The Great Pottery Throw Down is a British television competition programme that first aired on BBC Two from 3 November 2015 to 23 March 2017. It was then moved to More4 from 8 January to 11 March 2020, and has been broadcast by Channel 4 since 10 January 2021.
Format In each episode, a group of amateur potters compete to complete two pottery challenges. In the "main make" challenge, contestants undertake a substantial multi-stage creative task: subject to given specifications, they must design a ceramic creation, build it from clay body, and decorate it, and present it to the judges for evaluation after it is fired in the kiln. In between stages of the main make, potters are given a "second challenge", a smaller-scale task testing a specific pottery skill, on which they are ranked from worst to best by the judges. At the end of each episode, the judges designate the best-performing contestant as "potter of the week". The contestant with the worst results is dismissed, and all others return for the following episode; the winner of the final episode is the overall winner of the series.
Series overview Series Episodes Premiere FinaleWinner 1 6 3 November 2015 8 December 2015 Matthew Wilcock 2 8 2 February 2017 23 March 2017 Ryan Barrett 3 10 8 January 2020 11 March 2020 Rosa Wiland Holmes 4 10 10 January 2021 14 March 2021 Jodie Neale 5 10 2 January 2022 6 March 2022 AJ Simpson 6 10 8 January 2023 12 March 2023 Loïs Gunn 7 10 7 January 2024 10 March 2024 Donna Bloye 8 10 5 January 2025 9 March 2025 James Stanley Watson 9 10 4 January 2026 8 March 2026 Fynn Allen
Series 1 (2015) The first series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 3 November 2015 on BBC Two, and concluded on 8 December 2015. The judges for the series were Keith Brymer Jones and Kate Malone, with Sara Cox serving as host. The competition was held at Middleport Pottery.
Potters Potter Age Occupation Hometown James Greenwood 31 Vet Bristol Jane Williams 40 College tutor North Wales Jim Ranson 52 Part-time painter and decorator Bognor Regis Joanna Morris 42 Parish Councillor West Sussex Matthew Wilcock 23 Teacher Giggleswick Nigel Matthews 52 Builder Bakewell Rekha Sameer 49 Conceptual artist Buckinghamshire Sally-Jo Bond 33 Interior designer Petersfield Sandra Whyles 52 Project Manager Leeds Tom Knowles Jackson 41 Retired Army Major Gloucestershire
Results summary Elimination chart Potter 1 2 3 4 5 6 Matthew WIN Winner Jim WIN Runner-Up Sally-Jo Runner-Up Tom WIN Runner-Up Jane ELIM Sandra ELIM James ELIM Joanna EXIT Nigel ELIM Rekha ELIM
Colour key: Potter was eliminated Potter won Pot of the Week Potter walked from the series Potter got through to the next round Potter was one of the least favourite Potter was one of the favourites Potter was a series finalist Potter was the series winner
Ratings Episodeno. Airdate Total viewers(millions) BBC Twoweekly ranking 1 3 November 2015 2.29 8 2 10 November 2015 2.47 10 3 17 November 2015 2.49 7 4 24 November 2015 2.16 11 5 1 December 2015 2.37 7 6 8 December 2015 2.55 7
Series 2 (2017) The second series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 2 February 2017 on BBC Two, and concluded on 23 March 2017.
Potters Potter Age Occupation Hometown Cáit Gould 31 Quaker Meeting House worker Reading Carole Sender 63 Pottery Teacher Hertfordshire Clover Lee 33 Accountant and Part-time Illustrator London Daniel Pratap 55 Mortgage adviser Hampshire Elaine Wells 55 Banana import business owner Buckinghamshire Freya Bramble-Carter 24 Student London James Douglass 25 Tour guide in National Glass Centre Newcastle upon Tyne Nam Tran 27 Cage fighter and Kick boxer London Richard J Parker 53 Pub landlord Banbury Ryan Barrett 30 Model Ipswich
Results summary Elimination chart Potter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ryan WIN WIN Winner Clover WIN Runner-Up Richard WIN Runner-Up Freya WIN ELIM Cáit ELIM Nam WIN ELIM Elaine WIN ELIM James ELIM Daniel ELIM Carole ELIM
Because the judges were unable to agree, no-one was eliminated this week. As a result, two potters were eliminated the following week.
