Episode 6 The Great Pottery Throw Down


Episode 6

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Transcript


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No, this isn't the bit between the programmes in the 1960s -

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it's the final!

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And I think I've nailed it.

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Aw!

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'27 days ago, Middleport Pottery opened its doors

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'to ten of Britain's most passionate home potters.'

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Oh, Nigel, you look quite at home there, I must say.

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That's... hah!

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'It's taken 15 gruelling challenges...'

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Don't worry, you're fine, you're fine... oh! Oh!

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'..over 500 hand-crafted and beautiful items...'

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And you've just excelled yourself.

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Don't start!

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'..but now, the studio awaits four finalists.

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'Major Tom was our first top potter

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'and no-one's work in the competition has shown more technical discipline.'

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Look at the inside. Absolutely beautiful.

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I've made it as far as I can make it in this competition

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and I'm looking forward to it enormously.

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Can't wait to get my hands, er, hands wet.

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-'Matthew had a disastrous start...'

-You've got a bit of a problem here...

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'..but has emerged as a natural, winning Top Potter three times.'

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I wasn't quite sure that I'd be here.

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I thought there'd be plenty of opportunities for me to have left.

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'Jim's flair for beautiful form and skill with the brush

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'meant his place in the final was never in doubt.'

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I didn't have much sleep last night, actually.

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Lying awake, I'm thinking, "What is it I've been doing that's good

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"and how can I bring that all together for the final?"

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And I've got no answers at all.

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Sally Jo's brilliant eye for colour and gift for abstract design

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'has kept her in contention in every single challenge of the competition.'

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I do feel like I'm the underdog.

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I really haven't had much time to think about how I'm going to take the boys down.

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'Now they have seven days left.'

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I'm doomed!

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'Three final challenges...'

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It's like surgery this...

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'..to find one winner of the Great Pottery Throw Down.'

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Time to face the teapot.

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MUSIC: I Can't Explain by The Who

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-# Got a feeling inside

-Can't explain

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-# It's a certain kind

-Can't explain

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-# I feel hot and cold

-Can't explain

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-# Yeah, down in my soul, yeah

-Can't explain

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# I said, can't explain I think it's love

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# Try to say it to you When I feel blue

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# I can't explain. #

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In seven days' time, either Sally Jo, Matthew, Tom

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or Jim will be declared the winner of the Great Pottery Throw Down.

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There you are then, chaps.

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Well, good morning, potters.

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And a huge congratulations on reaching

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the Grand Final of the Great Pottery Throw Down.

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Judges, I imagine you've got something pretty special in store for them.

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We want you to make a 12-piece porcelain tea set.

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A teapot, four cups, four saucers, a sugar bowl, a milk jug

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and a cake stand.

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Now, we specify porcelain, because it is SO unforgiving.

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This clay holds no prisoners - so focus.

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So, your grand final tea set starts now.

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Tough stuff.

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'Making a tea set from porcelain is the perfect challenge for the grand final...'

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I always wanted to make a tea set.

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'..because it requires the skill and patience of a champion.'

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I am nervous. I'll admit that.

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It will take a week to perfect.

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First, they'll have to make the basic structure of each of their 12 pieces,

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dry them overnight and then add spouts,

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handles and any decorative trimming.

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They'll be fired, glazed and fired again.

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And finally, they'll be presented to the judges.

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-So, a tea set.

-Yeah.

-We take it for granted, really, don't we?

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But actually, it's a really complicated thing to make.

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It has all the elements.

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Just alone, the teapot itself is a cacophony of technical skill.

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The lid has got to fit, the spout has got to pour,

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the handle has to be not only the right size but practically

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you're going to have to be able to pick the thing up, with the tea in it.

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And of course the design of the tea set is key.

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We want to see features working across the whole set as

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if they're a family and at the same time, I want to see character in it.

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And we've given them the trickiest of all clays.

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We've given them porcelain. It's such a contradiction, porcelain,

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because when you're making with it, it's so delicate

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but the minute it's fired, it's very, very strong.

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It actually takes your fingerprint, doesn't it?

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And you leave a mark, so really, you have to be accurate and skilful.

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Although I have dabbled, I'm not overly familiar

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but I'll try and tame the clay.

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Porcelain originated in China.

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The main ingredients were china stone and china clay,

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both derived from decomposed granite

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and when it decomposes you get a very soft, white clay.

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It's got very fine particles in it.

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It's like chewing gum, this stuff.

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Do you see it? It just stretches and stretches

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and stretches and stretches.

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Porcelain can be pottered very thinly.

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That makes it ideal for tea, which of course was drank a lot in China.

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It can actually withstand the thermal shock of the very hot

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liquid coming in to it but also you can really judge the colour

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and the quality of the tea very beautifully in that material.

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And then, as it is very thin,

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it's beautiful to hold it to your mouth and to drink from it.

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Both these materials were imported into the West

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from the 17th century, so people encountered for the first time tea

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but at the same time, wares came with it that enabled

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people to drink this special drink that they hadn't encountered before.

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And it was a symbol of sophistication to have these

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exotic products in your house.

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This is my first touch of the clay on the wheel.

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I feel this sort of butterflies of trepidation and nerves.

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I'm about to start throwing!

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So, this is my cake stand.

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Tom's aiming for a tea set that will follow the clean lines he's

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hoping to achieve on his cake stand.

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Quite a traditional look, with straight lines,

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and I'm looking to create forms that will hold an incised pattern.

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Upright figures, but quite delicate.

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It's not as responsive as most things,

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because it's so plastic, it wants to hold its form.

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And so, for centring, it takes longer.

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For opening, it takes longer - you have to coax it to get it open,

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cos if you try and do it too fast, it'll just wobble off-centre.

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I wish you could feel this stuff, it's...

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it's like silk in your hands, it's just wonderful stuff.

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Throwing with porcelain, it's very smooth, it's very plasticky,

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it collapses, it cracks, it does everything you don't want it to do.

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It's your worst nightmare as a potter.

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Labour with it too long, it will start to get upset.

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It's like visiting the Queen, this, you know -

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total reverence for the material.

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Jim and Matthew have decided to get a feel for the porcelain,

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by throwing the smallest items - the cups - first.

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-Hi, Jim.

-Hello.

-Bit small, that teapot, mate.

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Well, you know, start small, get bigger as you go along.

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How are you enjoying this working with the porcelain?

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I'm treating it with utter respect.

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I mean, I've started off with the cups, I'm getting used to the clay

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and I'm going to move into the tricky stuff.

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What kind of design are you going to go for with your tea set?

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I love rounded shapes and obviously, with this stuff, it's a

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bit tricky to get those kind of rounded shapes,

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so I've kind of set myself a task with the throwing side.

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But, on top of this, I'm going

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to create some quite organic handles, all this kind of stuff.

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-Is this kind of down your road?

-See Kate's face lit up, then!

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Well, you're so good at animating things, aren't you?

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You know, that's what you've done all the way through.

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They're very finely thrown, they're very thin

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and it is a challenging shape, this sort of belly, if you like,

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sticking up, so you have set yourself a challenge.

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It is the grand final, Jim.

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-Do you feel like you're stepping up a little bit?

-Yeah.

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There is a sort of funny little pressure

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that's hanging around the place.

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So, we'll throw a jug next.

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Matthew is risking a decorative touch at the throwing stage

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to bring his tea set together.

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I'm just running like a sharp spiral up it,

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and then I'm hoping that the glaze is going to sink into it

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and then for the teapot, I'm going to try and have a traditional shape.

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However, I'm concerned that those aren't quite a traditional shape.

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So I'm going to try and have that contemporary, traditional kind of contrast going on.

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Does that sound like an all right plan?

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Well, it's your... it's your tea set.

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Sally-Jo is taking an even bigger gamble with her tea set.

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I've decided to hand-build.

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Just because I think, given the competition,

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there's not much point throwing it at this point.

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Also, I think I'm better at hand-building.

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I've rolled it out to about five mill,

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but I'm going to just roll it a bit thin and try

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and leave the impression of the lace, so hopefully that'll be

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a really nice texture on there and the glaze can pick up detail on it.

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I've never hand-built with porcelain.

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I think it's going to be really important to catch it at the right time

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because if I leave it too long to dry, then it'll just crack.

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I'll match that straight-sided form in the jug and in the cups

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and in the teapot.

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Anyone having fun yet? Probably not.

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You're halfway through your time.

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Two hours is gone, two hours remaining.

