The search for a top home potter begins with a four-day assignment to make stackable kitchen bowls from lumps of earthenware clay. Throwing, trimming and decorating are just some of the stages of the make. The potters' every move is watched over by judges Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones, while Sara Cox makes them feel right at home in the heart of the Potteries, Stoke-on-Trent. While they wait for their bowls to dry and fire, the potters face two more challenges of their potting skill. The spot test is a chance to show off their technical ability against the clock. This week, they must make and attach handles onto twenty mugs using a technique called pulling - with mixed and amusing results. And in the throw down, the judges test the potters' skill at the wheel. This week, they must throw as many egg cups as they can in twenty minutes. They must throw 'off the hump' - a technique which helped to bring about modern-day mass production of small pots. But which potter will make the most? On the last day, the potters' bowls finally come out of the kiln and they see whether all their hard work has paid off. Who will be this week's top potter? And who will be the first to leave the pottery?
Nine passionate potters return to Stoke-on-Trent for more tests of their skills and creativity, all aiming to be named top potter. This week they face a big main make for the smallest room in the house - a decorative hand basin. The potters are using a technique which is over 15,000 years old, coiling ropes of clay, one on top of the other. But the slightest mistake and their lovingly crafted basins could explode in the heat of the kiln. The basins will take seven days to make, so in the meantime judges Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones set more tests of the potters' skills. In the spot test the potters must add a surface design to nine plain tiles, a technique which flourished in Stoke-on-Trent's heyday. And in a fiendish throw down, the potters are challenged to throw the tallest cylinder they can while blindfolded.
It is week three and the home potters are back in Stoke-on-Trent for more tough tests of their ceramic skills, each hoping to be named top potter. They are playing with fire in their main make, when judges Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones ask them to make ten identical long-necked vases using the raku technique. This Japanese method of decorating and firing dates back to the 16th century and requires the potters to take their red-hot vases straight out of the kiln and plunge them into a bin full of combustible materials. For their spot test, the potters must produce the finest decoration on three jugs using slip - watered-down clay. It is an ancient method which first enabled potters to colour and pattern their work. And for the throw down, the potters have just 15 minutes at the wheel to produce exact copies of two ornate candlesticks thrown by master potter Keith.
It is week four in Stoke-on-Trent and just six potters remain, all striving to be named top potter. For their main make, judges Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones set the potters a monumental task - hand-building a five-foot garden sculpture out of slabs of clay. At stake is a place in the semi-final and their designs this week are more ambitious than ever before. But building big is fraught with danger and even the slightest technical error could cause their sculptures to shatter in the heat of the kiln. For their spot test, the potters must transform an ordinary chimney pot into a decorative strawberry pot by cutting holes in the original and adding pouches to the side. And for the throw down, the potters have just ten minutes on the wheel to throw the widest plate they can. Judge Keith makes plate-throwing look easy, but who can match him for size?
It's semi-final week in Stoke-on-Trent and just five potters remain, determined to secure their place in the final. For their main make, the potters face their most technically demanding challenge yet - creating a decorative chandelier in bone china. This delicate and translucent clay was first produced in Britain at the end of the 18th century as a cheap alternative to Chinese porcelain. The potters must pour liquid clay into plaster moulds to make the pieces for their chandeliers in a process called slip casting. For their spot test, steady hands are required when judges Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones test the potters' banding skills. They must paint consistent and fine lines onto plates which are revolving on the wheel. And for the throw down, they have just 15 minutes on the wheel to make the largest closed sphere they can, a hollow ball of clay which could collapse at any moment.
It is the grand final and the four remaining potters have just three tests left before one is crowned the winner of the Great Pottery Throw Down. For their main make, Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones serve up their hardest task yet for the potters - a mark of how far they have come. They want each potter to make an original twelve-piece tea set out of porcelain, a true test of a potter's skills. The teapot is the toughest item to make, with a body, spout and lid, while the white and delicate porcelain is known as the trickiest of all clays to work with. The other tests don't get much easier. They face a spot test from hell when they must cut intricate and decorative designs into leather-hard porcelain vases using a technique known as 'the devil's work'. For the final throw down, they have just 20 minutes to make three high-shouldered jugs - one of the hardest shapes to throw at the wheel.
For the new series of The Great Pottery Throw Down, hosted by Sara Cox, ten home potters return to Stoke-on-Trent and compete to become the new champion of British pottery. The judges, master-potter Keith Brymer Jones and ceramic-artist Kate Malone scrutinise their work over three gruelling challenges. For their Main Make, the potters throw and decorate an identical sixteen-piece dinner set. Testing their technical prowess in the Spot Test, the potters must sponge decorate a coherent design across a pair of jugs. Hardly easy at the best of times, they must also do it in front of a special guest judge, one of the UK's most popular ceramic designers - Emma Bridgewater. Their final challenge is the Throw Down, where the judges examine the potters' skill at the wheel, and they must throw the tallest cone they can in just 15 minutes. On the final day, kiln man Rich Miller will remove the potters' dinner sets from the flames. The heat is on as they all want to win Pot of the Week and get their ceramics into The Great Pottery Throw Down gallery. But whose dinnerware will be the first to be displayed and who will be leaving?
