TWO former Hollyoaks actors have set up a new doughnut business in Chester.

The Doughnut Whisperer is a 100 per cent plant-based, handmade doughnut company, the idea for which started in the first lockdown in 2020, when well-known actors and vegan advocates Claire Cooper and Emmett Scanlan teamed up with local baker Stephanie Reid.

Claire said: “Stephanie used to deliver doughnuts once a month to our home in Chester, which we absolutely loved, but found we wanted more.

"Whenever she came, the doughnuts were always incredible, but we remember feeling frustrated as to why she couldn’t come more frequently? One day we asked Stephanie why doesn’t she open a stand or store nearby?

"She explained she’d love to but didn’t have the time to match the demand, so during a socially distanced meeting in our garden we agreed to work together to spread her ethos and products to more people, and The Doughnut Whisperer was born!”

Offering customers a range of enticing flavours, including cookies and crème, strawberries and crème, Manchester tart and peanut butter and jelly.

The Doughnut Whisperer want to fulfil their simple mission statement of ‘making people happy’.

Customers can buy the doughnuts through their website or at their Chester store, Minerva Avenue, off Sealand Road, via pre-arrangement.

The company are also offering a corporate service with recent clients including vegan cafe Wild and Wild in Congleton and the filmset of Peaky Blinders.

Whilst Emmett may be the ‘face’ of the brand, he and Claire are keen to point out that they leave the baking to the expert, Stephanie!

He said: “I know my strengths and making doughnuts like Stephanie, is not one of them! It is great working together in this business, as Claire and I have been passionate about promoting plant-based living for many years and we now get to work with Stephanie to show how fabulous food can be plant-based.

"I am more than happy in my role of being the ‘face’ and chief product tester for The Doughnut Whisperer. We’re really excited with the positive reviews we’ve had so far and look forward to taking our doughnuts to even more people once events start opening back up again.”

For more information visit online at: https://thedoughnutwhisperer.co.uk/