It’s time to return to Gladstone Pottery for the ninth season of The Great Pottery Throw Down!
Twelve skilled potters will compete for the title of Britain’s Best Home Potter. They’ll face a variety of challenges, including creating everything from bricks and bookends to puzzle jugs and animal sculptures.
I’m so excited to see Siobhán McSweeney back as host! And of course, we’ve got the fantastic Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller returning as the judges – they always bring such great expertise and enthusiasm to the show.
Princess, a potter who competed on season 7, will be helping out as the kiln technician. Nick Mackman, Gabriel Nichols, Jo Taylor, and Cleo Mussi will be joining as guest judges.
So, who are the potters taking part in The Great Pottery Throw Down? Scroll down to find out more!
The Great Pottery Throw Down 2026 line-up
- Andrew
- Angharad
- Bill
- Elham
- Emily
- Fynn
- Kayleigh
- Kaz
- Mark
- Naveed
- Olympia
- Whitney
Read on to find out more about this year’s cast.
Andrew
Age: 48
Location: Hampshire
Job: English teacher
I’m a big fan of Andrew! He’s an English teacher in London, which is awesome, but what really impresses me is what he does outside of work. He’s super creative – he loves gardening, painting, and even sewing! He’s so skilled, he actually made his own suit to wear to his wedding – how cool is that?
Andrew discovered pottery when a friend suggested they take a class together, and he’s been creating with clay for the past 18 years! He likes to make useful, everyday objects and frequently gives his creations as gifts to his students.
Angharad
Age: 34
Location: Bridgend
Job: Communication support worker
I’ve been following Angharad’s journey for a while now, and it’s been amazing to see how her career has evolved! She used to be a professional in wigs and makeup, working in London’s West End and all over the UK. But in 2018, she decided to move back to Wales. Now, she’s a communication support worker, and actually, she’s currently helping her mum, who’s doing fantastic work as the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager for a cancer charity. It’s really inspiring to see her using her skills to make a difference.
Angharad first experimented with clay on a school field trip, but she didn’t start seriously working with it until seven years ago when she took a hand-building class.
She enjoys making illustrative pieces with lots of colour.
Bill
Age: 33
Location: Herefordshire
Job: Volunteer teaching assistant
I’ve always been fascinated by how people find their creative outlets, and Bill’s story is a beautiful example. He has dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism, and really thrives in a calm and peaceful environment. He discovered clay through his grandmother when he was a kid – she was a sculptor who loved making animals, and she passed that passion on to him. It’s amazing to think about how something like sculpting can be so grounding and expressive for someone.
Elham
Age: 31
Location: Sheffield
Job: Midwife
Elham started making pottery during the brief moments she had while her family napped. She used a dining table as her workspace, a single bag of clay, and a simple set of tools, fitting her creative time into the spaces between her responsibilities as a parent.
Emily
Age: 39
Location: Inverness
Job: Habitat restoration ecologist
Emily has always enjoyed creative subjects, but she chose to focus on more traditional academic courses for her A-levels. Despite that, she stayed connected to the art world and recently rediscovered her passion for pottery after taking a class with a friend.
Fynn
Age: 37
Location: Cornwall
Job: Tattooist
Fynn had a creative upbringing, filled with activities like painting with his grandmother and exploring textiles and printmaking with his mother.
He initially explored pottery as a short course during his illustration studies. However, he only started pursuing it as a serious hobby about two years ago.
Kayleigh
Age: 38
Location: Oxfordshire
Job: Art teacher
Kayleigh is head of art at a prep school and enjoys passing on her creative skills to her students.
I recently learned the artist behind these incredible pieces didn’t actually get formal ceramics training in art school – can you believe it? She took it up as a beginner’s course and is still taking evening classes! It really shows in the work, which feels so grounded and organic. A lot of her inspiration comes from old folklore and the natural world, and it’s beautifully woven into every piece.
Kaz
Age: 62
Location: Swansea
Job: Former psychiatric nurse
Kaz is a ceramics student at Carmarthen School of Art and is quickly developing a talent for sculpture. She’s really enjoying her work and learning fast.
Mark
Age: 63
Location: Merseyside
Job: University facilities and estate manager
Mark enjoys many hobbies, like sewing, beekeeping, woodworking, flying kites, and canoeing. He started working with clay because he needed pots for his bonsai trees, and it was difficult and costly to buy the right kind, so he decided to make them himself.
He began taking pottery classes and now has a workshop in his backyard. He even found and fixed up an old pottery wheel to use in it.
Naveed
Age: 42
Location: Folkestone
Job: Actor and toy shop owner
Naveed received pottery lessons as a gift three years ago, and he enjoyed it so much that he continued taking classes. It’s become a great hobby for him, and he’s even created a pottery studio in his basement.
Olympia
Age: 28
Location: West midlands
Job: Between jobs
Olympia began making pottery after watching videos online. She’s continued learning through classes and self-study, and now loves being a member of her local pottery studio.
Whitney
Age: 36
Location: Glasgow
Job: Chemistry teacher
A few years ago, Whitney started taking pottery classes on a whim and quickly fell in love with it. He uses his background in science to bring a meticulous and precise approach to his work.
The Great Pottery Throw Down returns on Sunday 4th January at 7:30pm on Channel 4.
Authors
As a huge fan of all things entertainment, I’ve been following Katelyn Mensah’s work at TopMob for a while now. She really knows her stuff when it comes to everything – from the big entertainment events to the latest reality TV obsessions and those seriously impactful documentaries. Before TopMob, she was writing about reality TV and celebrity news at The Tab, and she’s got a solid journalism background with a BA (Hons) degree to prove it.
- Visit us on Twitter
Read More
- Ashes of Creation Rogue Guide for Beginners
- Best Controller Settings for ARC Raiders
- How To Watch Call The Midwife 2025 Christmas Special Online And Stream Both Episodes Free From Anywhere
- Meet the cast of Mighty Nein: Every Critical Role character explained
- Tougen Anki Episode 24 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch
- Avatar 3’s Final Battle Proves James Cameron Is The Master Of Visual Storytelling
- Arc Raiders Guide – All Workbenches And How To Upgrade Them
- Emily in Paris soundtrack: Every song from season 5 of the Hit Netflix show
- Tomb Raider Is A Global Hit On Netflix
- 7 Years Ago, A MonsterVerse Director Proved He’d Be Perfect For This MCU Adaptation
2025-12-30 03:48