07x06 - Episode 6

[bunniefuu]

Hello, there. It's week six,

and our seven remaining potters are
making novelty teapots

and two large mugs.
Sounds easy, but it's not.

Novelty teapot. Yep.
You know what that means.

I'm the little teapot!

Eh?

All I need now are two large mugs.

Oh, where could I get two large mugs?

All right, Siobhan?

Welcome to the
Great Pottery Throw Down!

Last time...

Helping.

..the potters made cascading bowls
water features...

All I need is another three hours.

You don't have that, though.

..and Steven blew everyone out of
the water

for his first Potter Of The Week.

It's really quite beautiful.
Brilliant, Steven. Thank you.

..and while Cadi
struggled against the tide...

We do have to consider
the structural defects...

Yeah... within the build.

..Princess couldn't
paper over the cracks...

OK.

You've got so much talent in
throwing. Decoration, not so much.

..and became the latest
to leave the pottery.

This time...

Oi! Get it off, you, it's mine!

..the potters take on a colourful
novelty teapot challenge...

The holy grail of teapots will pour
like a Venetian fountain.

..and face a slippery throw down.

It's a bit like throwing
with ice cream. Oh, God.

Who will be the judges' cup of tea?

Glaze your novelty teapots!

And who will be too weak
to make the grade?

Tiny bit of a drip,
but a great pourer.

♪ Making time

♪ sh**ting lines

♪ People have their uses

♪ People have their uses. ♪

Afternoon Tea by The Kinks.

It's week six,

and for our remaining seven potters,
it's time for a brew.

♪ I'll take afternoon tea
Afternoon tea

Making novelty teapots,
what's not to like with that?

This is living the dream, isn't it?

I'm really looking forward to it.

It's gonna be cool
to kind of modernise teapots,

and funk them up, you know?

Tea, I don't like... No.
Unless it's maybe a fruity tea.

I wouldn't mind that.

The teapot is, like,
the hardest thing to make.

There's so much to worry about.

I was lying awake,
making a teapot in my sleep.

Trying to figure out... "Which way
does the spout go on? I don't know!"

Good morning, potters,
and welcome back to the pottery.

For your main make
challenge this week,

the judges would like you
to make a novelty teapot

and a pair of large mugs

using the distinctive majolica
decoration technique.

Majolica was popular in
the late 1800s

and was known for its bright,
bold, vivid colours.

Now, we're looking for novelty here,
so use that as inspiration.

We'd like you to throw the main body
of your teapot and mugs,

but you can hand-build the lid,
the spout and the handles.

But remember, whatever you do,

these have to be functioning
tea sets,

and we will be testing them
during judging.

OK, potters, you have
six hours to make

and refine your novelty teapot
and pair of mugs,

and your time starts...

..now!

Whoop!

I'm excited for novelty teapots.
I think they're going to be fun.

I hope mine will be a talking point

for all the right reasons,
not the wrong reasons.

Teapots are not easy to make,

there's lots of things
to factor in.

Trying to make something functional
that looks like something that's not

a teapot is a really
hard thing to do.

So, Rich, week six,
novelty teapots and mugs.

They have so many different
attributes to them.

It's got a lid and a gallery.
It's got a spout.

You know, this is all about novelty.

But, equally, they need to be fit
for purpose.

Picking this one up,
it's really light. Right.

You know, when our potters
sculpt on and add appendages

and start altering the form,
they just need to be mindful

that they don't want to add
too much weight.

We want our potters
to consider those two mugs as well.

They need to consider
the size of those mugs

in relation to their teapot.

And of course,
we're asking them to do all this

in that lovely, lovely finish
which is majolica ware.

Yeah, majolica is actually using
fluid, coloured glazes

that are applied directly
to the bisque.

But under the heat of the kiln,

they're going to melt
and become treacly and delicious.

Well, they basically pool in
the surface of the pot.

Which is what we're asking
our potters to really consider.

I mean I absolutely love this one.

The way the surface design really is
enhanced by that glaze pooling

and accentuating the whole surface.

Yeah, the form is so integral
to the decoration.

Everything that they do in this
build stage is setting up for

the beautiful, fluid majolica glaze

that's just going to pool into
every nook and cranny.

We're looking for bold,
vivid colours here,

and that's why I think the novelty
teapot is the perfect item

to show off that lovely
majolica process.

Hi, lovey. Oh, hello. Hi.
Hi, Cadi, you all right?

Hello, yes. How are you feeling?

Feeling really happy
to still be here, thanks very much.

Yeah, well, we're happy
you're still here. Yeah, good.

Well, look, tell us about
your design.

Well, I am making a
camper van teapot.

We've taken the kids all over
Europe, up and down,

and just showing them all the nice
people and places everywhere.

Brilliant. And it's just a real joy.

It's gonna have a pop-top roof,
a seagull for a knob.

Fantastic. Yeah.

Inspired by happy travels in her
own family pop-top,

Cadi's handles will be
shaped like bushes

to symbolise the great outdoors.

She'll alter her mugs into
the shape of slouchy camping chairs

and her van will sport
a custom psychedelic paint job.

So, out of the whole build,

what do you think you're
most worried about then?

Obviously, it's a really flat side
and the whole thing about majolica

is that it pools and runs
so beautifully.

It relies so heavily on
texture and surface,

and vans are kind of notoriously
square and flat. Yeah.

To make the most
of this runny translucent glaze...

It runs into any crevices
and cracks and detail.

..the potters will need to factor
it into their surface design.

You want to make sure that
you've got plenty of texture

in your piece for this.

And whilst the others will apply it

once their clay has
had a chance to harden...

I'm adding texture once the form's
a little bit more secure.

..Steven's taking a bit of a risk.

I'm building in texture now.

It just makes a more kind
of organic curve.

Just trying to get it deeper
and deeper as I go.

My design is based on

a ballet which the Bauhaus made
the costumes for.

Steven's teapot is a homage to
the clean lines, geometric forms

and primary colours
of Bauhaus design.

