Lee Mack is to present a talent contest to find the nation's best carpenters and carvers.

The Chop: Britain's Top Woodworker is one of the first commissions for the rebranded Sky History channel. It's a competitive format in which 10 contestants build and furnish a cabin in the middle of Epping Forest, under the watchful eye of Mack and his sidekick, television presenter Rick Edwards.

The commission for eight hour-long episodes follows a successful pilot last year, with the series due to begin on 15th October.

The Chop is made by Big Wheel Films, the company founded by James Quinn, Sky's former commissioning editor for factual and documentaries. The company's credits include Borderland with Sue Perkins, which aired on BBC One last month.

Mack, who heats his home with a wood-burning stove, showed his appreciation for a well-crafted shepherd's hut when he visited last year's Chelsea Flower Show with his Would I Lie To You? co-star Rob Brydon: