Original subtitles

No, this isn't the bit between the programs

in the 1960's.

It's week two and I'm determined to nail this.

Welcome back to The Great Pottery Throw Down.

Previously on The Great Pottery Throw Down.

Parish councillor took on a builder.

This is where the panic kicks in.

An interior designer.

Take a deep breath and see what happens.

A project manager. -These are small ones.

A farmer's daughter.

These pots are an ode to my granny's.

A vet. -Breaks my heart.

And a rock and roll singer.

Put your feet up watch everyone else panicking.

But it was retired army major Tom who triumphed.

Just dip and pray.

And became the competition's first

top potter.

And with Matthew just clinging on,

Rekia was asked to leave the pottery.

If it was down to attitude Rekia wins hands down.

Yes.

Now ceramic artist Kate Malone

and master potter Keith Brymer Jones

have set 3 more challenges.

You're not going to get it in tonight.

Including a huge main make.

Oh my God.

For the smallest room. -Fantastic.

A spot test. -I haven't started.

That requires instant creativity.

I feel like I'm 6 year old in an art lesson.

It will be play time soon.

And a throw down that no one saw coming.

Nice and delicate there Jane, well done.

Well, it's first time I have been called delicate.

Thank you very much.

Middleport works around the clock.

And with Reika heading home they are about

to embark on another grueling week.

At the end of which one potter will have to leave.

Good evening Potters, welcome back to the pottery.

Hello.

We are about to unveil your latest main make.

What is it Kate?

You have to make a wash basin

and you are gonna be making it using hand rolled coils.

What I wanna see is originality.

You're making something you cant get in the shops

and I want that extra 10% please, really go for it.

Now this basin

wants to be no more than 40 cms wide, 17 cms deep,

and to fit a conventional British standard plug,

32 ml wide.

So, you've got 7 days to make fire

and decorate your basins

and then present them to the judges.

Are you ready? Lets do it.

Okay and calm. Lets make this basin.

Creating a spectacular washbasin

is a daunting task but doing it all by hand makes

it an epic test of the potter's touch and creativity.

First of all they'll have to use coils of clay

to build their basins, dry them over night,

trim and hand finish them.

Dry them over night again

before their first 24-hour firing.

Then they will be glazed, fired for a final time

and presented to Kate and Keith.

Ceramics is used in many parts of the house,

and here we are in the bathroom.

Yeah, we are actually asking them to coil a basin.

What we really want to see is them using

with the coiling technique is

rolling good and consistent coils.

They need to be round, they can be flat.

But also we want to see the bond between

the two coils that's a weak point.

But I want to see them really from

the start knitting those coils together.

It has to be practical, this is a real practical object.

The potters need to really think about fitting

the plug nice and flush otherwise it's gonna leak

and you can't have a leaky basin.

I think they are gonna have a lot of fun with this one.

In this first stage the potters have three hours

to build the basic structure of their basins.

They're using a technique over 15,000 years old.

Hand rolling ropes of clay and then coiling them

one on top of the other.

Long before the wheel, this method enabled humans

to build taller and thicker vessels

than anything made before.

I love this technique, twist your hands

and a bit of clay, we're back to basics.

My experience of coil pottery is very limited.

Mainly 'cause I don't like coil pottery.

It's not something I choose to do

I think of any other method of making.

When I am trying to roll it into a perfect sausage

it's kind of going flat like that.

Which my students will enjoy seeing

because that's what happens to them

and I say, "Guys you are just not doing it right."

Mr. Wilcock he's a very exciting teacher.

He like to crack a few jokes,

he does makes a very enjoyable lesson.

When I first saw we gonna do ceramics,

I was like...

Because thought we were making pots all day

but he's made it really fun.

I really like his hair.

Yeah, his hair is really cool.

It's a mould I have made myself,

however, it's not the best mould in the world

'cause I dropped it as soon as it was dry

'cause I was in such a rush.

The potters may use a forma or mould

to hold their basin shape as they build

but only Matthew has made his own.

My plan for attack is build the basin within the plant pot.

Lets give it a go.

Basically mirroring the colander then it will hold up.

Not done many of these.

None, so it's a little bit risky.

One potter has raided

their children's toy cupboard to get the perfect shape.

This is a space hopper, filled with air.

I have taken some of the air out.

If I use my legs to push it together I will be able to move

and manipulate to get it into the form that I want.

This is hours of sustained physical exercise.

It will be fine, she says.

First week we were going out together,

saying Jane getting stuck into potting.

I just thought it was amazing. Someone creating something

that good right in front of your eyes.