When assembled, the separate
components form

a ballet dancer, complete
with fragile clay hoop dress.

The tea cups,
they're stackable on top

and the whole thing makes a figure.

So then when you disassemble this
is actually the lid for the teapot.

So accuracy. Yeah, fingers crossed.
Accuracy is key, yeah.

It's like you've really thought
of it Steven.

Yeah!

And Steven isn't the only potter
who's been inspired

by the spirit of the dance today.

The brief asked for a novelty teapot
that was fun, exciting, adventurous.

For me, the fun, exciting,
adventurous bit

is belly dancing class
every Monday night.

Yeah, it's been quite important to
me for the last ten years

just to keep me on my feet, really.

Jan's playing tribute to
the members of her dance troupe

with a curvaceous belly dancer teapot

and matching bikini-clad cups.

Belly dancing. Yes.

When did this start?


cancer surgery

and I had a bucket list

and on my bucket list was learn
to do pottery

and belly dancing.
Do you want a lesson?

Like a shimmy?

A shimmy, shimmy, shimmy,
shimmy, shimmy, shimmy.

Yeah. Huh?
Or you can do it with your hips.

I... I wish I could.

While their teapots firm up,
the potters can crack on

with their two mugs which must be
perfectly proportioned.

I'm like running a spiral into
them.

Going really slowly
and pushing it out.

I'm just gonna drop it slightly
off centre.

Want it to sit down
a little bit wonky.

I think your serious tea
drinker likes

a nice stable vessel that will keep
their precious liquid safe.

Hello, what's going to
inspire you this week?

We're going to have
a boa constrictor

constricting a person who's thirsty.
What goes on in your head?

People have wondered.

Dave's victim will be completely
encircled by the snake,

with only a protruding hand,
clasping a biscuit,

acting as a knob.

The snake's mouth forms the spout,

its tail the handle,

along with matching snake mugs all
sculpted out of the thrown forms.

I've thrown the teapot and the mugs

and now I'm just gonna basically
destroy everything I've done.

Woohoo. Oh, right.

Pushing out, pushing in,
I'm manipulating the clay.

Forming these?
Yeah, then create surface texture.

I'm pleased that you've said you're
distorting the form as opposed

to sort of adding
lots of weight on,

cos it needs to be
light enough to pick up.

And when it comes to weight...

Trying to get the functionality
with the novelty.

..Dan isn't taking it lightly.

I do rather regret choosing
an octopus.

I already know it's
going to be too heavy.

Don't know why we're
even talking about it,

it's definitely going to be heavy.

On top of having eight tentacles,

Dan's novelty octopus teapot will
sport a party hat

and be holding a
second miniature teapot

which he hopes will pour
at the same time

into his complimentary octopus mugs.

Are these tentacles solid?

Well, the weight is an issue.

Tried to keep it as
light as possible.

So, your handle is going to be...

Yeah, it's going to be a tentacle.
Spout is a tentacle?

It's all tentacles.

And what would you say you're most
worried about, then?

The mini teapot. The mini teapot!

The tentacles, meh...
No! The weight? No!

Straightforward.
The tentacles falling off?

The design, the texture...

In the worst case,
I can just give you this.

Well, look, good luck, Dan.
Thank you.

You've got a lot to do.
Think I might need it.

It'll be fine.

But Dan has a rival in
the octo-pot stakes.

So, we've got the
octopus competition.

Eight legs as well.
Trying not to look over.

I'm just focusing on my own.

How much planning have you put
into this?

So, I was at the bar last night.
Uh-huh.

Yeah, just asking the barman
what he thought I should make.

And he had a great plan.

It sounded amazing,
"Make an octopus."

And you thought to yourself...

"Keep... slow down,
I'm writing it down. Come on."

My design... Oh!

So, we have another octopus.

An octopus-off! Yes. I know.

Me and my gran used to always
go to the beach,

we'd always collect shells.

It's that kind of idea of
being by the sea.

I thought, "Oh, an octopus
could be really fun."

And I don't drink tea or coffee.
Oh, right.

So it's representing me
as an octopus

with my eight arms giving everyone
else their cups of coffee.

Sophie's octopus head is
the lid of her teapot.

While its tentacles envelope
the teapot body,

her pair of mugs will reflect
a swirl of seashells.

How are you approaching
the making of the tentacles?

I'm going to extrude,

and then I'm going to kind of
hollow them out.

Yeah, cos those extrusions can
be quite heavy.

Yeah, I don't want to add too
much weight.

I'm just listening in about not
adding too much weight,

so I need to be really wary.

Why an octopus?
Is it just to annoy Dan?

No, I thought...
That's a good enough reason.

Well, I think I thought of
the octopus first.

Hold on.

Dan, when did the barman last night
tell you about the octopus idea?

Last night. OK.

Yeah, I think I might... So, yeah,
I think you did think of it first.

Potters, you're...

What is he...? Hey!

Oi, get that off you.

Get it off you, it's mine!

Potters, you're halfway through.
Halfway through.

With the clock ticking, the potters

need to get all
of their key components made.

This is the pop-up top.

The lid will be on it
and it'll go like that

and then lift off.
That's the plan, anyway.

The clay will need time to firm up...

I'm making the frill of the skirt.

I can't do anything with
the teapot now till it dries.

..before they can alter their forms
or attach anything together.

You can't stick stuff to wet stuff

when it's so wet
it'll just fall apart.

I'm making the handle for
the teapot.

My theme is about coming full
circle in my clay journey.

When I was at university, I made
huge sculptures of fish

so I'm going for a coral reef.

Relishing the opportunity
to make the most of

the bright majolica glazes,

Donna is completely covering
her teapot

and mugs with individually crafted
and brightly coloured pieces

of living coral,
including a camouflaged spout.

The teapot is where I can really go
to town on the texture.

You've given yourself quite the
challenge, Donna. Yeah, yeah.

I was introduced to clay by my
art teacher, who was a ceramicist.