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Hello? SHE LAUGHS

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-Thanks!

-They're in the zone.

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Is it frightening? Yeah. I really need to be getting on with the teapot.

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But there's no point coming this far with the mugs and not putting

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the bottom on them, so it's more important to do this bit first!

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Tom's got a secret plan for his cups.

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I find it a little bit difficult, to work on a very small lump of clay.

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He's making them from one large lump of clay,

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by throwing them off the hump.

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I quite like getting into the rhythm that throwing off the hump

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allows you to do.

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If you get too much thickness when it dries, it will crack.

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So, you can avoid that by really compressing the base

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and also turning it so that it is nice and thin.

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The porcelain is so delicate at the wet stage,

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putting the paper over the top to lift it off is a good idea.

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The paper will just trap the air inside,

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and that means that the rim won't distort - it'll hold the body.

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Oh, you prat!

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Good start!

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'With every item they make, porcelain takes a familiar potter's problem...'

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You've got to remember that these little bad boys will shrink.

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-'..and makes it twice as hard.'

-Great.

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Shrinkage when you fire porcelain can be very large.

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An understanding of the shrinkage in three dimensions,

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from the clay body to the fired piece is crucial.

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So, if you're trying to make a tea cup and the shrinkage is much

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greater than you expect, you may end up with a thimble.

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And it's not very useful for drinking tea.

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The shrinkage of this clay is 17%.

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And that's almost as bad as VAT.

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Losing around a fifth of its size,

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porcelain shrinks almost twice as much as any other clay.

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Constantly finding out it has different limitations...

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So you've got to remember than when you're building, because you've got to build that extra size in.

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When it shrinks, it might tighten up or it might pull away, I'm not sure.

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I can't stand it when things are too precise.

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Makes me rebel against it.

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-You all right, Jim?

-Yeah.

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What are you doing there?

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This is going to be the top part of me cake stand.

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-Oh. Keep going, don't let me stop you.

-Yeah.

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Really takes a lot of concentration, doesn't it?

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-Yeah, yeah.

-Carry on.

-We're all a bit quiet in the workshop today.

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You wouldn't notice anything that was going on, would you,

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while this was happening.

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Anything else... I'll let you get on with it, Jim.

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Thank you, very kind.

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Finalists! You have one hour left.

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-You sweating it, Tom?

-No.

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I think I might go first.

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The important thing with the saucer is that it's got a nice

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curve in it, so it can hold the teaspoon.

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Just needs to be nicely bowed.

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So, I'm starting off with a little bit of a bowl shape.

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And then taking it out.

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I've still got to finish off the handles of the cups and the jugs.

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The trickiest piece will be the teapot.

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I think the teapot is the Achilles heel.

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Ordinarily, you could make a bulbous shape like this quite easily,

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cos it kind of contains itself.

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But with this material, you just don't know when it's going to start going on you.

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I'm pleased with the way the teapot's gone so far.

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Come on.

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I'm actually going to try and push that beyond the spherical.

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I'm going to make a more domey sort of shape.

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The very difficult thing is getting the gallery here.

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This is the gallery, where the lid's going to sit and it's really tricky to get that in.

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I'm in a sort of mild state of terror at this point in time, I'd say!

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When you let your guard down, that's when it all goes pear-shaped.

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Teapot now. Yeah. It's time.

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It's time to face the teapot.

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Just making my lid at the moment, but I'm making it upside down.

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I have a little trick - pop this on here

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and take it off and now, I've got the diameter.

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I've measured the diameter and then what I'll do,

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I'll throw this section and then I'll just line them up.

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What I need to do is make my lid so it's just a shade narrower.

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Just taking my time.

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Refusing to panic.

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At the moment, I'm just making the stem for the cake stand.

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You've got two minutes, guys - two minutes left!

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I was not ready for this.

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What are you doing, Jim?

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Just knocking up a spout for the teapot.

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Thank heavens for that! I just thought he's just started something new!

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He's just started his teapot! Argh!

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Ah, it's just, I can't do that.

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Your time is up for this section of your tea-set making.

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Well done, troops.

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That's beautiful, isn't it? Doesn't that look nice?

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Dunno. Good lid.

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What a lovely texture on that.

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Is that gorgeous or is that gorgeous?

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My teapot is well behind.

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'Before the finalists can refine their tea sets...'

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Lovely.

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'..the porcelain needs to dry and become leather-hard.'

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Whilst it does, Kate and Keith have set a challenge involving a devilishly intricate

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technique that only the most skilled potters of Stoke were trusted with.

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It's the final spot-test from hell.

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This week, the technique we're going to ask you to use is

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known as the devil's work.

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And it's cutting a design into an object.

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It's what you leave behind that counts.

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Remove the hessian.

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You've all been supplied with a leather-hard cylindrical form.

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We want you to cut your designs into it.

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Not 10% of it, we want to see a bold design cut away.

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Now, as usual, the judges are going to go off, have a massage,

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finish their tattoos.

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Judges, if you'd like to go and relax.

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So, to do this devil's work, you have 75 minutes.

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The potters have all been given the same set of cutting tools

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and identical leather-hard cylinders.

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Everything else is down to their skill and imagination.

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The devil's work, it's demanding them to show us their hand skills.

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I really want to see something intricate.

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I'm looking for that craft element.

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I'm looking for originality of design.

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I want to see a seamless design.

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I don't want to see where it begins and ends. And accuracy.

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So the angle at which they hold that knife and the angle at which they

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cut the clay away, it will really tell me that they've decided

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on a design and they're delivering it with skill and clarity.

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I'm looking for a wow factor. This is the final!

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We want to see something really quite spectacular.

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But then, one slip if you're doing a regular and repeated pattern,

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and the whole thing will be spoiled.

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Phew! God!

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I thought I'd make a start on a border

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and then something will come to my mind.

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The devil's work. I think they used to call rock and roll the devil's music, years ago.

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It might suit me. For that... for that reason.

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I did some preliminary drawing on the pot just to get my bearings.

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Not quite sure what we're going to end up with.

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So I bought myself a little bit of thinking time by doing something definite on the rim round.

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It's quite therapeutic, sit and have a...have a fiddle, I've not...

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I've not done this sort of thing before.

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I love those big ceramic lanterns that have quite geometric design,

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almost sort of bamboo-like.

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This is going to look better and quite precise.

0:16:260:16:30

That's not quite precise!

0:16:300:16:31

45 minutes to go in the final spot-test.

0:16:330:16:36

Choo-choo-choo, choo choo...

0:16:370:16:39

The next bit is a bit tricky, I...

0:16:410:16:43

I'm trying to put a structure in that won't collapse.

0:16:430:16:47

I have done piercing ceramics, I think

0:16:470:16:49

in my first year of university, but other than that, the only

0:16:490:16:52

piercing I do is on a teapot when I poke a hole through for the spout.

0:16:520:16:55

The judges are going to look for a fairly neat offering.

0:16:550:16:58

I think if you just slice it to hell, it'll look scruffy.

0:16:580:17:00

I think they're going to really like that, Jim.

0:17:000:17:02

-I think they're looking for scruffy.

-Oh, really?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, maybe.

0:17:020:17:06

You have 30 minutes left to complete your devil's work!

0:17:060:17:10

Mwa-ha-ha!

0:17:110:17:14

Little bit of a firework in there, actually.

0:17:140:17:16

I quite like it. Rocket taking off, sparks flying.

0:17:160:17:20

Stars all the way and then they'll fit in-between each other

0:17:200:17:23

and then I'll do something in the spaces in-between.

0:17:230:17:25

Probably not the easiest pattern I could have done, but...

0:17:250:17:28

What design are you doing, Tom?

0:17:280:17:29

I'm doing flowers.

0:17:290:17:31

-Oh, you big girl!

-TOM LAUGHS

0:17:310:17:34

I'm doing something precise and manly over here.

0:17:340:17:36

They'll probably think I've done that.

0:17:360:17:38

TOM LAUGHS

0:17:380:17:39

Cos it's that bad.

0:17:390:17:41

Oh, thanks(!)

0:17:410:17:43

15 minutes left of your last ever Spot Test,

0:17:430:17:46

I know you're going to miss them!

0:17:460:17:48

(Just keep going.)

0:17:480:17:50

I'm starting to get worried for time.

0:17:500:17:52

I'm starting with the new cuts in the centre,

0:17:520:17:54

so that if I don't get a chance to do it all the way through,

0:17:540:17:57

at least it's in the centrepiece of the pot.

