The Great Celebrity Pottery Throw Down: Meet the Contestants
The Great Celebrity Pottery Throw Down returns to Channel 4 on September 13, bringing six famous faces with little to no ceramics experience to the studio. Hosted by Liza Tarbuck with expert judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller, the five-episode series features comedians, a former footballer, and actors learning to shape clay without weekly eliminations.
Meet the Contestants: Comedians and Performers Take to the Wheel
The six-person line-up features performers from across the British comedy and entertainment circuits, each bringing distinct personal narratives to the pottery studio.
Lucy Beaumont, a 42-year-old comedian and actor from Hull known for Meet the Richardsons and Hullraisers, joined the programme after expressing a desire to pick up a hobby similar to her grandmother’s pastimes. Beaumont admitted her creations were "apocalyptic," noting, "It was genuinely lovely to learn a skill. Even though everything I did was bad, I still learnt. I’ve come away knowing how to do it. I can make you a cup. You wouldn’t want it in your house, but I can make you one."
Fatiha El-Ghorri, a 45-year-old London-based comedian featured on The Jonathan Ross Hour and Taskmaster, used her time on the show to speak publicly about her cancer diagnosis for the first time. He just brought me such relief, such relief."
Richard Herring, a 58-year-old comedian and podcaster from Hertfordshire, entered the shed with low expectations. "I really did not. I was pretty convinced I’d be terrible," Herring said. We became firm friends."
Paul Merson, a 58-year-old former Arsenal and England midfielder and Sky Sports pundit, found the ceramics process an unexpected mental health aid. Merson, who has spoken openly about addiction and depression, observed, "Every treatment centre should have pottery classes. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything that’s more in the moment than pottery."
Layton Williams, a 31-year-old actor, dancer, and singer from London who finished as a runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023, approached the pottery wheel through the lens of performance. "I saw the wheel as choreography, I really did. I counted in fours," Williams said. "I really did use the wheel like it was an extension of my being."
Denise Van Outen, a 52-year-old actress, singer, and presenter from Essex, rounded out the roster. A self-confessed perfectionist, Van Outen admitted she struggled when things went wrong on the wheel. "I wanted to try a new challenge and felt something creative would be really fun.”
Production Logistics and Where to Watch
As the series premieres on Channel 4, viewers can track episodes and daily recommendations through the Radio Times: What to Watch app.