Yeah, yeah.
Obviously, I went to university,

I did ceramics, and then
mortgages came in the way,

children came in the way,

and I never touched clay
again until last year.

And...

I get it. I get it, love. Yeah.
It's been really special just...

Yeah. I feel like I've found
a part of myself that...

..I didn't realise was missing.

I feel like I've found myself again.
I feel so happy.

Whilst Donna's in her element...

Oh, what the hell? BLEEP.

..things aren't going so well
for Steven.

My teapot just collapsed.
Your teapot's just what?

Adding those curves
in has tipped it over.

Oh, BLEEP.

It's definitely that texture
that I've put in.

Just made it too weak.

So, I need to make another teapot...

..quick.

While Steven starts his again...

I need a good spout for a teapot.

Nobody wants a teapot
that dribbles.

..the rest of the potters have
turned their attention

to their teapot spouts.

If you want to fill your
teapot up to here,

the spout end has to be higher

than where the water's going to go.

If you put it on too high,
then, as you're pouring,

you have to pour so far
that the lid falls off.

It is quite tricky.

I think that's OK.

It's my tiny teapot.

It's when you get to doing
the spout, it gets hard.

The holy grail of teapots is one
that will pour beautifully,

like a Venetian fountain.

Undeterred by his teapot disaster...

You've gotta anticipate for these
sorts of things, you know?

It's pottery.

..Steven's getting back on track.

I kind of prefer it to
the first one.

I've not done the decoration
round the bottom.

That's what did it, I think.

So, fingers crossed this one
doesn't go over.

Right, I'm going to pull a little
tiny handle for this little teapot.

It's always the most embarrassing
thing to do on telly.

Pulled handles are flatter, so I've
rolled it, flattened one side,

so that when you pick up
the mug, you've got a solid grip.

I'm just working on the
handles for the mugs.

I'm putting the bushy textures on
the big fat handles

and then give 'em a little squish

so they still feel nice when you
hold them.

It's all right.

It's got to work,
otherwise what's the point?

Four hours gone,
two hours remaining, potters.

That's two hours left.

Attach the spout and the handle
and start putting texture on.

There's a lot to do.

Really nervous.

I need to move on
so that I've got a complete set,

otherwise I am in trouble.

With their pieces leather hard...

Do you think her boobs are too big?

..the potters can now start adding
the surface pattern...

Before I start sticking legs on
and making it fragile,

I'm going to texture it.

I'm just incising
a lot of pattern here.

..which will be so critical in
getting the most out of

the majolica glaze.

If it has all of that texture on it,

it's just going to look
so much better when

the glazes break over it.

So I'm going to try
and get as much as I can on.

The deeper the crevices they create,

the greater the opportunity
for the glaze to pool.

I don't want to go
through the surface,

so that's why I'm not doing it
too deep.

And now his second teapot has had
a chance to harden up,

Steven is adding his rings.

This is what was responsible
for my first pot collapsing,

so, this kind of thinning out
in sections.

So now it's a bit drier,
I can trim that away

rather than try and get it in
in the build stage.

I've just got to move
a bit faster now.

Kind of rushing now, cos I just
need to get them on.

Breathe.

Right, adornments.

So, we've got two different
sides of skirt.

These are my, like, rivets
that are going to secure

the loops in place.

Each coil's going to loop,
and it's going to go through a hole.

I am a little bit worried that
they're going to fall off.

But it's going to look cool.

I'm making a seagull.

This is going to be the knob
that you lift the handle up with.

Right, is it looking snaky?
Look at that.

Look, he's living his best life.
"I'm king of the teapot!"

Potters...

Thank you.

You have five minutes left.

No, sorry, I meant an hour.

An hour left. One hour remaining.

I have a lot to do in this hour.

God knows if this lid is
going to work or not.

Ah, it's pretty bad.

It's very bad.

We're asking them to make teapots,
and that's no mean feat, is it?

All of these adornments
and bits and pieces

and the shapes, they'll add weight.

I'm a little bit concerned
about Dan.

He's relying on those tentacles
to hold up the weight

of the body of the teapot.
Hmm. I mean...

The teapot has got more appendages
than most pottery items.

He's actually making it
with another eight legs.

It's quite a thing really, isn't it?

Donna, she's got a lot to do,
but she's getting on with it.

It's looking really good.

But she's going to be giving
herself a lot of work

come the decoration stage. Yeah.

I mean, Steven's got this sort of
very simplistic Bauhaus concept.

The simpler you get,
it's not always the easiest, is it?

There's nowhere to hide
with simple, is there?

No, definitely not.

You'll be finished in time,
you won't give me a heart attack?

Um...

You'll be finished!
That wasn't a question.

OK, yeah, yes.
You'll be finished in time

and you won't give me
a heart attack. Yes, miss.

And I'm taking this, cos I like it.

OK.

We should've done it in
each other's styles.

That would've been a new challenge.

Mine's lovely and planned
and organised.

Yeah, I sketched mine last night.

Oh, dear.

Little sombrero. Cool.

Half an hour left, potters.

That's not long enough, is it?

Dan, how are you doing? Pretty good.

I'm not going to look.

The main thing I have
to do now is to add

a lot of patterns and textures onto
these extremely flat sides.

That's true. Considering we're
using majolica... That's right.

..I've picked an extremely shiny
object to represent,

so that's why it's good that we
still have some time.

Right. Not lots. Some.

The majolica glazes,

if they come to anywhere
where there's an indentation

or a groove, they'll pool
and the colours intensify.

Fingers crossed.

I love how pretty all
these things are.

Thank you.
I think this one's my favourite.

Yeah? That one is just made
with this.

You just push it in
and give it a bit of a wiggle.

Can I guess which one is the spout?

That is... Yay! ..Very obviously
the spout, isn't it? Oh. OK.

Went to the supermarket,
bought some garlic,

and it's came in this little net.

For the snake scales,
it seems to be quite good.

I'm questioning my choice of
doing such a flat-shaped thing.