It is week two and the nine remaining potters face three more tough challenges, set by judges Keith Brymer Jones and Kate Malone. In the throw down challenge, king of the wheel Keith demonstrates how to build a double-walled pot, but against the clock, which potter can produce the goods? Their spot test is handles, and the potters get to grips with pulling to create handles for a set of three casserole dishes. And finally, the main make challenge this week is to hand-build a large clock, slab rolling large amounts of clay to shape, then raw glaze and fire them to produce beautiful ceramic timepieces. But whose clock will win pot of the week and take their place in the winner's gallery? And whose time will be up and have to leave the competition?
It's week three and the eight remaining potters must master the art of Japanese-style ceramics. In the Throw Down, the potters have 15 minutes at the wheel to make as many rice bowls as they can. They must throw 'off the hump' - a technique which helps potters mass produce small pots very quickly. For their Spot Test they must carefully pierce and carve an intricate design into a lantern using a technique known as 'the devil's work'. And finally, in the Main Make, the potters must throw a sake set consisting of one bottle and six identical cups. They fire them using one of the most thrilling techniques in ceramics - Raku. Originating in 16th-century Japan, this risky and volatile method of firing requires the potters to pull their burning sake sets out of the kiln before plunging them into a bin full of combustible materials.
Week four is garden week, where judges Keith Brymer Jones and Kate Malone challenge the seven remaining potters to make stunning ceramics for the great outdoors. In the throw down, the potters have just 15 minutes at the wheel to make a large, medium and small flower pot - each with a folded rim. For the spot test, the potters must hand build a dozen roses in one hour. To ratchet up the pressure, they are watched by surprise guest judge Paul Cummins MBE, the ceramic artist behind the Seas of Red poppy display at the Tower of London. And in a monumental main make, the potters have to tackle their biggest challenge so far - throwing and decorating a fully functioning water feature complete with pump. But whose pot will take the 4th plinth in the winners' gallery? And who will prove a washout and have to leave the competition?
In week five, the six remaining potters head to Stoke on Trent, all striving to win pot of the week. In the throw down, the potters rush to make as many goblets as they can in 15 minutes. Any that fail to meet the judges' exacting standards will be thrown into the bin of doom. Kate Malone chooses the spot test, as the potters must hand coil a jug to look like a piece of fruit. In the main make, the potters must throw two giant vases. For the first time in the competition, they are using one of the most exhilarating techniques in ceramics - pit firing. This ancient method of firing is one of the most unpredictable techniques in ceramics and requires the potters to head to the Staffordshire countryside to camp out overnight. Who will emerge from the camping adventure triumphant? And who will be heading home?
It is the quarter-final and two potters will be sent home. In the throw down, the potters have just ten minutes at the wheel to throw the widest bowl they can while blindfolded. For their spot test, they must carve a pattern onto the surface of a Greek urn using the centuries-old technique of sgraffito. Derived from the Italian word for scratched, sgraffito involves etching through a layer of coloured clay to reveal a contrasting colour beneath. In the main make, the potters must hand coil and decorate four Russian nesting dolls. The top and bottom of each doll must slot together using a flange and gallery connection and the four must stack inside each other seamlessly. Who will clinch their place in the semi-final and which two potters will be walking the cobbles home?
It is semi-final week in Stoke-on-Trent and just four potters remain, determined to take their place in the final. In a very special throw down, one of the UK's most loved comedians Johnny Vegas replaces Keith Brymer Jones at the wheel. Johnny, a former pupil of Kate Malone, demonstrates how to throw a fully functioning teapot in just one minute. The potters are given five minutes to throw five. In a spot test with a difference, the potters can make anything they like. But whatever they choose, it must be a signature piece to wow the judges. For their main make, the potters face their biggest and most complicated challenge so far - to hand build and decorate a fully functioning toilet over four gruelling days. Who will survive and make it to the final? Whose toilet will be exhibited in the Pot of the Week gallery? And who will be flushed out of the pottery?
It is the grand final and the three remaining potters have just a hat trick of challenges left before one is crowned the winner of the Great Pottery Throw Down. For their final throw down, the potters have ten minutes to make as many Japanese lanterns as they can. Not only that, but they have to throw them the Japanese way - with the wheel turning clockwise, the opposite of what they are used to. For the spot test, the potters must sculpt the torso of a special guest, ice dancer Sylvain Longchambon. For their main make, Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones give the potters their hardest task yet. They want them to make a pair of identical, fully functioning light features. To truly test their ability, they are making them out of porcelain - the white and delicate clay is the trickiest to work with. After eight episodes and 24 gruelling challenges, who will be crowned the winner of The Great Pottery Throw Down?