0:17:570:17:59

The fireworks are fireworking away, yeah.

0:17:590:18:02

Oh, it's getting wobbly.

0:18:020:18:04

It gets harder the more you cut out, it starts to move as you push in...

0:18:040:18:07

Also, keep cutting.

0:18:070:18:10

I would like to take more away, but I may run out of time.

0:18:100:18:13

What time are we on?

0:18:130:18:14

Five minutes left, guys, you've got five minutes left.

0:18:140:18:16

Started shaking....

0:18:160:18:19

The top here now is the limit, I can tell as I'm cutting,

0:18:190:18:22

can't really get away with taking much more.

0:18:220:18:25

I'm just taking out some of the burrs that I've left in here.

0:18:260:18:29

How long have we got?

0:18:350:18:37

Ten, nine, eight,

0:18:370:18:39

seven, six, five,

0:18:390:18:41

four, three, two, one.

0:18:410:18:45

OK, potters, time is up!

0:18:450:18:48

That's a lot lighter now, isn't it?

0:18:480:18:49

Gather up your masterpieces and bring them on your whirlers

0:18:540:18:57

to the front, please, ready for judging.

0:18:570:18:59

MUSIC: Through My Eyes by The Creation

0:18:590:19:04

Kate and Keith?

0:19:100:19:11

Four cut out cylinders for your delight and delectation.

0:19:110:19:15

Fantastic, people.

0:19:150:19:16

Shall we do this one first?

0:19:160:19:18

What we're seeing is the maximum cut away out of the four

0:19:180:19:21

and actually a very original use of the top.

0:19:210:19:24

It's simple, but effective.

0:19:240:19:25

And wonderfully executed, apart from a couple of joins.

0:19:250:19:29

There's a lot cut away here as well, isn't there?

0:19:290:19:31

Loving all these holes down the bottom and on the top.

0:19:310:19:34

There's a sense of symmetry to this design.

0:19:340:19:36

Whoever did this, they held the knife at the correct angle,

0:19:360:19:40

they finished very precisely to the corners.

0:19:400:19:43

I particularly love all this detail on the top here.

0:19:430:19:46

There's a very nice dynamic in the pattern.

0:19:460:19:48

We really can't tell where it started and where it finished,

0:19:480:19:52

because it's very well-spaced.

0:19:520:19:54

I'd liked to have seen much neater ends.

0:19:540:19:57

And going to this one, there is a nice energy, isn't there?

0:19:570:19:59

The moving sideways of this.

0:19:590:20:01

Yeah, and there's a good use of the rim again.

0:20:010:20:03

I'm finding the cutting a little clumsy,

0:20:030:20:05

little edges coming out, the tips coming out...

0:20:050:20:07

-Well, not quite defined, is it?

-Don't know if it was a time thing,

0:20:070:20:10

but I find this least defined in its pattern.

0:20:100:20:13

But whose hands have mastered the devil's work?

0:20:150:20:18

Fourth place is...

0:20:180:20:21

this one.

0:20:210:20:22

Guilty, your honour.

0:20:220:20:23

We felt the design was a bit naive.

0:20:230:20:26

Third place is also at the back and it's this one here.

0:20:260:20:29

That's mine.

0:20:290:20:30

The ends of those wiggles could have been much more clearly cut.

0:20:300:20:33

Which obviously leaves these two.

0:20:330:20:36

-Whose is this one?

-It's mine.

0:20:360:20:38

-Whose is this one?

-It's mine.

0:20:380:20:39

We decided that we wanted to award first place to the one

0:20:390:20:43

who had been the bravest and had the most original design.

0:20:430:20:47

And that goes to...

0:20:470:20:49

..Sally-Jo!

0:20:520:20:53

It was very, very close. But this really had the wow factor.

0:20:570:21:01

The originality of the design, absolutely brilliant.

0:21:010:21:04

-Well done!

-I can't believe it...

0:21:060:21:08

-That's great, well done.

-Well done, Sally. How about that?

0:21:100:21:14

Thank you, thank you.

0:21:140:21:15

Final's really where it really counts.

0:21:150:21:18

Not only have I beaten Matthew, but I've also beaten Tom and Jim!

0:21:190:21:24

It feels great!

0:21:240:21:25

Spot test went really well, considering I didn't have a clue

0:21:250:21:28

what I was doing until about halfway through.

0:21:280:21:31

If I'm going to win this final, coming third in a spot test,

0:21:310:21:34

that's going to put me under a bit more pressure.

0:21:340:21:37

Fourth place.

0:21:370:21:38

The finalists now have just three and a half hours

0:21:500:21:53

to finesse all 12 pieces of their tea sets

0:21:530:21:55

and add handles and spouts before the first firing.

0:21:550:21:59

I think coming into this, my main concern is just not finishing.

0:21:590:22:02

I'm just getting the base attached to the cake stand

0:22:020:22:04

and then it'll be straight on to the teapot.

0:22:040:22:06

Because, at the moment, it still needs a base,

0:22:060:22:08

a top, a lid, a handle, a spout.

0:22:080:22:10

I feel like there's a mountain to climb this morning.

0:22:100:22:13

A heck of a lot to do today, in a short space of time.

0:22:130:22:16

Porcelain has this very short window

0:22:160:22:18

of workable and then not workable.

0:22:180:22:20

And it's not a very good clay to bring back from the brink.

0:22:200:22:24

It's very unforgiving for that.

0:22:240:22:25

This has actually dried out a little bit more than I'd like.

0:22:250:22:28

I'm keeping the pieces I'm not working on now covered up.

0:22:280:22:30

As Tom's cups were thrown off the hump,

0:22:320:22:34

there is more fragile porcelain clay to turn away on the base

0:22:340:22:37

than with an individually thrown cup.

0:22:370:22:39

There's a real danger that you get S-cracks,

0:22:390:22:42

where the base is very, very thick.

0:22:420:22:43

So I've got to really get them nice and thin.

0:22:430:22:45

I listen to the tap so...

0:22:450:22:47

..I can hear from the sound the clay makes how thin that is.

0:22:490:22:52

I don't always get it right, trial and error.

0:22:520:22:55

There's a bit of flaking going on because they are dry.

0:22:550:22:57

So the clay is not turning smoothly as it would normally.

0:22:570:23:00

Just by adding a tiny bit of water, it just brings it back to life

0:23:000:23:03

and you can turn it.

0:23:030:23:04

I may have to spray them before I put the handles on.

0:23:040:23:07

Attaching damp clay to dry clay,

0:23:070:23:09

it's going to shrink at a different rate.

0:23:090:23:11

But I'm not going to do that, because I'm going to leave these

0:23:110:23:13

to dry out so it's the same consistency.

0:23:130:23:16

This is why you make spares.

0:23:210:23:23

After a disappointing spot test,

0:23:230:23:25

Jim's hoping to add a couple of winning touches to his tea set.

0:23:250:23:28

I'm pulling them out and creating some lines on the actual pull

0:23:280:23:32

and then twisting them.

0:23:320:23:33

That's really skilful. It looks so simple but actually

0:23:330:23:37

he's got to be so gentle with his touch,

0:23:370:23:39

otherwise the whole thing will fall to bits in the air.

0:23:390:23:41

-Tie a little knot.

-Beautiful.

0:23:410:23:43

-We'll let you crack on.

-Thank you very much.

-Focus, Jim.

0:23:430:23:46

I'm focusing, mate, I'm focusing.

0:23:460:23:47

Well, I haven't got the luxury of practising any more.

0:23:470:23:50

All of the stuff has to go through.

0:23:500:23:53

I think I'm distracting myself from the teapot. I'm, like, scared of it.

0:23:530:23:56

I'm such a deadline person, I've got to wait till I'm, like, really

0:23:560:23:59

under pressure to do something I don't want to do!

0:23:590:24:02

This is about 20 years old. I made it at school.

0:24:060:24:09

It's a maker's mark. They're my initials actually.

0:24:090:24:12

It hasn't changed since.

0:24:120:24:14

I'm putting a little design on, best I can.

0:24:140:24:17

It is hard when the clock's ticking

0:24:240:24:26

cos you wouldn't mind a little chance to play around a little bit.

0:24:260:24:29

Maybe the curl is nice cos of the lace,

0:24:290:24:31

it's sort of like a ribbon. I think I'm going to go with that.

0:24:310:24:33

That's not really the handle I just planned but...