There's just nowhere to hide.

It's not like it's going to be
judged or anything, is it?

If she put on any more weight

nobody's going to be able
to lift her up.

So much to do.

Loads and loads,
and loads and loads.

I'm in full freak out mode now.

Like, frantically trying
to get my mugs done.

Do we do something to
the roof or do we not rush it

cos we've got no time left?

Five minutes left, potters.

Oh, frick. That's too low!

I really need to ask you
to start bringing things

into the drying room now.

Done. Yes! Woohoo.

I don't think I can see in
a straight line anymore.

Oh, dear.

Getting as many kind
of suckers on as I can.

There you go, be a good girl now.

Thing is, when I'm rushing is
when I can't do it as fast.

I will not be rushed.

Steven. You happy?

Yeah, very happy.

You good at weightlifting, Rose?

Ah, I'm all right.

Good, cos it weighs a BLEEP tonne.

You all right, Soph?
Do you want a hand?

Thank you so, so much. Yeah.

Ten seconds! Ten seconds.

Nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three...

Thank you, Steven.

..two, one.

Back to your benches.

Cadi, you OK?

Yeah, just hoping I haven't
forgotten anything really important.

Is there a teapot in there? Yeah.

You're probably grand, then.

Right potters, well done.

You deserve a break.

Go away and then,
at a different point, come back.

Well done! That's so intense.
It looked amazing.

You made it twice. You did good!

It was so knackering.

But, yeah,
I'm happy with what I made.

It's too stressful trying
to make it up on the fly.

It's hard enough to get something
done in three hours,

but to actually have
to design it as well is...

Argh!

I could be here all night listing
the things that I could imagine

might go wrong, but let's just say

I'm going to trust the kiln gods

to be kind to me this week.

It's time for the potters
to take one small step

into their second challenge.

Oh, looks like there's wheels,
Donna.

And as usual, they're in
the dark about the mission ahead.

Welcome back, potters.

Your second challenge this week is...

..a throw down.

And you're going to be
making moon jars.

Ooh.

And to show us how it's done is
master potter Keith Brymer Jones.

Mr Keith, please take the wheel.

OK. Not only are
you making moon jars,

you're making them in porcelain.

Oh, God. Oh, no.

It's a bit like throwing
with ice cream.

Making a moon jar,
you're basically going for

a really round ball with
a rim at the top.

So make sure that you centre it,

and you really need to get it
all the right consistency.

You want a nice bulbous shape
on the inside.

Then, in with your knuckle
to bring that clay back in.

I'm just bellying that out

to get that nice controlled rim.

Be really, really careful with it.

Porcelain is so delicate.

You really don't want
to lose control,

because one minute you've got
a lovely shape in front of you,

and the next minute it's collapsed.

Wire it off.

We're looking for that lovely,
classic moon jar shape,

a nice concise rim,

and we're looking
for that efficiency of throwing,

because you haven't got much time
when you're using porcelain.

Marvellous, thank you so much, Keith.

All right, potters,
back to your benches.

You will be required

to make as many identical moon jars
as possible in 20 minutes.

And your time starts... now!

Oh, my...

Never thrown a moon jar before.

I'll put it on the list next
to teapots for firsts.

I'm feeling a little bit nervous.

I've thrown with porcelain before.
I found it quite difficult.

If we go for one it'll be
a good start, shall we?

I love making a moon jar.
Never made one in porcelain.

Porcelain is extremely challenging
to shape and throw forms with

due to the elastic and
thirsty nature of the clay.

You've got to be so careful how much
water you use when you're throwing.

It just absorbs it,
and then it collapses.

Are you enjoying this? Yeah, kind of.

Kind of, not at all.
Just trying not to shake too...

Why are you shaking?

It's like I've put
the pressure on myself.

I'll sing a tune to calm you down.

Or I could make the noise of the sea.

Oh, that's perfect.

How many would you do in


Yeah, I'd do at least five or six.

Sort of round.
I'm focusing on the round.

I don't know, is that moon jarry?

Ooh, Dave's got one off.

Steven's got one off.

Looking good, Steven.

The rim's a bit questionable, but...

How are people doing?
Jan, how many have you made?

I might have managed one.

Steven? One and a half.

Sophie? Yeah, about one and a half.

One and a half.

The half doesn't count.

I'm happier with this one than
the last one.

Hmm.

Dan, think about the shape, yeah?
Moon jar shape.

Is it too tall?

Halfway through, potters.

Hello, Jan. Hello.

Another throwing challenge.

I know. Can you believe my luck?

I can't, actually.

Have you seen the shape of it?
I have seen them, they're lovely.

Ah. Maybe it's in a different
stage of the moon cycle.

Clearly it's a partial eclipse.

Come on!

That's really helping my shaking!

I've gone out of my rhythm.

I Think Keith's just
disturbed my Zen.

Come on.

Well done, Dan.

Oh, Dan has four.

Come on, wheel. Don't speed.

I'm on number four,

and I'm just going to try my
hardest to get this done.

This is my fourth.

Go on, Dave, you can do it.
One more.

How long have we got?

Ages. Two minutes. Yeah!
Loads of time.

That's it, Cadi, come on.
Pull that one up.

Just take them off nice and easy.
Don't destroy them now.

It's all over the shop.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

OK, step away.

Moon jars down.

I can't get it off, so...

Phew.

Sophie, you OK?

My face feels so hot.

The judges are looking for
beautifully finished,

identical moon jars,

with a classic bulbous body
complete with a short, uniformed rim.

Oh, the bucket of doom.

Well, look you haven't done
too badly.

Um, that one's no good though.
Oh, no!

Yeah. That one was bad, yeah.

That was my favourite!

But no, not a bad effort.

Thanks, Donna. Well done.

Yeah, that one's... Yeah, it's...
That one's a bit pants.

That's the one you yelled at me

when I was making it. Yeah.

And then this one over here.
It's a bit inconsistent, isn't it?

Brutal.
That one. Yeah, well done.

