Readers' Comments on The Great Pottery Throwdown

Yesterday I hoped my commentary How Pottery Throwdown is a better programme than Artist of the Year might have some resonance with readers of my blog.

I was surprised to see how very many thought 

• my analysis was spot on
• offered a few more views of their own.

So today is a READERS SPECIAL. Below you'll find comments left on my post when it was published on my Facebook Page yesterday

There were a number of themes - and I've organised the comments under the themes. Any emboldened comments are due to me highlighting them in bold.

Participating Potters in The Great Pottery Throwdown 2026
(Facebook 30 December 2025)

I highly recommend subscribing to The Great Pottery Throwdown Facebook Page. Always guaranteed to make you feel good!

What makes Throwdown special?

Totally agree-it’s a very skilfully put together programme, with an approach that seems very supportive and yes educational. The judges are very skilled in their field and respond with useful feedback and in a way that is positive and specific.
It’s thoughtful, gentle and actually about process and creativity and skill. Jo York Art

I totally agree with your assessment. There’s one more aspect of Throwdown that brings me joy, and that is how close the participants get to each other. There’s a real sense that they develop lifetime friendships and a community of likeminded people. And they help each other, whether it’s carrying things to the drying room, or flipping something heavy over. I remember an episode where one potter asked another for advice. The advice given was real advice, intended to really help. Diana Hume

Very much agree. I am a painter and art teacher but I prefer Throw Down to L/PAOTY. Much more interesting, educational and a pleasure to watch. Sue Bradley Artist

Plus a lot more in the section on the Judges..... 

Why the Format works

it’s mainly the format which lends itself to better showcasing the contestants’ skills (one big project which can be practiced and prepped plus a shorter test which is not revealed in advance) Hil Beavan 

The Great Pottery Throwdown is a gem! We get to know the potters over several weeks and care about them. As a group, they are so supportive of each other and the judges genuinely want them all to do well. I’m a painter, but this is my favourite programme to watch. Sarah Clark

Art versus Craft

I love the Pottery one, watch it religiously. Your comparison is spot on Katherine. I think the difference stems from the age old craft verses art problem that most people in the art world seem to suffer from, i.e. they seem to be afraid of the “craft” of art, the mastery of skills and techniques. It is almost like the magic circle, such a mysterious secret, that to really show and explain the process would not be good for the general public.  Sarah Wimperis 

The Judges

The Throwdown Judges 2026
Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones

Keith Brumer Jones 
25 March 2025

Last year, I had the good fortune to meet Keith Brymer Jones at Grayson Perry's exhibition at the Wallace Collection. I of course did the naff fan thing and introduced myself and said how much I enjoyed the show!

This is what you had to say.....

The warmth of the two Pottery judges of course makes a massive difference to setting the tone, and you never feel they look down their noses at anyone’s work even if it is not to their personal taste. This means that they can be straightforward about their comments, which always have a kind spin - even when something gets splatted in the Bucket of Doom! And of course they deliver their judgments directly to the contestants rather than behind the easels in a secret discussion. Hil Beavan

I love Pottery Throwdown! And how Keith gets so emotional when someone does good. He truly cares. Patty Henderson

Such kindness shown, and encouragement and I could go on….  Jane Duncan

The judges seem to care about the potters & their work &, yes, your comments about criteria for making & judging are spot on. Cath Allwood

Plus contrasting how the Judges behaved with the Judges in PAOTY/LAOTY

When they go around to each contestant during the makes, they often give helpful advice on what they see as the pitfalls to come. 

The po-faced inane utterances of the infamous trio from PAOTY and LAOTY are the very opposite. Kate Pearce

I wished that the PAOTY or LAOTY gets more detailed crit by the judges at the end. I found their cursory opinions often very vague and feels some of the artists were short changed for their efforts. I don’t see the points to show their discussion for the selections when the actual paintings were hidden from the viewers. It makes it look less serious about art than making a TV show. Yoriko Cole 

and my final word on the contrast with PAOTY/LAOTY 

You only have to read the comments on just about every review I write of every PAOTY / LAOTY episode to realise that very many viewers are very critical of the Judges. Mostly in relation to wiffle waffle language and the obscured way in which they talk about the judging.

What would be interesting is to change the judges and see if people were still critical i.e. is it the format or is it the judges? Making A Mark

About the Throwdown Judges

Here's a teeny bit about both of them. 

• They are, of course, THE REAL THING i.e. practising potters - except they make ceramics and tiles! 
• They've both been at it for a very long time - and they run their own businesses!

Keith Brymer Jones

Many people know me as the judge on the popular TV show, the Great Pottery Throw Down, but my real job, and my passion, is ceramics. I have been a ceramicist and design expert amassing both knowledge and experience for over four decades. Not only have I been successful with my own collection of ceramics, the award winning ‘Word Range’, I also work collaboratively with both British & International designers, artists illustrators & fashion houses. 

Rich Miller

Richard studied ceramics at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design, graduating in 2003 . For the last 19 years he’s been running Froyle Tiles, a handmade tile company based in Surrey. Specialising in the bespoke production of high fired stoneware tiles, they have to date carried out a range of commissions for a variety of notable architects and designers.

and should Love Productions be reading.....

At least one reader out there would like Love Productions to tackle Printmaking as well!

Although I watch all the programmes you mention TGPT is definitely my favourite. I’m not a potter but I am an artist and a printmaker and would love to see the firm behind the Pottery, Sewing Bee and Bake off tackle Printmaking- with a different technique each week and a technical challenge as well.. I think it would be interesting and informative- the general public have no idea of the work involved in producing print based artwork! Drusilla Cole, Former Senior lecturer at University of the Arts London