2026-01-26
Great Pottery Throwdown 9x4
meet the contestants: https://instagram.com/p/DS4iuXEiBm6 AndrewAge: 48Location: HampshireJob: English teacherInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/plaidoughAndrew teaches English in a secondary school in London and in his spare time enjoys gardening, painting and sewing, even making his own suit for his wedding. He started potting when a friend invited him along to an evening class, and has been throwing clay for 18 years ever since! Andrew enjoys making functional items and often makes gifts for his students.AngharadAge: 34Location: BridgendJob: Communication support workerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/crockashwtAngharad used to work in the wig and makeup department in London's West End and around the UK before moving back home to Wales in 2018. She now works as a communication support worker, currently assisting her mum who is the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager for a cancer charity. Angharad first got her hands on clay during a school trip to a museum but came back to it properly seven years ago when she took a hand-building course. She enjoys making illustrative pieces with lots of colour.BillAge: 33Location: HerefordshireJob: Volunteer teaching assistantInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/billrollsceramicsBill has dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism and enjoys living in a quiet, relaxed area. He was introduced to clay when he was young by his grandmother who loved sculpting animals.ElhamAge: 31Location: SheffieldJob: MidwifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hessavistudioElham's pottery journey began during 'nap time' - a dining table, one bag of clay, a basic tool set, and snippets of time squeezed between family life.EmilyAge: 39Location: InvernessJob: Habitat restoration ecologistInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyheslingceramicsEmily has always loved art subjects but veered towards more academic studies for her A-levels. She never lost touch completely with the art crowd and returned to pottery a few years ago after attending a class with a friend.FynnAge: 37Location: CornwallJob: TattooistInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fynn.made.thisFynn was surrounded by creativity growing up, whether it was painting with his grandmother or doing textiles and printmaking with his mother. He first tried pottery as a six week addition to an illustration degree, but it was only two years ago that he began to take his hobby seriously.KayleighAge: 38Location: OxfordshireJob: Art teacherInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayleighopotteryKayleigh is head of art at a prep school and enjoys passing on her creative skills to her students. She was disappointed that her art degree didn’t include ceramics and enrolled on an introductory course, and still attends evening classes now, with her pieces often inspired by folklore stories and nature.KazAge: 62Location: SwanseaJob: Former psychiatric nurseInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kazwoodspotterKaz is currently studying ceramics at Carmarthen School of Art, where she has found a passion for sculpture and is proving to be a quick learner.MarkAge: 63Location: MerseysideJob: University facilities and estate managerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markburtonpotteryMark has a number of hobbies, including sewing, bee-keeping, woodwork, kite flying and canoeing. It was Mark's bonsai tree hobby that led him to clay, as the square pots were expensive and hard to find so he set out to make his own. He started classes and has now built his own pottery shed at home, acquiring a second-hand wheel that he refurbished himself.NaveedAge: 42Location: FolkestoneJob: Actor and toy shop ownerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/naveedkhanpotteryNaveed was gifted pottery lessons three years ago and went on to do more courses as he loved it so much. It has become a welcome creative outlet and he now has a pottery space set up in his basement.OlympiaAge: 28Location: West MidlandsJob: Between jobsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/augustno14Olympia was inspired by pottery videos she spotted online before she started having a go herself. She has since progressed through a mixture of courses and online self-teaching and enjoys being part of her local community pottery studio.WhitneyAge: 36Location: GlasgowJob: Chemistry teacherInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/macchoi_potteryLooking to try something new a few years ago, Whitney took pottery lessons and was hooked. He enjoys bringing his scientific background to his potting, being very detailed and precise when making. 9x4: Raku WeekIt's raku Week! Whose animal sculptures will the judges go wild for? And when guest judge Nick Mackman sets a sculpting spot test, whose raku will get them through?main make: raku-fired intertwined parent and child animal sculpturewho made what: Andrew - pangolin Angharad - snailBill - silverback gorillaElham - koalaEmily - Eurasian lynxFynn - ruffled lemurKayleigh - great crested grebe Naveed - mandrillWhitney - great white shark https://instagram.com/p/DT8q5srEj4U spot test: sculpt a Javan rhinocerosrankings: 1 - Bill2 - Fynn3 - Kayleigh4 - Naveed5 - Andrew6 - Angharad7 - Emily8 - Elham9 - Whitney potter of the week: Emily eliminated: Whitney View Poll: #21410451 2