But these are actually really
quite nice.

You've managed to emulate that
moon jar shape there.

Yeah. They almost look like
an inflated balloon.

And you've got a nice size going on,
which means it was

a good use of the clay. Well done,
Dan. Well done. Cheers. Cheers.

They're not bad at all. Mm.

They're sort of consistent
to each other.

A really decent thickness.

The only comment I would make is

that the rim is a bit
on the wide side.

So, I'm kind of reluctant
to throw any in.

Great! Yeah. Thank you very much.
Nice work. Yay!

Well done.
Great.

How did you find that?

Well, by the time I got
to that one that was very much

a case of, "Ooh, you're all right!"

Cos that's the first time
I managed to centre it.

Well, you're absolutely right.

That one is pretty good.

And we know you struggle
with throwing. Yes.

But you always push yourself

and you've given us three here

and one shouldn't, you know,
have any favouritism at all. No.

So I won't,
so I'll get rid of that one.

Oh. There you go.

But these two, they're fairly good.
Thank you very much.

So, this was your first?
Yeah. Second? Yeah, yeah.

Third, fourth? Exactly. Goodness.

I love it when you can see the logic
in the potter's way of making,

but never mind. Fair enough.
That has to go.

Yeah, it's just getting that
bulbous shape. Yeah.

But you know, I think we can safely
leave those three on the bench.

Great!

How did you find that?

Stressful.

You've done a pretty good job.

That's amazing, that one.

That one...

What do you think, Rich? It just...

The rim just looks slightly
different.

Yeah, yeah. Never mind.

Oh!

Yeah, we'll get rid of that one.
That one's a bit...

But the body's quite nice
on that one.

Yeah, all right. I'll leave those.

Well done. We'll leave you.
Thank you.

There's one that's, like,
slightly not like the others.

That was my last one.

OK. It went, "Mmoom,"
like a disappointing souffle.

Yeah. Yeah.

Let's get rid of that one.

It's for the best.

But look, they're
nicely finished off.

I'm sort of reluctant
to throw any more in.

Yeah, I mean the width of the rim

is very accurate across all of them.

Not a bad effort. Thanks very much.

Well done, Dave.

The judges will now rank
the potters from worst to first.

Well done.

Throwing with porcelain under
pressure is no mean feat.

In seventh place,

Jan.

Well done, Jan, though.
Brilliant effort.

In sixth place,

Donna.

It was just to get that bulbous form
on the top half of the pot.

Cadi is in fifth place,

Sophie in fourth,

and Dave takes third.

So, in second place...

..Dan.

We really recognised the control

and the consistency in
the main form of the pot.

Really lovely classic moon jar shape.

So in first place, Steven.

Well done, Steven, fantastic effort.

Well done, Steven,
you are master of the moon jars.

Have a rest now, potters dismissed.

Come on!

Absolutely buzzing, but I don't
want to let it get to my head.

The standard is just so good.
It could be anybody's, you know?

My main challenge needs
to come out of that kiln

looking absolutely bussin' or
I am in trouble!

Week six, so that's five
out of six I've come last

in the second challenge now.

It must be some kind of record.

I'm at risk of going home

but I'm quite happy
with my main make.

I'm still in the game.

It's day two of
the novelty teapot main challenge.

Woke up this morning...

What's happened?
Will there be cracks?

Will it come out all right?

I'm really excited
to see my first ever teapot.

Oh, God...

And after a 24 hour bisque firing,
the potters' pieces are ready

for their all-important
majolica finish.

I thought it was Majorca, so...
Majolica, that's interesting.

I picked that design
because it is swirly-whirly.

I think that was a good idea

considering I have never worked
with these glazes.

I don't really know what it does.
Yeah, a bit apprehensive.

I am really excited about
the majolica.

Everything looks better with
a little bit of colour.

Potters, your novelty teapots
and mugs have been bisque fired

and are in front of you,
ready to be decorated.

This is the culmination
of your novelty teapot designs,

where you can use all those
bold, vivid, bright colours

which majolica ware
is so famous for.

But in order to achieve those
bold colours, you must be bold.

So make a plan and go for it.

Careful application is required.

Too thin and you won't get
that pooling

and the glazes won't melt in
the way you expect them to,

but too thick and the pooling
could just look really messy.

No one wants a messy pool.
All right then, potters,

you've been given a range of
coloured translucent glazes

and three hours with
which to use them.

And your time starts...

..now! Potters, get decorating.

Oh... Oh, oh, yes, yes, yes!

Thank goodness.

Jan, are you happy?

I'm amazed.
I didn't remember what I'd done.

It didn't stick! I was so worried.

These little loopy bits,

I was convinced that at least one
of them would fall off.

I'm not very good at the decorating.

It's not really my strength, so...

Just trying avoid screwing it up.

The make has survived.

It's just got to get through
this decorating.

Right, what brushes are here?

Here we go.

The potters have been given a
selection of majolica glazes to work with.

When fired, these coloured
overglazes should produce

a glossy, glass-like finish.

Green, blue, grey,
we need all the colours.

It's the first time this classic
effect, known for its vivid colours,

has featured in a
Throw Down challenge...

These glazes are a funny
old texture.

..so it's a step into the unknown
for our potters.

Really don't know. I really don't.

I haven't got a plan. I don't know.

I'm going to go for, like, oranges
and reds on the octopus.

I think that's quite bold.
For me, anyway.

I'm discovering
the joy of pastel shades.

No Gothy black for me this week, no.

With its tentacles and array of other
attachments, including a mini teapot,

Dan's set himself a tough challenge
when it comes to the decoration.

This is unbelievable. Thanks.

I lost money. Did you?

Yeah, I bet that it was going to...
You bet against me?

Not against you but not for you.
Yeah, I see. Not quite on my side.

Yeah, yeah...

And the odds for Donna
are also stacked high.

She's now got to bring her
meticulously textured coral reef to life.

Is everything intact?