Colour key: Potter was eliminated Potter won Pot of the Week Potter walked from the series Potter got through to the next round Potter was one of the least favourite Potter was one of the favourites Potter was a series finalist Potter was the series winner
Ratings Episodeno. Airdate Total viewers(millions) BBC Twoweekly ranking 1 2 February 2017 2.38 5 2 9 February 2017 2.60 5 3 16 February 2017 2.60 4 4 23 February 2017 2.78 3 5 2 March 2017 2.77 4 6 9 March 2017 2.85 4 7 16 March 2017 3.34 1 8 23 March 2017 3.44 1
Series 3 (2020) The third series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 8 January 2020 on More4, and concluded on 11 March 2020. Ceramic designer Sue Pryke took over as judge from Kate Malone, and Melanie Sykes became the new host.
Potters Potter Age Occupation Hometown Claire Murdock 29 Warehouse operative County Antrim, Northern Ireland Flea Brudenell-Bruce 33 Full-time mother London Jacob Chan 23 Studio potter Liverpool Kit Andrews 19 Home potter Cornwall Leonard Young 70 Retired company director Cornwall Matt Cronshaw 30 Professional cycling manager Greater Manchester Rainna Erbas 27 Full-time carer Kent Ronaldo Wiltshire 31 Art college technician and part time tutor London Rosa Wiland Holmes 43 Full-time mother and former fashion designer Buckinghamshire Rosalind Worland 59 Retired antique shop owner Essex Sampada Gurung 26 Craft assistant and illustrator London Tom James 39 Composer and music teacher Sheffield
Results summary Elimination chart Potter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rosa WIN Winner Jacob WIN WIN WIN Runner-Up Matt WIN Runner-Up Claire WIN WIN WIN ELIM Rosalind WIN ELIM Ronaldo ELIM Rainna WIN ELIM Flea ELIM Leonard ELIM Kit ELIM Sampada ELIM Tom ELIM
Colour key: Potter was eliminated Potter won Pot of the Week Potter walked from the series Potter got through to the next round Potter was one of the least favourite Potter was one of the favourites Potter was a series finalist Potter was the series winner
Series 4 (2021) The fourth series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 10 January 2021 on Channel 4, and concluded on 14 March 2021. The competition moved to the Gladstone Pottery Museum starting with this season. Richard Miller moved from kiln technician into a judging role alongside Keith Brymer Jones, and Siobhán McSweeney became the new host.
Potters Potter Age Occupation Hometown Adam Johnson 36 Support worker Brighton Alon Shahar 20 Architecture student London Ara Moradian 57 Retired theatre wardrobe manager Folkestone Hannah Ruth Walker 30 Housing project manager Bristol Henry Moore 25 Retirement home activities organiser Suffolk Irina 43 Executive ground staff Essex Jodie Neale 35 NHS scrub nurse Rhondda Valley Lee Pollard 44 Community nurse Huddersfield Peter White 70 Design and technology teacher Milton Keynes Sally ‘Sal’ Tully 58 Art and design teacher Cornwall Shenyue Ding 28 Model London Susan ‘Suz’ MacInnes 55 Library assistant Aberdeenshire
Results summary Elimination chart Potter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jodie WIN WIN Winner Adam WIN Runner-Up Peter WIN Runner-Up Hannah WIN ELIM Alon WIN ELIM SalWIN WIN ELIM Henry ELIM Shenyue WIN ELIM Lee ELIM Suz ELIM Irina ELIM Ara ELIM
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming ceased for 7 days to ensure the safety of the potters and crew. As a result, the judges decided not to eliminate anyone.
Colour key: Potter was eliminated Potter won Pot of the Week Potter walked from the series Potter got through to the next round Potter was one of the least favourite Potter was one of the favourites Potter was a series finalist Potter was the series winner
Series 5 (2022) The fifth series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 2 January 2022 on Channel 4, and concluded on 6 March 2022. The series was co-hosted by Ellie Taylor, while Siobhán McSweeney was recovering from a broken leg. It was judged by Keith Brymer Jones and Richard Miller. Also appearing was Rose Schmits, who acted as behind-the-scenes technician.
