Llewelyn-Bowen on early post-ash flight

TV presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen was one of the first travellers to return home after flight restrictions caused by the volcanic ash cloud were ended by transport secretary Lord Adonis.

The Popstar To Operastar judge praised his cabin crew on the flight, who he claimed were a reassuring presence during his five days stranded in Mauritius. He also compared the panic surrounding their return to TV series Challenge Anneka.

"We've been very much the lucky ones. Because we were with a plane that was turned back it meant that we were still with our plane in Mauritius. We were all in the same boat," he told the BBC.

"The crew and all of us on the plane stuck together until we were given a chance to get home. It wasn't until 7 o'clock this morning that it was all confirmed. It has been very exciting and a little bit Challenge Anneka running around the airports."

He added: "We were [scared] to be honest. You try to be relaxed, but fundamentally we were going to be on the first row of planes coming through the clouds. But my estimations about cabin crews has gone up so much throughout this. They were so brilliant and matter of fact about everything."