0:24:330:24:36

No...

0:24:370:24:39

Oh, God, this is horrible!

0:24:390:24:41

I think doing this challenge has actually made me more relaxed.

0:24:440:24:48

Matthew, will you stop talking about being relaxed?

0:24:480:24:52

The truth is, inside you're churned up in turmoil!

0:24:520:24:55

Truth is, I'm crumbling.

0:24:550:24:57

Half an hour to go.

0:24:570:24:59

Melting down cos I've got so much to do still.

0:24:590:25:01

Putting the stand together for this cake stand,

0:25:010:25:03

it's going to look like a beanstalk.

0:25:030:25:05

This teapot is not going to have a spout. Oh, my God!

0:25:050:25:08

I'm not going to get this done.

0:25:080:25:10

Spout, spout, spout.

0:25:100:25:11

Spout needs to just be like a big fan, doesn't it?

0:25:110:25:13

It's like surgery, this. I hate putting spouts on teapots.

0:25:130:25:16

I'm not going to put you off by SPOUTING on any more.

0:25:160:25:20

I'm going to make this little baby fit, which, again,

0:25:200:25:23

is such a tricky thing to do.

0:25:230:25:25

When you make a spout on the wheel,

0:25:250:25:27

when you apply that to the body of your teapot,

0:25:270:25:30

you always put that on at a slight angle

0:25:300:25:32

because in the kiln, it remembers the way it was going on the wheel.

0:25:320:25:36

It sort of springs back a little bit.

0:25:360:25:38

But if you're hand-building a spout,

0:25:380:25:39

you don't have to take that into account.

0:25:390:25:42

Oh, I'm really worried now.

0:25:420:25:43

It's got to pour well, it's got to be applied well

0:25:430:25:46

and aesthetically it's got to fit with the main body of the teapot.

0:25:460:25:49

Shape-wise, the spout is not particularly friendly

0:25:490:25:53

to the overall feel of the pot.

0:25:530:25:55

Try and tidy it up before the final bell goes.

0:25:550:25:59

Ten, nine...

0:25:590:26:01

-Don't rush.

-..eight, seven,

0:26:010:26:04

six, five,

0:26:040:26:07

four, three,

0:26:070:26:10

two, one.

0:26:100:26:13

Oh, that was a shocker!

0:26:130:26:14

Guys, congratulations.

0:26:140:26:16

You've worked, again, really hard for this final

0:26:160:26:18

and we shall see you in a few days.

0:26:180:26:21

Well done.

0:26:210:26:23

You've got it on your face again!

0:26:230:26:26

-Oh...

-I reckon that's your sign you were a bit stressed.

0:26:260:26:29

MUSIC: Making Time by The Creation

0:26:290:26:32

Even the slightest trace of moisture can destroy porcelain

0:26:380:26:42

when it's fired and, after 24 hours of drying,

0:26:420:26:45

it's Richard's job to take the tea sets to the kiln.

0:26:450:26:48

I've noticed on these handles cracks opening up.

0:26:480:26:51

It's just where the handles have been joined a bit wet.

0:26:510:26:53

It is more susceptible with porcelain.

0:26:530:26:55

As those handles are drying, they're shrinking and the mug bodies

0:26:550:26:58

have already started to shrink and they're just starting to crack.

0:26:580:27:02

As their work is bisqued, fired and cooled,

0:27:020:27:05

the finalists face an agonizing 48-hour wait at home

0:27:050:27:08

with their families.

0:27:080:27:10

# No, I won't be afraid

0:27:100:27:13

# No, I won't... #

0:27:130:27:15

I am so proud that Jim has reached the final

0:27:150:27:17

cos it has been all-consuming but he's really, really,

0:27:170:27:20

really wanted to make a go of it, he really has.

0:27:200:27:23

I've missed him a lot,

0:27:240:27:26

it's actually quite surprising how much you miss him

0:27:260:27:28

when he's always strumming on his guitar

0:27:280:27:31

or doing some pots or something.

0:27:310:27:34

How has he been over the last few weeks - Matt?

0:27:340:27:37

We weren't certain at one point, I don't think,

0:27:370:27:39

if he was actually still in the competition!

0:27:390:27:41

-You know it's like, erm, "How's it going?" "Fine."

-Yeah.

0:27:410:27:44

-"How's it going?" "OK."

-"OK."

0:27:440:27:46

Few words, we don't find out much.

0:27:460:27:49

-Ready for this?

-Yeah.

-Bit of cheese inside.

0:27:490:27:52

Tom is really relieved, I think.

0:27:520:27:55

He wasn't expecting to get into the final

0:27:550:27:57

having had quite a rough time making the chandelier.

0:27:570:28:00

The night the judging happened, we were up e-mailing him

0:28:000:28:04

and he was showing us photos saying that he had got into the final.

0:28:040:28:07

We felt really proud of him. He does think "pots" all the time.

0:28:070:28:12

Well, not all the time but most of the time.

0:28:120:28:14

There's a lot of pottery chat going on, there's one time

0:28:160:28:20

when she was thinking of using the lace on her pyjamas for the tea set.

0:28:200:28:23

It's been all encompassing.

0:28:230:28:25

I just had no idea she was this talented.

0:28:250:28:29

I don't even dare to think if she'll win the final.

0:28:290:28:32

I'd love it if she did. She would love it.

0:28:320:28:35

She's brilliant at glazing and decoration, so why not?

0:28:350:28:40

He keeps telling us he's not expecting to win.

0:28:400:28:43

But I guess, you know, he has as much chance as everybody else.

0:28:440:28:48

-I don't think he's bothered about results though because...

-Ooh, no.

0:28:480:28:52

I think he's got out of it what he really wants to do.

0:28:520:28:56

Well, he wants to win the final, but he's not too bothered, apparently.

0:28:580:29:02

Apparently! SHE LAUGHS

0:29:020:29:04

There's 24 hours left in the competition

0:29:170:29:20

and the potters are back to discover

0:29:200:29:22

how their tea sets fared in the first firing.

0:29:220:29:24

-Best of luck.

-And you, and you.

0:29:240:29:26

Great reveal...

0:29:280:29:30

Any cracks at this stage may be impossible to recover from.

0:29:300:29:34

Here goes nothing.

0:29:340:29:35

They're looking OK, actually, I'm really pleased.

0:29:370:29:40

It's all right.

0:29:400:29:42

Oh...

0:29:420:29:44

All the handles have split.

0:29:440:29:47

Ah. Ah...

0:29:470:29:48

Couple of little casualties here.

0:29:500:29:51

The glazing hopefully will be reasonably striking enough

0:29:510:29:55

to distract from the fact that there are shortcomings with the make.

0:29:550:29:59

The finalists now have just two hours to glaze their tea sets.

0:29:590:30:03

I think the glaze will fill a few of the cracks that have appeared.

0:30:030:30:06

At least none of the bottoms have fallen out.

0:30:060:30:08

Yet.

0:30:080:30:10

Before any glazing begins, the potters are applying a wax coating.

0:30:100:30:14

The high temperature porcelain is fired at

0:30:140:30:16

increases the risk of melting,

0:30:160:30:18

fusing lids to teapots and everything to the kiln shelf.

0:30:180:30:22

Yeah, that would be a bit useless.

0:30:220:30:24

Carefully applying a thin layer of wax should ensure

0:30:240:30:26

all the pieces remain separate.

0:30:260:30:28

That's my intention.

0:30:280:30:30

They've been given a range of traditional Far Eastern glazes

0:30:300:30:33

to work with, as well as a selection of oxides.

0:30:330:30:36

We're really looking at natural colours - browns, blacks,

0:30:360:30:38

greens, turquoises...

0:30:380:30:40

Well, you say that, all I've seen is like a dusky pink,

0:30:400:30:42

like a sort of '80s bridesmaid dress.

0:30:420:30:45

They're not going to come out looking like that, are they?

0:30:450:30:47

No, they're not. The sort of pale pink becomes blue

0:30:470:30:50

and the black becomes green,

0:30:500:30:51

it's just a magical transformation which is chemistry.

0:30:510:30:55

Jim's hoping to play to his strengths,

0:30:550:30:57

hand-painting a floral design with a blend of oxides.

0:30:570:31:00

The main ingredient to this is cobalt,

0:31:000:31:02

which give you quite a strong blue.

0:31:020:31:04

I've muted that down by adding iron oxide to it

0:31:040:31:07

and it just takes it down a few notches.