Potters Potter Age Occupation Hometown AJ Simpson 21 Design graduate Aberdeen Anna McGurn 57 Social care facilitator Fermanagh, Northern Ireland Bill Thomas 63 Museum learning assistant Scarborough Cellan Cox 23 3D design and craft graduate Brighton Christine Cherry 57 Art youth worker Preston Jenny Cobb 43 Full time mum North Lincolnshire Josh Duarte 27 Design and technology teacher Berkshire Lucinda Lovesey 58 Retired NHS therapist Shropshire Miles Johnson 50 Denim designer Worcestershire Nick Robatto 43 Prop Maker Barry Tom Demeranville 44 Product director Bath Zahra Jabir 32 Hospital doctor Manchester
Results Summary Elimination chart Potter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10AJ WIN WIN WIN WinnerAnna Runner-UpChristine WIN Runner-UpLucindaWIN ELIM Jenny WIN ELIM Tom WIN ELIM Nick WIN ELIM Cellan WIN ELIM Miles ELIM Josh ELIM Zahra ELIM BillELIM
Colour Key Potter won Pot of the Week. Potter was one of the judges' favourites of the week. Potter was safe and was through to the next week. Potter was one of the judges' least favourites of the week. Potter was eliminated. Potter was a finalist. Potter won the series.
Ratings Episodeno. Airdate Total viewers(millions) Weekly rankingall channels 1 2 January 2022 2 9 January 2022 3 16 January 2022 4 23 January 2022 5 30 January 2022 6 6 February 2022 7 13 February 2022 8 20 February 2022 9 27 February 2022 10 6 March 2022 3.07 47
Series 6 (2023) The sixth series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 8 January 2023 on Channel 4, and concluded on 12 March 2023.
Potters Potter Age Occupation Hometown Caitlin Foulds 23 Medical Student Glasgow Christophe Donot 36 Architect London Derek Harbinson 57 Journalist, Editor Tunbridge Wells Fabiola Ladino 52 Nanny London Fliss Rowbotham 24 Oil Painter London George Lodge 27 Junior Doctor Hampshire Helen Baxter 65 Retired Headteacher Kent James Stead 44 Art Teacher Banbury Jon Roynon 46 Chartered Structural Engineer Corsham Loïs Gunn 36 Jewellery Designer Ramsgate Rebecca Norris 32 Teacher Scarborough Vithu Karunakaran 29 Bartender, Waiter Manchester
Results Summary Elimination chart Potter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10LoïsWIN WIN WIN WinnerJames WIN Runner-UpJon WIN Runner-UpCaitlin WIN ELIM Helen ELIM Derek ELIM George ELIM Rebecca ELIM Fabiola ELIM Christophe ELIM Fliss ELIM VithuELIM
Colour Key Potter won Pot of the Week. Potter was one of the judges' favourites of the week. Potter was safe and was through to the next week. Potter was one of the judges' least favourites of the week. Potter was eliminated. Potter was a finalist. Potter won the series.
Ratings Episodeno. Airdate Total viewers(millions) Weekly rankingall channels 1 8 January 2023 2 15 January 2023 3 22 January 2023 4 29 January 2023 5 5 February 2023 6 12 February 2023 7 19 February 2023 2.85 45 8 26 February 2023 9 5 March 2023 10 12 March 2023 3.05 45
Series 7 (2024) The seventh series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 7 January 2024 on Channel 4, and concluded on 10 March 2024.
Potters Potter Age Occupation Hometown Andrew Macbean 67 Actor London Cadi Froehlich 50 Admin Assistant Brighton Dan Sandham 41 Systems Engineer Weymouth Daniel Stapleton 30 Data Scientist London Dave Short 58 Retired Teacher Evesham Donna Bloye 44 Former Art Teacher Bangor Edward King 33 Housing Officer Plymouth Jan Morgan 61 Science Lecturer Llanelli Princess Fingall 24 Studio Technician London Shani Yeomans 38 Small Business Bristol Sophie Wootton 24 Graduate Student Warwickshire Steven Broughton 33 Art Teacher Oxfordshire
Results summary Elimination chart Potter 1 2 3 45678910Donna WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WinnerDan WINRunner-UpDave WIN Runner-UpSteven WIN ELIM Jan ELIM Sophie ELIM Cadi WIN ELIM Princess ELIM Daniel ELIMShani ELIMEdward ELIM AndrewELIM
Colour Key Potter won Pot of the Week. Potter was one of the judges' favourites of the week. Potter was safe and was through to the next week.