The judges set the potters two challenges, to throw a breakfast set and egg cups, as the battle of clay kicks off at the wheel. Who will be named potter of the week, and who will be first to leave?
The eleven remaining potters are tasked with hand-building an elaborate chess set and throwing miniature vases at the wheel.
As the competition continues, the 10 remaining potters tackle raku firing, but first the pressure is on to hand-build two animal figurines and face the tricky ceramic technique of Nerikomi.
Judge Sue Pryke sets a multi-coloured slip cast challenge to make two vases, before the competitors take part in a blindfolded throwing challenge. Who will be named potter of the week, and who will leave the pottery?
The eight remaining potters are challenged to build a pair of matching lamp bases, hoping to impress judges Sue Pryke and Keither Brymer Jones. Later, guest judge Emma Bridgewater drops in to set an emotional ceramic challenge for the contestants.
Melanie Sykes hosts as the battle of the clay continues. It's Greek Week, and the potters sculpt a nude Greek statue and throw Greek jugs at the wheel.
The six remaining potters are challenged to produce handmade tiles to fit a fireplace surround and hearth, before throwing a chimney in the second challenge for a chance to secure a place in the quarter final.
In the quarter-final, the five remaining potter face two tough challenges, including producing two ginger jars around a pit fire. Back in the pottery, judges Sue Pryke and Keith Brymer Jones set the potters a Scraffito challenge spot test.
Melanie Sykes hosts a Victorian-themed semi-final. The potters face their biggest challenge yet... to produce a fully functioning toilet for a place in the final.
The three finalists go head-to-head as they face their toughest challenges so far, including making a tea set inspired by the Mad Hatter's tea party. Finally, the amateur potters embark on a throwing challenge not for the faint-hearted, before one of them is crowned the winner.
Judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller set the twelve new potters two challenges against the clock: to throw a cheese set and port chalices, as the battle of clay kicks off at the wheel
It's all about bricks and mortar, as the 11 remaining potters slab-build a 3D building and in a Throw Down first, judge Rich Miller tasks the potters with handmaking bricks
The 10 remaining potters are challenged to make a bowl full of realistic ceramic fruits, and face a blindfolded throw down with a twist, as judges Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones decide who will be named potter of the week and who will be heading home. Siobhan McSweeney hosts.
It's naked raku week in the pottery, as the potters throw, burnish and fire a pair of vases to impress judges Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones. In the spot test, guest judge and flower-making expert Rita Floyd sets a floral challenge, but who will be named potter of the week, and who will leave the pottery?
It's Music Week in the pottery, as the remaining potters sculpt a life-like bust of a music legend, kick starting with a surprise special message from an iconic artist. The potters then face a fiddly second challenge to make a mini musical instrument, before judges Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones decide who will be named potter of the week and who will be heading home.
It's Terracotta Week in the pottery, and the potters are tasked to make their own range of cookware. Judge Rich Miller sets a second terracotta challenge to engrave tiles, before he and fellow judge Keith Brymer Jones decide who will be potter of the week and who will be leaving the competition. Siobhan McSweeney hosts.
It's Garden Week and the remaining potters face a green-fingered challenge to build an animal water feature and throw a strawberry planter, for a place in the quarter-finals
It's the quarter-final, and the remaining potters face a challenge inspired by Native American Acoma pottery that involves firing their pots in cow dung. Judges Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones set a tricky second challenge to throw an Alabama ring bottle in this all-American week, but who will secure an all-important place in the semi-final?
Siobhán McSweeney hosts the semi-final of the pottery contest, in which the four remaining contestants face their biggest challenge to date. They must make a decorative chamber pot and a fully functional pedestal sink, before judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller decide which three potters will be going through to the final.
Siobhán McSweeney hosts the grand final of the pottery contest, which turns the clock back to the 1920s with a series of art deco-themed challenges. The contenders must make a punch bowl and decanters and face the tiniest throwing challenge the show has ever set. Judges Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones are on board to assess the efforts and crown this year's winner.
In this first episode, judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller set the potters two challenges: to throw a children's crockery set and ceramic milk bottles, as the battle of clay kicks off at the wheel.
The 11 remaining potters hand-build a pendulum wall clock and face a surprise blindfold challenge. Judges Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones must decide who is potter of the week, and who will leave the pottery.
The remaining potters make inanimate objects and judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller pay tribute to the pottery hometown of Stoke, as they set a bottle kiln challenge.