0:31:070:31:10

Tom has chosen a base glaze called celadon, developed 2,000 years ago

0:31:100:31:14

in China to mimic jade. It should fire to a glassy pale green.

0:31:140:31:19

I've just done a single dip, very quick. It's quite thick, the glaze.

0:31:190:31:22

Matthew's given his celadon base a bit of a tweak.

0:31:220:31:25

I thinned mine down more than Tom's.

0:31:250:31:27

Hopefully after the firing it will come out like a bluey colour.

0:31:270:31:31

Even at the glazing stage,

0:31:310:31:33

Sally Jo's teapot is still slowing her down.

0:31:330:31:36

My teapot lid doesn't fit my teapot,

0:31:360:31:38

so with sandpaper I'm able just to shave it down a bit.

0:31:380:31:41

I really want the lid to sit flush with the top of the teapot.

0:31:410:31:45

30 minutes to go, 30 minutes left.

0:31:460:31:49

I'm just banding some glaze around this.

0:31:490:31:51

Matt's decorating his surfaces with a glaze called tenmoku

0:31:510:31:55

which should fire to a dark oil coloured finish.

0:31:550:31:57

So, hopefully the tenmoku will bleed into the celadon. That's the plan.

0:31:570:32:02

Oh, it's like...

0:32:020:32:04

like in a chemistry lab.

0:32:040:32:06

Cobalt carbonate, the red iron oxide and that's the copper oxide.

0:32:060:32:09

I think if you just use one it can look a bit harsh.

0:32:090:32:12

Right, there's no going back after this bit.

0:32:120:32:14

I'm not sure what it's going to do.

0:32:140:32:16

As well as his flowers,

0:32:170:32:19

Jim's coating his finished work in a light celadon.

0:32:190:32:22

I think with that kind of classic blue design under the celadon,

0:32:220:32:25

it should look quite tasty.

0:32:250:32:27

What colour is it going to be when it comes through?

0:32:270:32:29

It's grey blue finish on the floral stuff.

0:32:290:32:32

Jim's used his oxides, hasn't he?

0:32:320:32:34

And mixed his two oxides, whereas Tom simply put tiny dots

0:32:340:32:37

above each of his little lugs there on the side.

0:32:370:32:39

They looked a bit small to me,

0:32:390:32:41

I don't know if we're going to see them.

0:32:410:32:42

Yeah, it depends on what the glaze does to them.

0:32:420:32:44

-SALLY-JO:

-I've made the solution too watery for the second batch.

0:32:440:32:47

I didn't make enough in the first batch so it's different.

0:32:470:32:50

Seems very calm here...

0:32:500:32:52

You are aware this is the final, James?

0:32:520:32:54

-Yeah, I know, I...

-Are you done now?

0:32:540:32:56

Yeah, I've put all the glaze on.

0:32:560:32:58

I'm hoping the judges are going to let me stick that on top of there

0:32:580:33:00

-when we finish...

-I'm sure.

-..cos I can't do it now.

0:33:000:33:03

-Yeah, you going to do it, a bit of glue?

-I'll have a word.

0:33:030:33:05

Yeah, go on, put a word in for me.

0:33:050:33:06

Smooth the path a bit, a couple of quid...

0:33:060:33:09

Ten minutes of titivation of the tea sets allowed.

0:33:090:33:12

Just wiping off the oxide. So it reveals the design.

0:33:120:33:16

Cos otherwise it's a bit heavy.

0:33:160:33:18

But I am seriously running out of time

0:33:180:33:20

because I've got to get clear glaze on top of everything.

0:33:200:33:22

I've just got to wipe all rims, Sally,

0:33:220:33:24

then I'll give you a hand if you want?

0:33:240:33:27

Amazing!

0:33:270:33:28

-Can I be in your gang?

-Yes.

-What's going on here?

0:33:330:33:36

I've got no glaze on anything yet!

0:33:360:33:37

You've had the same amount of time as everybody,

0:33:370:33:39

-what's been going on, Sally Jo?

-I've been...decorating.

0:33:390:33:43

-It'll all be fine.

-All right. It'll be fine in a minute.

0:33:430:33:46

-Have you all finished?

-Yesterday.

0:33:460:33:48

Have you got a production line going here?

0:33:480:33:49

Do you want me to wipe some bases here?

0:33:490:33:51

If you win, there's going to be some right ole trouble.

0:33:510:33:55

Ten, nine, eight...

0:33:550:33:58

Right hand, there's no glaze. Right hand.

0:33:580:34:00

..five, four, three,

0:34:000:34:04

two, one.

0:34:040:34:05

Potters, your time's up, guys.

0:34:050:34:08

Just in the nick of time, Sally-Jo, well done.

0:34:080:34:10

It's taken six days but the tea sets are ready for their final firing.

0:34:160:34:21

Then they're done! Hurray!

0:34:210:34:23

The fragile porcelain is headed into the 1,280-degree heat

0:34:230:34:28

of a gas-fired reduction kiln.

0:34:280:34:30

You're reducing the oxygen in the kiln chamber.

0:34:300:34:33

So therefore, by reducing the oxygen,

0:34:330:34:36

the flame has to burn something.

0:34:360:34:38

So it attacks the pot, if you like,

0:34:380:34:40

it attacks the oxides within the pot and the glazes.

0:34:400:34:43

So we're talking about such high temperatures here that the oxides

0:34:430:34:46

and the minerals that are in the glaze that give the colour,

0:34:460:34:49

they melt and they're like flowers opening,

0:34:490:34:51

the sort of pale pink becomes blue and the black becomes green.

0:34:510:34:55

The glaze responds to the body, the body responds to the glaze.

0:34:550:34:58

It's rich and luscious and it moves over the contours of the pot.

0:34:580:35:03

As the reduction firing begins,

0:35:030:35:05

the finalists will face one last challenge.

0:35:050:35:08

A test involving a master potter's control that could help them

0:35:080:35:12

become our first champion.

0:35:120:35:14

This is your final ever Throw Down.

0:35:140:35:16

Indeed, it's your final ever task here, in this pottery studio.

0:35:160:35:22

What you're going to do today is a classic shape,

0:35:220:35:25

one of the hardest shapes that I had to learn as an apprentice.

0:35:250:35:28

The high shouldered jug, with a nice neck on it and a nice finished lip.

0:35:280:35:33

So, here we go.

0:35:330:35:34

So the thing that makes this such a challenge is that there are

0:35:340:35:37

several changes in direction of the clay, as you're going to see.

0:35:370:35:41

I'm throwing it slightly out.

0:35:410:35:43

My knuckle on the outside is below my hand on the inside,

0:35:430:35:46

but as I come up to the shoulder, my knuckle takes over

0:35:460:35:50

and that's now on the top of my hand on the inside.

0:35:500:35:53

You've been using the sponge on the stick before, haven't you?

0:35:530:35:56

I'm really pushing out the clay,

0:35:560:35:57

just to get me a nice, generous belly.

0:35:570:36:01

And then up to the shoulder.

0:36:010:36:03

And then you want enough clay at the top

0:36:030:36:06

to make a really nice, generous rim.

0:36:060:36:08

And now I need to pull up the lid, with the rim of the jug.

0:36:080:36:13

Because then I'm not distorting the rest of the rim.

0:36:130:36:16

And what you're really after here is a nice curve to the jug lip.

0:36:160:36:20

So, the criteria that we're looking for is the junction between

0:36:200:36:24

this shoulder here and this neck here has got to be lovely and sharp.

0:36:240:36:29

And the inside shape has really got to correspond to the outside

0:36:290:36:32

so when we cut it in half, we don't see a thinness on that point there.

0:36:320:36:37

We also want to see a lovely, generous rim,

0:36:370:36:40

from which you can pull a very nice lip.

0:36:400:36:43

It took Keith five minutes to throw his jug,

0:36:430:36:46

so the good news is that you guys have got 20 minutes, OK?

0:36:460:36:51

The bad news is you need to make three.

0:36:510:36:53

20 minutes, three jugs.

0:36:590:37:01

Time starts now.

0:37:010:37:03

BELL RINGS

0:37:030:37:04

Here they go.

0:37:080:37:10

Remember get that knuckle or hand, get it in.

0:37:100:37:12

You want that pot to have a nice uplift.

0:37:120:37:15

Think about that rim as well.