Yeah, everything has stayed on,
everything is fitting,

I'm really pleased.
I think that the colour

is what is going to really
bring it all together.

Would you say this is your happy
place? I love the making,

but I think it's where your vision
all kind of comes together,

when you get to the
decorating stage. Right, yeah.

That's the challenge with
pottery, isn't it? Yeah.

Having that vision in your head.
Yeah.

And opening that kiln door,
and seeing...

Whether it has or not! Yeah, yeah.

But I love this bit,
this is where I feel most content.

To achieve the bold colours Keith
and Rich will be looking for,

the potters will need to
layer up the glazes.

Unless you put a ridiculous amount
on, it ain't going to do anything.

The general plan is
to make sure that each colour

has three good coats, to give it the
best chance to be really bold.

Cadi said she was going
to do three layers, so...

..sounds good. If she's read
the manual, then I'll follow that.

But I still want it to run,
so that's the slight gamble.

If it runs, it runs,

but that's just something that's
going to happen.

And could even add to
the design, you know?

Make it a bit more organic,
bit more fluid-y.

You don't want them to run too much
that they run into each other,

or run off or...
Yeah, kind of create a muddy mess.

I can't wait to see how
this works out.

Got grooves everywhere that
will allow the glaze to pool,

fingers crossed.

Just lay it on thick
and hope for the best.

The surface texture that
potters created during

the make stage
will be crucial in giving

the translucent glaze places
to rest and pool.

Hello, Cadi.

You're going to get that kind
of depth and the fluidity?

Yeah, it's really hard to know,
isn't it?

Yeah, cos you've got quite
vertical sides. Exactly, yeah.

I mean there's a slight slope there,

so let's hope that breaks some
of its enthusiastic fall.

Just don't mess it up now!

I know, right? Yeah, thanks.
Yeah, I'll really try not to!

Potters, you're halfway through.

Halfway through.
Donna, how are you getting on?

I'm good.
Time is just evaporating, though.

Timing is crucial, as each layer
needs time to dry between coats.

It doesn't ever look a lot,

and then when you think you've got
three layers on every colour,

and letting it dry in between,

it then suddenly
becomes a lot of work.

I'm not going to paint
the inside of the teapot,

but I have the mugs,

because I want them
to look like the coral

that's at the front of my teapot.

You can see all the colours
are pulling it together.

What do you think your
octopus does...

..for a living?

Um...

In comparison to crazy...

I mean, yeah, Dan's is some
sort of performer, isn't he?

He is on the stage.
I think he does some jazz improv.

Yeah.

Are you painting the inside? Mm.

That's good thinking.

To add a pop of contrast
to his pastel coloured snake teapot,

Dave's decided to make
the inside dark blue.

I'm covering every surface.

If Rich and Keith
stand still long enough,

they're going to end up
covered in majolica as well.

I should've done a different
colour on the inside,

but I didn't.

Really didn't like this when
I was making it.

One hour left, potters.

I'm going as fast as I can, Siobhan.

Making a mess. Very worried.

Look, and now it's got some colours

you can start to imagine
the pop-up top.

Let's have a look at your pictures.

There's Hannes looking happy.

He does look rather happy.
He's so happy.

He also looks as if he's about
to unbutton his trousers there.

Well, we were on holiday.

It's his holiday too!

There's no time to relax.

The potters need to finesse
their decoration in preparation for

the scrutiny of the judges.

I've covered absolutely everything.

Why have they got eight legs?
So many to paint.

Just the precise stuff left now.

Oh, look, see, I forgot these tyres.

Potters, half an hour left.
The glaze is out.

I'm going to brave the glaze.

♪ You're going to brave the glaze! ♪

Which is miles away.

♪ Which is miles away! ♪

I've got lots of complicated bits
that could get snapped off

in the glaze tub, so I need
to be very, very careful

when I'm putting it in.

Potters, glaze your novelty teapots!

Oh, it's all happening here in
glaze land. It's very exciting.

Oh, but that's good!

I was hoping it was going to
pour elegantly like a...

Oh, as opposed to, "Bleurgh!"

Yeah, "Bleurgh!"

Oh, Steven, lovely.
That didn't vomit at all.

I don't know how to do mine.

If I dip it like that, it's going to
go back in the spout, isn't it?

You don't fancy doing more
than one cup at a time?

Don't want to rush these things,
do you? No, God forbid you'd rush.

Ooh!

Gluggle-gluggle.

Two minutes left.

Dan.

Yeah, two minutes.

Down to the wire!

Forgot the lid.

One minute left, Dan,
one minute left.

Jan, are you done?

Nearly, we're just tidying.

Ten seconds.

Tiny little lid!

Now it's all done.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Step away from your teapots,
I mean it.

Sponges down. Dan! Done.

OK, potters, please bring
your novelty teapot

and mugs down to Rose where they
will be gloss-fired.

Potters dismissed.

The next time the potters see
their novelty teapot sets

will be when they're
revealed to the judges.

Oh, sorry, Dan.

Sorry!

I'm not holding my breath for
Potter Of The Week by any means,

I'm just happy with what I've made.

How'd the glazing go?
Really fun. Really colourful.

Oh, good! Yeah!

I'm fascinated to see how these
glazes are going to come out.

It's reassuring that we're all
flying blind.

Hello, Donna.

I think I've pushed myself in
this challenge.

I've tried to get as much into it
as I possibly could.

Still standing? Sunk a little bit,
but it's still there.

You've got all that glaze on
it now, so it can all melt

and stick together.
There's plenty to worry about.

Teapots are so easy to break.

It's judgement day.

Pent up now. Can't wait to see her.

And the potters are about
to see how their novelty teapots

and mugs have fared in
the gloss firing.

This is turning into an endurance
test, not a pottery test.

What will those majolica glazes
have done?

Will they be washed out or will
they be bright and bold?

Potter Of The Week is like
the cherry on top

but as long as I get through to next
week I will be really, really happy.

Current Potter Of The Week

and I just want to keep riding that.

