of-two also name-checked Budleigh Salterton, Ottery St Mary, Newton Poppleford and Branscombe Beach among his favourite spots.
But he said: "It's Sidmouth I come back to. After getting married close by, it became our summer place."
Among Vine's go-to spots in Sidmouth are the historic Jacob's Ladder, the world-famous Donkey Sanctuary, and the Clock Tower Cafe, where he treats himself to a 'supersize-me cake', reports the Express. "
Over the years, we came down summer after summer, Christmas after Christmas, for R&R in the muddy Devon air," he said.
"Our two kids arrived. It became their go-to bucket-and-spade location: I recently heard a psychologist explain how a regular family holiday location is 'good for children's mental health', and wondered why she never mentioned adults.
"What I love most about Sidmouth is that it feels like a town going places. It's not a classic sandy beach - a single triangle of brown sand is revealed at low tide, and that's your lot - but you feel you're facing proper sea, with heavy weather triggering waves that crash against rocks by the promenade."
He added: "It's chintzy in places, drab in others, but it feels real. And real by the sea is a different kind of beauty.
"Brits need proximity to the ocean. In Sidmouth, you're virtually in it."
Jeremy Vine's latest novel, Murder On Line One, is currently available on Amazon for £10.
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