Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabric, archaeologists believe Stone Age people across Europe and Asia sewed fur and leather clothing using bone, antler or ivory sewing-needles and "thread" made of various animal body parts including sinew, catgut, and veins.
Sara Joanne Cox is an English broadcaster and author. She presented Radio 1 Breakfast on BBC Radio 1 from 3 April 2000 until 19 December 2003. Since January 2019, she hosts the BBC Radio 2 drivetime show, Monday to Friday.
Sara Patricia Pascoe is an English actress, comedian, presenter and writer. She has appeared on television programmes including 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Taskmaster for Channel 4 and QI for BBC Two.
The Great British Bake Off is a British television baking competition, produced by Love Productions, in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, attempting to impress two judges with their baking skills. One contestant is eliminated in each round, and the winner is selected from the three contestants who reach the final.
Patrick James Grant is a Scottish clothier, businessman, television personality and author who is currently the director of Community Clothing and textile manufacturer Cookson & Clegg. He is the former director of bespoke tailors Norton & Sons of Savile Row and E. Tautz & Sons clothing line. Since 2013, he has been a judge on the BBC One reality series The Great British Sewing Bee.
The Great British Sewing Bee is a BBC reality show that began airing on BBC Two on 2 April 2013. In the show, talented amateur sewers compete to be named "Britain's best home sewer". A spin-off of the format of The Great British Bake Off, the programme was presented by Claudia Winkleman for the first four series, with judges Patrick Grant, May Martin, and Esme Young. After a three-year hiatus, the series returned in 2019, with Joe Lycett taking over as presenter. The sixth series began airing on BBC One in April 2020 and the seventh began airing in April 2021. Sara Pascoe took over as presenter from series 8, which began airing in April 2022. Kiell Smith-Bynoe took over presenting series 10 in May 2024.
The first series of The Great British Sewing Bee started on 2 April and aired for four episodes concluding on 23 April 2013. The series was hosted by Claudia Winkleman and the judges were May Martin and Patrick Grant of Savile Row.
The second series of The Great British Sewing Bee started on 18 February and ended after eight episodes on 8 April 2014. Claudia Winkleman returned to present as well as resident judges May Martin and Patrick Grant. The series was filmed at Metropolitan Wharf in London.
The third series of The Great British Sewing Bee began on 5 February 2015 and aired for 6 episodes. Claudia Winkleman returned to present alongside resident judges May Martin and Patrick Grant. The series was filmed at Metropolitan Wharf in London.
The fourth series of The Great British Sewing Bee began on 16 May 2016. Claudia Winkleman returned to present alongside resident judge Patrick Grant, with May Martin being replaced by new judge Esme Young.
Johannes Radebe is a South African dancer and choreographer.
The fifth series of The Great British Sewing Bee began on 12 February 2019 following a three-year hiatus. Joe Lycett replaced Claudia Winkleman as the presenter of the show, with both Esme Young and Patrick Grant returning as judges. The series was shot at 47-49 Tanner Street, Bermondsey, though the exterior shots are of 1 Tanner Street.
Matilda Rose "Tilly" Walnes is an English fashion designer, author and educator. Based in South London, she designs plain language sewing patterns and hosts online workshops.
The sixth series of The Great British Sewing Bee began on 22 April 2020. Joe Lycett returned as the presenter of the show with both Esme Young and Patrick Grant returning as the judges. The series consisted of 12 contestants competing to be named the best sewer. For series six, the show moved from BBC Two to BBC One and increased from eight episodes to 10, becoming the channel's top rated show during its run.
Esme Young is an English fashion designer and television presenter. Since 2016, she has been a judge on the BBC reality series The Great British Sewing Bee.
The seventh series of The Great British Sewing Bee began on 14 April 2021. Joe Lycett returned as the presenter of the show, with both Esme Young and Patrick Grant returning as the judges. The series consisted of 12 contestants competing to be named the best sewer. The show aired on BBC One and was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series was filmed at The Chainstore on Trinity Buoy Wharf in London's Docklands, a grade II listed building, built in 1854, and connected to London's only lighthouse.
Swanky Modes was a British fashion brand that opened in 1972 in London's Camden Town district. It consisted of four designers: Judy Dewsbury, Melanie Herberfield, Willie Walters and Esme Young, and was located at 106 Camden Road, London.
The ninth series of The Great British Sewing Bee began on 24 May 2023 on BBC One. As with series 8, Sara Pascoe hosts, with Esme Young and Patrick Grant returning as judges. There were 12 contestants in season 9.
The second series of The Great Pottery Throw Down began on 2 February 2017 on BBC Two, and concluded on 23 March 2017. The series was hosted by Sara Cox and was judged by Keith Brymer Jones and Kate Malone. Also appearing was "kiln man Rich", Richard Miller, who acted as behind-the-scenes technician.
The tenth series of The Great British Sewing Bee began on 21 May 2024 on BBC One. Kiell Smith-Bynoe is the new host of the series, with Esme Young and Patrick Grant returning as judges. The series was again filmed at Sunny Bank Mills, a 19th-century woollen mill located just outside Leeds. Smith-Bynoe has appeared on the show before as a contestant in the 2021 Christmas Special. In this series there are 12 contestants.