I'm going to hold on to it with
the tip of my fingers if I can.

All right, then.

Jan, would you please bring your tea
set up to the judges?

So, Jan, are you ready?
Excited.

Oh, wow.

So, what do you think?

I think she's lovely.

It's full of character.
It's full of novelty.

The simplicity of the spout
and the handle.

It just works so well.
I mean, it's quite weighty.

It is a bit weighty, yeah. Yeah.

But the colour combination has
worked really, really well for you.

The way you've distorted it from
the thrown form is really clever.

Those sort of mild bumps

to create the sort of, you know,
chest. They're her boobs.

Boobs! I was trying to...
Mild bumps. Mild bumps, yeah!

I think they've been called
many things

but I doubt they've ever been
called mild bumps before.

The weight of the mugs
is very good.

Have you pulled these handles?
No, I rolled them.

They've got a lovely profile
to them.

They're not sharp-edged.

So, shall we see if it pours tea?

Tiny bit of a drip
but a great pourer.

You could drink between
the mild bumps, couldn't you,

if you wanted?
If you wanted, Rich, yeah?

This is it, yeah.

I mean, great fun.
Amazing novelty factor.

Yeah. It's really lovely.

Now, you haven't seen this, have you?

No.

Oh, OK.

The first thing is the detail.

It's amazing. Thank you.
It's wonderful.

And it's actually not heavy.

Yeah, I really like
the novelty aspect.

You wouldn't know where
the spout is. Yeah.

It just feels so sort of removed

from that sort of
traditional teapot shape.

Not only have you added adornments
on, you've thought about the texture

and how the glaze might work over
the top of that.

Everything is so well wiped.

You've glazed the
inside of the lid.

The whole thing is just really well
put together.

I just love all the colour.

It gives us all those colours

that you'd get on a coral reef.

For something this detailed,
it is incredible.

And the mugs, lovely.

You know, they're still not heavy.

We've come to see from you, Donna,

you know, when you
finish off a piece,

it's so well thought about and,
and really well considered.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

Super. You should be proud of that.

Yeah, I am. Yeah. Now!

You should be proud of your
younger self back at school.

Yeah.

You ready, Dave? Do it!

Ah.

What do you think? I don't know.

I'm not feeling the love for it,
I have to say.

I mean they are perhaps
a bit more pastel

than maybe you were expecting.
Yeah.

I mean, the teapot,
I think works pretty well.

The snake's head is quite nice
in a way.

The fact that you've finished off
the base

with that snake scale effect
is really, really nice.

And I just think
the colour combination of

the outside of the teapot is great.

I just don't know why you would've
done cobalt blue on the inside.

Yeah, I'm currently wondering
that myself. Yeah.

I think what has worked well
for you is the altering.

The way you've altered
the mugs feels very much in line

with the way you've altered
the teapot.

There is a detail to the
surface that's really quite lovely.

That netting is lovely.

I mean, they're pretty big.

But they're not a bad weight.
Just a bit more colour.

Yeah, which would have then given
you more contrast

with some of those surfaces
you've put in.

Wow!

That's pretty wild, but it pours.

It does pour.
And it looks like a snake.

Hooray!

So, Dan, are you ready?

Phew, yeah.

Ooh, wow.

How do you feel about it?

I'm quite pleased, yeah.

To balance the body of
a teapot on tentacles...

It's out there, you know? Yeah.

But I've got to give it to you,
you know, you've managed it.

I just don't know whether these
just feel almost like

a little bit of an afterthought
next to how much you've...

I didn't really have
a plan for the mugs,

so I just kind of threw some mugs
and stuck an octopus on. Oh, well!

It feels like that.

But that small teapot really
is wonderful.

The point at which this
tentacle handle is attached,

it's just a bit low down.

If that was maybe just a bit further
round, it wouldn't feel quite

so weighty, cos actually overall
it's not mega, mega heavy.

This surface texture
that you've got here,

that's really pooled
and really worked for you.

But the application of that blue
colour on the mugs,

it's a bit hit and miss.

If that glaze had been
slightly thicker on there,

it would've made it
a far more deeper contrast.

Yeah, it's just the attention
to detail with the finish.

Does the little teapot pour?

Should do, yeah.
Should both go in the same cup.

They should pour into the same cup?

Yeah. I've got my doubts,
but yeah, why not?

Oh, no!

OK, yeah.

That's a shame.
But it's great. Well done, Dan.

Cool, thank you.

Are you ready?

Yeah.

Ahh!

Are you pleased?
Yeah, I'm really pleased.

The first thing you notice
is obviously the colour,

and the colour combination.

It's wonderful, and I like the
positioning of the octopus,

using the octopus' head as the lid,

and those tentacles going all the way
round the body of the teapot.

You've added those tentacles on
as relief work.

Definitely more structurally safe
than using them as legs.

Um, I think the suckers have
done you a whole heap of favours

because they have captured the glaze

but it would've been nice to have
seen a bit more texture, perhaps,

but actually, these lovely
undulations do catch the glaze

in a really beautiful way.

Yeah, this is sublime, this.

And cos you threw those in,
didn't you? Yeah.

Let's pick it up
and see what the weight's like.

Oh, yeah.
It's a bit on the heavy side.

Yeah, I mean it's all very
beautifully finished.

It's very clean.

There's lovely continuity between
all aspects of the set.

Bit of a drip but it pours
really nicely, doesn't it?

It's really well thought out
and conceived. Yeah, love it.

It's just got great character.
Yeah. Thank you.

You ready? Ready as I'll ever be.

So, what do you think?

Colourful.
I'm relieved that it's colourful.

The structure of a van,
it's pretty kind of flat, isn't it?

And it would've been nice to
accentuate the surface a bit more.

Maybe some relief work for
the wheels just to make that

a bit more interesting
and not so flat.

But it's really, really
nicely finished off

and these mugs are wonderful.

It's almost like a bum on a seat.
The handle's very nice.

You've put the texture in
the right place.