0:37:150:37:16

When I'm throwing in the studio,

0:37:190:37:21

usually the first one I do always takes a bit more time

0:37:210:37:24

-and a bit more thought on it...

-Yeah.

0:37:240:37:26

-..and then obviously you get into the rhythm.

-Yeah.

0:37:260:37:29

Oh, Jim!

0:37:290:37:31

-Jim!

-I've lost it, I've just thrown it too thin!

0:37:310:37:34

-No, that's gone, mate.

-Oh, well.

0:37:340:37:35

Just throw really two decent ones.

0:37:350:37:39

HE SIGHS

0:37:390:37:41

Fine specimen if ever there was one.

0:37:410:37:44

Five minutes has gone, you've got 15 left.

0:37:440:37:47

Jim's is looking nicer now.

0:37:500:37:51

There needs to be more definition between the pot and the shoulder.

0:37:510:37:54

-I think he had a shock with that first loss.

-Yeah, yeah.

0:37:540:37:58

Tom's is looking good. A nice poise.

0:37:590:38:02

I would've got my sponge in there

0:38:020:38:03

and just bellied out that a bit more,

0:38:030:38:05

just to give it a fuller figure.

0:38:050:38:08

Usually at this point I go, you enjoying this Throw Down?

0:38:080:38:10

But should I just not bother asking that after...?

0:38:100:38:13

We've been through it, haven't we, with this?

0:38:130:38:15

OK, halfway through, guys, ten minutes left, ten minutes left!

0:38:150:38:18

Take my time with this one.

0:38:180:38:20

Has Matthew taken his time a little bit too much?

0:38:270:38:29

-I'm a little bit concerned.

-Yeah...

0:38:290:38:31

I'm not sure if he's going to have enough time.

0:38:310:38:33

-What's Sally-Jo doing?

-She's got the general concept right.

0:38:330:38:35

-Mm, she has.

-Cos, remember, they don't have to be like mine.

-No.

0:38:350:38:38

They don't have to look exactly the same, it's just the technique.

0:38:380:38:42

Changing the direction of the clay, that's what we're after.

0:38:420:38:45

Sally-Jo has got a huge width there.

0:38:500:38:52

Mmm, far too wide.

0:38:520:38:54

It must be really thin, cos she's got quite a good height there.

0:38:540:38:57

I mean, do you know what?

0:38:570:38:58

We've seen her really come on with her throwing.

0:38:580:39:02

OK, guys, you've got five minutes left. Five minutes left.

0:39:020:39:05

Oh!

0:39:070:39:09

Look, Sally-Jo is losing hers...

0:39:090:39:11

I just gouged it out with the credit card.

0:39:110:39:13

Oh, she caught it with her tool.

0:39:130:39:16

Mind your hair there, Matthew, can you get it over your shoulder?

0:39:190:39:22

I'll do your hair for you.

0:39:220:39:24

Oh, thank you so much.

0:39:250:39:27

There.

0:39:270:39:29

Go, Sally-Jo, come on, centre that clay.

0:39:330:39:36

-Get that bloody arm in! Get that arm in!

-Come on!

0:39:360:39:39

Get your weight behind that!

0:39:390:39:41

Got one minute left, guys, one minute left.

0:39:410:39:43

One minute, Matthew!

0:39:450:39:47

Thank you for reminding me.

0:39:490:39:50

Yeah, no pressure, then.

0:39:500:39:52

Come on, Matthew!

0:39:530:39:55

-Come on, Sally!

-Coming...

0:39:550:39:58

-Five... KATE:

-Sprinting to the end.

0:39:590:40:02

..four, three, two, one!

0:40:020:40:06

BELL RINGS

0:40:060:40:09

Time is up, guys, time is up!

0:40:090:40:12

Has anyone mastered the changes in direction

0:40:130:40:16

a perfect set of jugs demands?

0:40:160:40:19

Starting off with you, sir, Jim's jugs.

0:40:190:40:21

Yeah, obviously, it's gone a bit wrong here, isn't it?

0:40:210:40:23

Jug number two. Much improved.

0:40:230:40:25

Well, obviously you've learned a bit.

0:40:250:40:27

Quite a nice transition between the shoulder and the neck

0:40:270:40:29

and a nice thick rim for that spout.

0:40:290:40:32

That's a really nice cross section there.

0:40:320:40:34

Jug number three, are things getting better?

0:40:340:40:36

Yeah, definitely on a positive path, I think.

0:40:360:40:38

We've got quite a nice transition between shoulder and neck.

0:40:380:40:42

Your rim's far more exaggerated, which is lovely.

0:40:420:40:44

The base is a bit too thin.

0:40:470:40:49

You could've probably used a bit more from the shoulder

0:40:490:40:51

up into your rim, really.

0:40:510:40:53

Number two, there's this cinching in here,

0:40:530:40:56

which it could've been fuller.

0:40:560:40:57

Really nice, definite thick rim, just a bit more substantial there.

0:40:570:41:01

Jug number three, then.

0:41:010:41:02

Well, the profile isn't quite so cinched in,

0:41:020:41:05

-it's beginning to get a bit fuller, isn't it?

-Mmm.

0:41:050:41:07

And then the transition from shoulder to neck is quite good.

0:41:070:41:10

The cross section is far better on this, actually.

0:41:100:41:14

There isn't a brilliant transition from shoulder to neck.

0:41:140:41:17

That's probably the best lips I've seen so far,

0:41:170:41:19

-and the rim is looking really, really nice.

-Jug number two?

0:41:190:41:22

The actual shoulder to the neck is better.

0:41:220:41:25

You've got quite a lot of clay there,

0:41:250:41:27

base is a bit on the thin side.

0:41:270:41:28

-Jug number three?

-This was my two-minute jug.

0:41:280:41:31

I mean, obviously the shoulder's looking a bit weak here.

0:41:310:41:33

There we go. The base is really, really thin on this one.

0:41:330:41:36

Basically, this is an unfinished jug.

0:41:360:41:38

Matthew?

0:41:390:41:41

Nice width at the bottom, very generous rim,

0:41:410:41:44

-possibly too generous.

-Yeah.

0:41:440:41:46

The base is a bit on the thin side, to say the least.

0:41:470:41:50

A nice taper there, to give it support.

0:41:500:41:53

Jug number two, then, Keith?

0:41:530:41:55

Much nicer base, really, really thick on the sides here.

0:41:560:42:00

Jug number three?

0:42:000:42:01

So, really just unfinished in essence, isn't it?

0:42:010:42:03

Yeah, again, just ran out of time.

0:42:030:42:05

The base, a bit on the thin side, bit too thick on the shoulder there.

0:42:050:42:09

So, who will win the final Throw Down?

0:42:120:42:15

Last but no means least...

0:42:150:42:17

Jim. You obviously lost it on the first one.

0:42:170:42:20

In third place,

0:42:200:42:21

Sally-Jo.

0:42:210:42:23

Second place, really nice structure between the shoulder

0:42:230:42:27

and the neck. Nice, thick rims...

0:42:270:42:29

Matthew.

0:42:320:42:33

So, in first place, Tom.

0:42:330:42:35

-Well done, Tom.

-Well done, Tom.

-APPLAUSE

0:42:350:42:38

Oh, to go out on a win with the Throw Down was,

0:42:410:42:44

was absolutely great.

0:42:440:42:46

Very good!

0:42:460:42:48

Remarkably strange to have walked out of that last task

0:42:480:42:51

and realised actually now there's nothing else

0:42:510:42:53

I can do to influence the outcome of this. It's all done!

0:42:530:42:56

I'll be sad not to do any more challenges again.

0:42:560:42:58

I think it'll take a while to readjust to reality.

0:42:580:43:02

It would have been nice to have gone out, you know,

0:43:020:43:04

with a flourish and, you know, all the rest of it.

0:43:040:43:07

I do feel I've let myself down in that respect.

0:43:070:43:09

I've got a first in the Spot Test and a third in the Throw Down

0:43:090:43:13

so I'm, you know, I'm not in a bad position with my tea set, but...

0:43:130:43:16

..I don't think I've done enough.

0:43:180:43:20

It's the final day of The Great Pottery Throw Down.

0:43:250:43:28

It's been a long journey to get here though, what a pleasure.

0:43:280:43:31

-Excited?

-Yeah, can't wait.

0:43:310:43:33

But the potters aren't heading in to the studio...

0:43:330:43:35

-Last time we're going to do this.

-I know, it's amazing!

