As a self-confessed tea pot, I'm very happy to be in the studio with specialist tea historian and writer, Jane Pettigrew.

For the first time ever, we can reveal the 'Tea League Table' - the best (and worst!) places in the UK to make a brew.

Places like Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Wolverhamptom are brewing up a storm... whereas Bristol, Southampton, London (boo hoo), Northampton and Cambridge have gone to [tea]pot as far as a cuppa's concerned.

Why is this? Well, it's not all about who you get to make it, whether you put the milk in before or after the water, where you're sitting when you're sipping... the crucial element in making the perfect cuppa is the water itself! The Tea League is based on water hardness and the softer the water, the better the cuppa.

Pure, filtered water is the second best ingredient, after the tea itself. For more information, visit brita.co.uk.