THIS is the Gwent family who will be taking over the nation's airwaves in two weeks as Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans broadcasts live from their living room.

The May family's home in Sebastopol near Pontypool beat odds of 2,500/1 to be chosen as the base for the hit show on a national tour.

On December 6, the May's living room will be full of friends and family as the famous "ginger one" and his entourage come to Gwent.

The family were chosen after Chris May, 36, sent a text message to the show when the small town was chosen randomly from nearly 2,500 villages, towns and cities in Wales.

Listeners were then invited to vote for their home town via text message on Wednesday. The May family were told yesterday morning they had made the shortlist.

Yesterday afternoon they donned their Welsh rugby shirts, prepared dozens of welshcakes and gathered around 40 friends and family to welcome Evans's team to their home and convince them East Avenue was the place to be.

"I was at my Nan's house and heard Sebastopol had been drawn as the place. I wasn't sure if it was our Sebastopol but I sent a text saying "Picturesque, it ain't, but it's got a cracking chippie and a great pub," Mr May, said.

Wife Claire May, 37, added: "We are just so excited. I thought it was a wind up at first but when we got the call to say we had been shortlisted I just went mad."

The couple, who have two children, Alice, 8, who played the piano for the show's researchers, and Mrs May's son Tom Knight, 14, are now preparing for their big day.

Singer Amy Winehouse will also come to the family home and perform live from Alice's bedroom.

Mrs May, who works as a cashier at the Lloyds TSB in Cwmbran, said: "I'm going to start tidying now. Tom has promised to keep his room tidy but we'll see if he does.

"It's a once in a lifetime thing but I'm a bit gutted because the Irish family are getting Ronan Keating at their house."

Tom, a pupil at Croesyceiliog Comprehensive, said: "I haven't had chance to tell any of my friend's yet but I'm looking forward to it."

The live Sebastopol show will feature the family and dozens of friends and relatives playing a variety of Christmas games, including Call My Bluff, with listeners joining in the fun by phone.

Nick Philps, a researcher from the show, said: "The second we walked in we knew they represented everything a warm Welsh welcome is about.

"We didn't want to leave and neither will our listeners."

Mr May, branch manager of Lloyds TSB in Newbridge, added: "I am a regular listener to the show and have always thought Chris was a funny guy. It will be brilliant."

The Drive Time programme will broadcast live from the homes of families from each of the UK's home countries from December 4.

PANEL: SEBASTOPOL facts and figures *It's named after the famous Crimea campaign because it was set up around the mid-1850s by patriotic citizens.

*It' was famous for steel-making - there was a works in the village and neighbouring Griffithstown dating back to early Victorian times. In its hey-day the Panteg Steelworks in Sebastopol and Griffithstown employed up to 800 workers and manufactured bullet-proof steel among other things.

*Sebastopol has a population of about 3,500 and is nestled next to the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.

*It is the home of Sebastopol AFC and Torfaen Jazz Society, which meets every week in Sebastopol Social Club. TJS spawned the popular Jazz in the Park festival which attracts thousands of music lovers to Pontypool Park every autumn.

*It is the home of the award-winning Pages Fish Bar - billed as one of the best in South Wales.

Local resident Derek Selby, 63, of Elm Grove is delighted Chris Evans is coming.

"I'm a bit of a fan, and it's great it's happening hear instead of Cardiff or Newport,"said the grandfather of three.