0:43:350:43:38

..it's been transformed into an exhibition space,

0:43:380:43:41

to showcase everyone's work from the whole competition.

0:43:410:43:44

Oh, wow!

0:43:440:43:45

And the finalists' family and friends are all on the guest list.

0:43:450:43:49

That looks lovely!

0:43:490:43:50

Oh!

0:43:500:43:52

This is the most amazing display.

0:43:520:43:54

There's nothing like when ceramic is finished and then put on show.

0:43:540:43:58

Just seeing it all together. We've been busy!

0:43:580:44:00

-Oh, that's Tom's, yeah.

-That's Tom's.

0:44:000:44:02

It's amazing seeing what they've done and how much they've done

0:44:020:44:05

in such a really quite short period of time.

0:44:050:44:06

There's an overwhelming sense of group pride, I'd say.

0:44:060:44:10

-Oh, the Raku!

-Yeah, those are Raku.

0:44:100:44:13

Sally's chandelier's really lovely, isn't it?

0:44:130:44:15

It works as feathers, hanging in the air.

0:44:150:44:18

If I was a betting person, my money would be on Tom.

0:44:180:44:21

Or possibly Matthew.

0:44:210:44:23

My money was on Tom from day one.

0:44:230:44:25

I think it might be Sally, or Jim

0:44:250:44:26

or Tom, or Matt...

0:44:260:44:29

I think.

0:44:290:44:30

I can't wait to see the tea sets.

0:44:310:44:33

I cannot wait to see the tea sets.

0:44:330:44:35

As we both know, when we open that kiln,

0:44:370:44:40

-we'll have to see what happens.

-Yeah, absolutely,

0:44:400:44:42

take those bricks down. I mean, it's the gas kiln, isn't it?

0:44:420:44:45

And it does this magical work, we hope, for all of them.

0:44:450:44:47

Let's get these out.

0:44:470:44:48

Jim's piece has got a bit oxidised, hasn't it, there? Look.

0:44:480:44:51

-Oh, yeah.

-I mean, that's essentially the same glaze.

0:44:510:44:53

You can see the variation in the colour

0:44:530:44:55

and this is the difference the reduction atmosphere makes.

0:44:550:44:58

Yeah, so this one's been reduced and this one's been oxidised.

0:44:580:45:02

-Sally-Jo's surfaces are just so beautiful.

-Beautiful.

0:45:020:45:05

One thing I did notice as they were decorating

0:45:050:45:08

and glazing their tea sets, finish is everything.

0:45:080:45:10

Did they glaze them and wipe those bottoms,

0:45:100:45:13

-finish those bottoms off properly?

-Cos these glazes can slip...

0:45:130:45:17

-They shift.

-..down the pots and they could glue the pieces

0:45:170:45:19

-to the kiln shelves.

-Yeah.

0:45:190:45:20

Oh!

0:45:220:45:23

The base on Tom's... If the glaze isn't wiped back well enough,

0:45:250:45:29

the slightest bit of residue can just fuse that to the shelf

0:45:290:45:32

and then as it's cooled the pot shrunk.

0:45:320:45:34

Where it's stuck, it's just pulled itself to pieces.

0:45:340:45:37

That's such a pity, such a pity.

0:45:370:45:40

Sally-Jo's pieces are so thin, just become so fluid in the kiln...

0:45:400:45:45

Appears this piece has stuck.

0:45:450:45:46

Going to just see if we can just gentle leverage...

0:45:460:45:49

Yeah, it's going to go. Yes...

0:45:490:45:53

Things become so fluid at top temperature, the clay moves.

0:45:530:45:57

-Such a pity.

-Mmm.

0:45:570:46:00

This far! This far from being good.

0:46:000:46:02

-All right, Jim.

-Hello there, Matt.

0:46:120:46:14

-How's it looking? You chuffed?

-All right, yeah.

-Pleased?

0:46:140:46:17

-How are yours?

-They are not too unhappy, actually.

0:46:170:46:20

Shaking head? No...! Surely?

0:46:210:46:23

It's terrible...

0:46:230:46:24

I'd rather just maybe not show it.

0:46:240:46:26

-Wow, that looks amazing!

-Mixed bag actually, guys.

0:46:260:46:29

CLINKING

0:46:290:46:31

Oh, yeowch, what's that from?

0:46:310:46:33

-The teapot.

-Oh, no!

0:46:330:46:36

The whole idea of gluing a pot together is rather strange.

0:46:360:46:40

Even if I glue it, you can't get a mug on it.

0:46:400:46:42

Do some shenanigans with the cake stand.

0:46:420:46:44

Doesn't look too bad!

0:46:460:46:48

-Tea, anybody?

-HE CHUCKLES

0:46:550:46:57

-Judges, would you like to start with Sally-Jo, please?

-Yeah.

0:47:130:47:17

Did you know that the lace and the coloured oxides

0:47:330:47:36

were going to be quite so beautiful?

0:47:360:47:38

I hoped.

0:47:380:47:39

Because really the surface of this is absolutely exquisite.

0:47:390:47:44

It's quite incredible how you've got this effect.

0:47:440:47:47

-Yeah.

-It really is.

0:47:470:47:48

-But that is the best thing about this service, don't we know?

-Yeah.

0:47:480:47:51

You've got two cracked handles. I take it this was done on the drying.

0:47:510:47:54

-I should've got them on sooner.

-But do you know what?

0:47:540:47:57

I actually quite like the shape of that cup.

0:47:570:47:59

I think the weight is too heavy and I was concerned

0:47:590:48:01

when you were making, had you rolled your slabs a little thinner,

0:48:010:48:04

-it would have been finer.

-I mean, I haven't even picked this up yet...

0:48:040:48:08

It's heavy.

0:48:100:48:11

Now, I'm thinking that this might not actually hold tea.

0:48:110:48:15

I think there's a few crack issues in this.

0:48:150:48:17

-Oh!

-Oh...!

-Straight away. OK.

0:48:190:48:22

-No.

-It's not holding the tea.

0:48:220:48:23

It's not even useful as a watering can.

0:48:230:48:25

Your making's let you down.

0:48:250:48:27

A shame because really the most beautiful thing

0:48:270:48:29

is the delicate surface.

0:48:290:48:31

You have managed to use the glaze really, really well

0:48:530:48:57

on your surface design and the tenmoku works really well

0:48:570:49:01

with the celadon, the way it bleeds down.

0:49:010:49:04

I think you're very bold with your use of glaze.

0:49:040:49:06

I like the way it's moved, there's a sort of rawness to it.

0:49:060:49:09

-It's definitely not a fine tea set.

-No, no.

0:49:090:49:12

Looking at the whole set, you've got this great rhythm.

0:49:120:49:15

The pieces turn on the wheel and you've really shown us that

0:49:150:49:18

by doing some spirals, by marking it.

0:49:180:49:21

Actually, I'm amazed that the handle has actually stayed on.

0:49:210:49:26

It's got a freshness to it, it's got a spring in the handle there,

0:49:260:49:30

which is, actually, it's a miracle.

0:49:300:49:33

It's not easy to do. Credit to your technical ability.

0:49:330:49:36

-It holds a lot!

-I'm quite amazed with that.

0:49:380:49:40

Yeah. It's like the TARDIS!

0:49:400:49:42

Well, he has got a bow tie on after all.

0:49:420:49:45

Is it dribbling?

0:49:450:49:46

-Yeah, there's a little dribble.

-A tiny, tiny bit.

0:49:480:49:50

It does hold together.

0:49:500:49:51

It really does sit in front of us as a 12-piece tea set.

0:49:510:49:54

I love the tonal changes between the sort of different firing positions

0:50:110:50:14

in the kiln, and the rich turquoise, to the more sagey green.

0:50:140:50:18

I do love the delicacy that you've got with the tea cup.

0:50:180:50:21

It's porcelain and it looks like porcelain.

0:50:210:50:23

The saucer has got a really lovely spring in it,

0:50:230:50:27

it's really nice and fresh.

0:50:270:50:28

You put an iron oxide rim on here, did you?

0:50:280:50:30

Yes, they seem to have burnt away,

0:50:300:50:32

so that was a little bit disappointing.

0:50:320:50:34

I think you were a little sparse when you put your little tiny dots

0:50:340:50:37

above these little tiny nibs here, I thought they were a bit spare.

0:50:370:50:40

For me, that's a lot of decoration on a pot,

0:50:400:50:42

so the subtlety I was quite pleased with.