It's Raku week and the remaining potters throw a Japanese-inspired tea set, before guest judge and social media sensation Florian Gadsby sets them a handle pulling challenge.
It's Garden Week and the eight remaining potters create a trio of character gnomes, before guest judge Adam Keeling sets them the task of making a sea kale forcer.
It's back to the Swinging Sixties, as the potters create a psychedelic pair of highly decorative glazed vessels, before guest judge Orla Kiely tests their repeating-pattern skills.
It's Wildlife Week and the potters hand-build a table lamp, go wild in a Throw Down first, and get a surprise visit from a familiar face. Who will make it to the quarter-final?
Siobhan McSweeney returns to host the quarter-final, in which the contestants are challenged to create a self-sculpture and build their own sawdust kilns. For the second task, they must create candlesticks under pressure, before judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller decide who has secured the final places in the next round
Siobhan McSweeney hosts a bathroom-themed semi-final, in which the potters are challenged to make fully functional urinals and recreate Wedgwood Jasperware. Judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller face their toughest decision of the series - picking three potters to go through to the grand final
Ellie Taylor and Siobhán McSweeney host the conclusion of the contest. In the first round, the finalists must create a garden totem sculpture that tells their life story. Rich Miller then sets them a regal devil's work challenge before he and fellow judge Keith Brymer Jones decide which of the three potters will be crowned this year's champion
James Fleet, Jenny Eclair, Jamie Laing and Sunetra Sarker take to the wheel to make a slab-built illuminated Christmas scene, and see who can throw the most mulled wine tumblers.
The potters take on a birthday tea set challenge, and a surprise second challenge that sees them making handleless milk jugs that must survive the bucket of doom.
The 11 remaining potters craft a keepsake box with a disguised lid before facing a surprise blindfold challenge. Who will be potter of the week and who will leave the pottery?
It's Retro Week, and Siobhán McSweeney takes the remaining potters back in time as they make a trio of flying birds and tackle an old-fashioned hot water bottle surprise challenge.
It's Raku Week, and the potters hope to impress the judges with their hanging planters. And series two semi-finalist Freya Bramble-Carter sets a challenge with a decorative flourish.
The remaining potters head for the roof to create gargoyles and chimney pots for expert guest judge Gabriel Nichols.
It's an illuminating week, as the potters make an embossed table light, before guest judge, fashion and lifestyle designer Henry Holland, really tests their decadent design skills.
The six remaining potters go wild as they create metallic-effect endangered animal sculptures fired in oil drums, before throwing a tall, thin-necked vase for a place in the quarter-final
It's the quarter-final, and the remaining five potters face an altered reality as they throw and radically alter an abstract coffee set. The bucket of doom returns as judges Keith and Rich set a second challenge to throw multiple high-footed rice bowls under pressure, but who will secure an all-important place in the semi-final?
It's the semi-final and the potters are making pieces for the bathroom before taking on the iconic Moorcroft tube lining in the surprise second challenge. Judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller have a tough choice deciding who will go through to the following week's grand finale
The remaining potters create a stacking pyramid vase centrepiece and a daring sgraffito globe. But who will be on top of the world when they're crowned the winner?
Hugh Dennis, Sophie Duker, Alice Levine and Joe Swash take on some festive firing as they hand-build a Christmas birdhouse. Who can throw the most nibbles bowls and who'll be crowned champion?
As the battle of clay kicks off at the wheel, the potters make a roast dinner set and identical side plates that must survive the bucket of doom. Who will get roasted and who will get served?
The remaining potters attempt their own take on the popular gluggle jug and face a surprise second challenge - blindfolded!
The remaining potters make Staffordshire flatbacks and face a close shave in a surprise challenge. But whose mantlepiece classic will take pride of place, and who will be left on the shelf?
It's Raku week and the potters create animal busts before taking on guest judge Jacqui Atkin's decorative challenge. Who will the judges go wild for and name potter of the week?
It's Garden Week and the potters create cascading water features and hedgehog houses. Whose structure will the judges be gushing over, and who will be hedging their bets?
It's teatime and the potters make novelty teapots and majolica decorated mugs. Plus, it's the return of the bucket of doom... but will it be a storm in a teacup? And whose brew will get them through?
The potters create black and white illuminated sculptures and take on a surprise challenge. Who'll be beaming with joy and whose time in the spotlight has come to an end?
It's the quarter-final and the potters make vintage-style water filters fired in their own oil drum kilns and throw a coffee filter. Who'll bring the heat with semi-final-worthy filters?
In a bathroom-themed semi-final, the potters take on the infamous toilet challenge. Who'll take the plunge for a place in the final, and who'll be left with that sinking feeling?
It's the grand finale and the potters create striking chandeliers and faceted bowls. Whose dazzling design will bowl over the judges to be crowned the 2024 winner?