The mugs for me are definitely
the highlight.

The van, it could've done with
a bit more surface texture

to really accentuate that glaze
technique that we were after.

And the pop-top roof,
that's a triumph.

You've got to lift it up with the
seagull. Yeah, completely, yeah.

Yeah, a bit of a drip.

Do you know, if you'd just put a tiny
little pointed accent on there,

it would've stopped that dripping?

But these are a real triumph.

Great.

Steven, are you ready?

I think so.

What are your thoughts?
Yeah, I'm chuffed.

Well, Steven,

you've done it proud.

You look at that
and you just think of Bauhaus

and you think of that ballet.

It's just wonderful how
the whole aesthetic

flows right down the structure.

The colours haven't moved
enough, really.

We're looking for that deep colour.

But the construction
and the finish is just brilliant.

It's just a beautiful,
beautiful aesthetic.

If you'd had this as a concave
trench instead of a sort of convex...

Yeah.

..maybe the glaze might've sort
of pooled a bit better in there.

Yeah, yeah.

Your first teapot collapsed,
didn't it?

It did, yeah.

So this one was kind of
made in haste.

Yeah, so that concave shape
that you're talking about,

I kind of tried to put that in.

So that was trimmed in.
The other was thrown in.

The attention to detail,

to have those loops actually look

and seem as though they're going
through the rivet holes,

that's inspired.

The strength you have in
taking a concept

and then bringing it life through
your making is just incredible

and it seems to have grown as your
confidence in the pottery has grown.

Yeah, there's a tiny,
tiny drip but I absolutely love it.

Yeah, feeling good.
I feel like I've got a good chance.

They said about the quality
of the finish,

which I was really happy about.

I hope they can see that I am kind
of trying to push myself every week.

Mmm, a lovely cup of tea

and what a lovely week this has been,
as well.

I think it's been
a really interesting week this week.

For once, some of our potters
who might ordinarily

rely on their decoration
haven't been able to

and I think majolica was
a really new process

for all of our potters.

I think Donna's design was
incredibly effective.

The teapot was a lovely weight,

the mugs were beautiful
and it felt like a cohesive set.

And the colour palette was amazing.

Mm. It was brilliant.
And who else?

Well, Steven's had
a really good week.

First in the second challenge
and that homage

to Triadic Ballet was fantastic.
It was so well made.

Although I would argue that
he could've incorporated

some texture somewhere.

How do you think Cadi got on
this week?

I love the subject matter.
I thought it was a great idea.

It just didn't really lend itself to
the majolica process.

She could've put
a texture on those deckchairs

and that immediately would've
created something that was kind of

more in keeping
with traditional majolica.

Dan's set was really
a game of two halves.

The teapot felt incredibly novelty

but the mugs just felt
a little too conventional

and almost like a bit of
an afterthought.

Dan's wasn't the only octopus.
We also had Sophie.

That colour combination, it was
so wonderfully striking.

If she'd just added a bit more
texture on the surface,

it would've really
enhanced the whole thing.

So, who's at the top?

Donna, for one, for me.

Every time you looked at her work
you saw something new.

It was wonderful, wasn't it?

Yeah. And Steven.

I just think such a quirky concept
and so well put together.

And who do you think is in danger
of leaving the pottery?

Dan. His construction was
a bit lacking in finesse.

And Cadi. You know, I think
the surfaces were perhaps lacking

some of the depth we were
looking for.

Well, I'm going to leave you to make
the decision

as to who is leaving the pottery
and who will be Potter of the Week.

I don't envy you, but I'm off to have
yet another cuppa.

Congratulations, potters,
on another wonderful week.

I love a cuppa,

so this has been absolutely
marvellous watching you

make teapots and mugs.

You should be all very proud.

Now, firstly, the good bit.

This week's Potter of the Week is...

..Donna. Congratulations!

Well done! Well done, well done,
well done!

You are this week's
Potter of the Week.

My heart's going a dinger
at the minute, yeah.

Very well deserved.

All right, then.

Unfortunately,

the potter leaving the pottery this
week is...

..Cadi.

Mm!

Oh! Oh, dear.

Oh!

That's it.

The party's over.

It's OK.

Don't be sad.

Oh, Jan.

Oh, gutted,

but I am very tired,

so it's probably not
a terrible thing!

We so loved seeing your beautiful
decoration, honestly.

You've given us some wonderful work.
Thank you.

Wonderful work. Thank you. Really.

Thank you, thank you. Really lovely.

All right. Oh, what a blast!

Yeah, it's a bit of a shock.

It is a shock, yeah.
It is a shock.

It sounds ridiculous,
but I have literally...

I don't I've ever painted
a pot before.

I've just sort of made them
and liked the shape of them.

So I'm very proud of myself

and I just maybe need to give myself
a bit of a break.

And feel proud.

As Cadi says goodbye to the pottery,

Donna's novelty teapot and mugs
take pride of place

in the Throw Down gallery.

Oh!

Honestly flabbergasted by that.

Donna, for the third time,
Potter of the Week.

It's wonderful.

Her novelty teapot just had
everything -

detail, it had texture,

it was well made,

and it even poured pretty well.

I mean, it was really,
really lovely.

The main focus of this challenge
was about novelty

and it was about majolica.

And she delivered on both counts.

It was bright, it was colourful,
it was joyful.

I'm so pleased for her.

You know, I could see the flaws
and it's really...

It feels incredible that the judges
looked at it

and saw the beauty in it

and the craftsmanship in it.

I'm literally buzzing.

Can't wait to tell everyone at home.

Next time...

There's a lot to do today.

The potters face
an illuminating challenge...

Did it crack? It did crack, yeah.
That's it there.

Oh.

..creating abstract light sculptures.

Looks like a pile of boobs.

And there's a surprise visit from

the world renowned ceramist
Ashraf Hanna.

Hello! Lovely to be here.

Who will shine the brightest?

Ooh, no! It's gone.

And who will be left out
in the dark.

That's a bit harsh.I...