0:50:420:50:45

But what happened here, Tom?

0:50:450:50:46

Do you know, I was meticulous about cleaning the bases off.

0:50:460:50:49

-Unfortunate, that.

-You can't be too careful, can you?

0:50:490:50:51

-With all the precautions.

-Absolutely not.

-No, no.

0:50:510:50:53

The lid fits nicely,

0:50:530:50:55

you've put your maker's mark on the middle of the lid.

0:50:550:50:57

It's a delight to see, isn't it?

0:50:570:50:59

-Shall we do the honours?

-Shall we have a look?

0:50:590:51:01

It's pouring well, dripping slightly.

0:51:030:51:05

It's really nicely finished off, but then I would expect that from Tom.

0:51:050:51:09

How are you feeling?

0:51:270:51:29

Nervous.

0:51:290:51:30

Well, do you know what, Jim?

0:51:300:51:32

HE LAUGHS

0:51:320:51:35

-This is fantastic.

-It's fantastic.

-Really?

0:51:350:51:38

-This detail is absolutely brilliant.

-Making my eyes water, actually.

0:51:380:51:43

God, even Jim's got a tear in his eye.

0:51:430:51:45

The beautiful, gentle marks that you made with the cog,

0:51:450:51:48

the way you use that brush, it's one of the most successful

0:51:480:51:51

decorative surfaces I've seen in reduced porcelain.

0:51:510:51:53

Some of these have changed colour, it's obviously all the same glaze,

0:51:530:51:56

-just in different parts of the kiln.

-That's right.

0:51:560:51:58

So that's the draught coming across one piece of ceramics

0:51:580:52:01

and giving us two different colours.

0:52:010:52:04

-But, Jim...

-Beautiful.

-Jim.

-Yes...

0:52:040:52:06

You're doing a delicate handle here, it's porcelain.

0:52:060:52:09

You should appreciate your handles.

0:52:090:52:11

I'm used to stoneware where you can literally pull a handle wet

0:52:110:52:14

on a fairly leather hard pot.

0:52:140:52:15

You ain't going to do that with porcelain.

0:52:150:52:17

-I mean, I realise that.

-Your bottoms are the neatest that I've seen.

0:52:170:52:20

Very nicely finished.

0:52:200:52:22

Now, Jim...

0:52:220:52:24

-Is that putty, Jim?

-It's clay, actually.

0:52:240:52:26

OK, the plus is, it looks very organic, doesn't it?

0:52:260:52:29

-It looks like roots of a tree. But...

-Yeah...

0:52:290:52:32

..there's no way that was going to sit on there.

0:52:320:52:35

-Shame about this though, isn't it?

-Yeah, you've got a cracking there,

0:52:350:52:38

again it's an appendage on to the main body.

0:52:380:52:40

Kate, the honours.

0:52:420:52:43

-Nice pour, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's got the drip...

0:52:440:52:47

It's got a slight drip.

0:52:470:52:48

Few structural issues, but that design, perfect.

0:52:480:52:52

I felt a certain degree of triumph to see Keith

0:53:050:53:08

getting a bit emotional, but to see Kate going down that road as well...

0:53:080:53:12

I found myself going down the same street,

0:53:130:53:15

so it was kind of like, "Whoa, hold off a minute!

0:53:150:53:17

"What's going on here?!"

0:53:170:53:19

I was genuinely surprised that they found so many nice things

0:53:190:53:21

to say about it.

0:53:210:53:23

If I have won, well, you know, I'll be delighted.

0:53:230:53:26

If I don't win, I'll be really happy that I've made a tea set

0:53:260:53:29

and I'm pretty proud of that tea set.

0:53:290:53:31

You are your own worst critic so...

0:53:310:53:33

you know, I just see the faults in mine,

0:53:330:53:36

but, you know, I suppose, yes, there is a possible chance.

0:53:360:53:39

I don't know if I'm in with a chance, to be honest.

0:53:390:53:42

Would be great, though, wouldn't it? Yeah!

0:53:420:53:45

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

0:53:490:53:54

Excellent!

0:53:540:53:56

Quite a sweet sight, innit?

0:53:580:54:00

In just a few minutes,

0:54:000:54:01

either Sally-Jo, Tom, Matthew or Jim

0:54:010:54:06

will be crowned the winner of The Great Pottery Throw Down.

0:54:060:54:10

Let's talk about Sally-Jo.

0:54:100:54:12

Look, her surface design, the colour choices she's made

0:54:120:54:15

are absolutely fantastic,

0:54:150:54:17

but on her technical ability, it's really let her down.

0:54:170:54:20

The wow factor with Tom is attention to detail.

0:54:200:54:24

We know he's technically proficient.

0:54:240:54:26

He's shown us a real delicacy with his cups and saucers.

0:54:260:54:29

He's high in our minds because he has produced a beautiful tea set.

0:54:290:54:33

Matthew has produced a really strong kind of boyish tea set.

0:54:330:54:37

It's got lovely coarseness, a sort of slightly engineered look to it.

0:54:370:54:41

He's used the glazes perfectly on the rims of his whole tea set.

0:54:410:54:45

He just has this great knowledge,

0:54:450:54:47

this, like, sixth sense of how to use the glazes.

0:54:470:54:51

Jim's surface pattern, it's so fantastic.

0:54:510:54:54

He uses the brush like a magician.

0:54:540:54:56

It's just so simple and so, so effective.

0:54:560:54:59

Does that mean that you are willing to overlook

0:54:590:55:01

-any of the construction issues?

-Oh, well, you know,

0:55:010:55:04

this is something that we're going to have to discuss.

0:55:040:55:06

The three of them all have been top potters, all the way through.

0:55:060:55:10

-Who's it going to be?

-Can you give us a few more minutes?

0:55:100:55:13

I think I'm going to have to.

0:55:130:55:14

APPLAUSE

0:55:170:55:19

It is so fantastic seeing so many family and friends here

0:55:220:55:27

and, of course, all our potters, past and present. Welcome all.

0:55:270:55:32

Will our four finalists please step forward?

0:55:320:55:35

The judges have made their decision

0:55:440:55:47

and the winner of The Great Pottery Throw Down is...

0:55:470:55:51

..Matthew.

0:56:050:56:06

-Well done, mate!

-Well done.

0:56:100:56:12

-Right decision.

-Well done, Matthew.

-Go on, mate, go!

0:56:150:56:19

Collect your trophy!

0:56:190:56:20

-Thank you.

-Congratulations.

-Cheers.

0:56:210:56:24

-Fantastic. Really, really good. Well done, mate.

-Thank you.

0:56:240:56:27

-Well done.

-Well done, huh?

-Well done.

0:56:270:56:29

'What a pleasure to present the trophy to young Matthew.'

0:56:290:56:32

He's really been consistently there, hasn't he?

0:56:320:56:35

Top potter, top potter, top potter. Really applied himself.

0:56:350:56:38

CHEERING

0:56:380:56:41

'What Matthew did to win this contest was he married design'

0:56:410:56:45

with technical ability and a real knowledge

0:56:450:56:47

and a sense and a love of ceramics.

0:56:470:56:50

Really and truly, he's got a soul for it.

0:56:500:56:53

I think emotions are difficult. Words can't describe it, really.

0:56:530:56:56

Amazing. And thank my mother and father for introducing me to clay.

0:56:560:57:01

He's a natural.

0:57:020:57:04

I think it's like he's got clay in the blood and slip in his brains

0:57:040:57:08

and, you know, just...

0:57:080:57:10

It's definitely gone to the right guy, yeah.

0:57:100:57:12

Come here, mwah!

0:57:120:57:13

He's got that youthful thing in his work, it's almost nonchalance.

0:57:130:57:16

"Yeah, well, I knocked up that and I knocked up this."

0:57:160:57:19

Fantastic, you know.

0:57:190:57:20

Your father's a great potter.

0:57:200:57:22

The thing I'm going to miss most is the most amazing people.

0:57:230:57:26

We come from such diverse backgrounds,

0:57:260:57:29

but we're completely bonded by the same thing.

0:57:290:57:32

This passion to create and work with clay, that's what I'm going to miss.

0:57:320:57:36

Anyone deserved this and we all deserve it.

0:57:360:57:39

If I could break it up into ten shards, I would,

0:57:390:57:42

but it would be a shame to ruin a pot, wouldn't it?

0:57:420:57:46

MUSIC: Don't Ever Change by The Kinks

0:57:460:57:50

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