The kids love the fact that she is created these pots

and then they love eating their breakfast out of them as well.

Mummy, did you make the big pots in the gardens?

- Yes I did. -I like them.

And it's the garden

that Jane's drawn inspiration form for her basin.

Tell us what you're doing please Jane.

I am taking inspiration from the flower form.

Pansies, playing God a little bit.

In that I'm just undulating this back form

and that's where the tap will come through.

It's very nice to see some asymmetry,

because that's what you can do with hand building, isn't?

Yeah.

Starting off like this

and then I'm gonna flip it over onto my forma.

I'm using half a globe wrapped in an old sheet.

Sandra has taken

the hand building brief further than anyone else.

I'm going to be building without a form really.

I haven't got a form. I don't want one actually,

'cause it doesn't make sense to me.

She is planning a contemporary

free form oval basin.

I am going to put this in here to support it.

It's very common in African countries to build upside down.

I say it is common, I have watched it on YouTube.

Creating like a crosshatch pattern on the clay and then

then you put some water on top it almost acts like a network

and a glue to then stick the clay together.

This is a technique potters

called scoring & slipping.

Which helps to bonds the coils together.

But if they leave any air between the bonded coils

it will expand in the heat of the kiln.

Causing them to rip apart, destroying the basin.

Really making sure I crosshatch and get my scores very deep.

Smooth all the clay together, really compress it

and hope that I don't get any cracks.

Here is my tangerine dream.

Does that feel as good as it looks it feels?

Yeah, it do.

I'm actually building

a sink that's gonna lock at the top of a pipe.

I do take inspirations from the work I do on a day to day basis.

Is it true that your Mrs. says, "Lets find you a hobby."

You plumped for a bit of pottery.

Yeah.

And now your Mrs. is like, "Why did I suggest the hobby?

And now don't how my husband looks like.

'Cause he's off doing clay stuff all the time."

- Is that true? -Basically yes.

What a lovely wife though to look after you like that.

- She's there. -Here she is.

She is lovely and you got two daughters.

Not three wives.

Matthew is going beyond just

building with his coils.

I have got swirly design with coils.

It's strikes me that's the reason for coil building.

I love traditional techniques, old techniques.

My tutor at uni always said I was

born a few generations too late.

But Matthew's coil design technique

is more than a few generations old.

I was the very earliest coiling pottery.

Appears to be decorative in the Neolithic period.

Even with functional pots

they used to find all kinds of beautiful patterning.

There seems to be this desire for decoration.

It's almost a profound need

to decorate an object that you've made.

And so, you'll find all kinds

of beautiful linear patterning on these vessels.

It's not just Matthew that's rediscovered

the ancient profound need to decorate with coils.

I wanted to show that you

could do something really good with coils.

Here we go, nicely smooth on the inside.

And the outside surface should expose the nice shape....

secret.

Is there a secret technique I should know about?

I thought we were here to help each other Tom.

Absolutely, but not too much.

You're getting competitive Tom?

It's almost like you wanna win or something.

It's almost as if he wants to be potter of the week.

He just wants to take part.

Pack it in chaps.

Tom is competitive, I think you have to be

from the background he's had in the army.

Pottery is fantastic.

You want to do some drawing, on here.

When my dad's potting

I miss him but at the same time I'm proud of him.

I don't like some of his jugs and his cups.

- What? -'Cause I don't like them.

I don't feel particularly under pressure, that might change.

Potter's, one hour. You have one hour remaining.

I get quite anxious in that last hour, it's going by.

I'm gonna go for it hell for leather.

Jim thinks he's found a way

of easing time pressure.

As you can see, I'm actually making this very big coils.

What I do, squash that to size like that

and you're sort of saving every other time

with the number of coils you are making.

He really enjoys potting.

I think that was how he met my mum.

Well, I went to do the pottery classes

and Jim sold his mugs and pots and things to the class.

I bought a mug. It wasn't love at first sight.

But it wasn't until 2 years down the line

that we actually got together as couple.

Does she still have that mug?

He borrowed it, put it on the top of his van

and drove off with it on the top of the van.

So, I have never let him forget that he broke my mug

that brought us together.

- How is it going then? -I think it's going all right.

I've got into a bit of a panic at the start

'cause I wanted to get as much done as quickly as possible.

'Cause I don't make pots, I have never made one.

- Have you not? -No.

- Its big. -Yeah.

Bath one of my kids in there. The 10 year old.

My idea is to have it really smooth inside the bowl.

And then I want to pull that up and create

a very kind of free fluid kind of organic edging to it.

It's gonna be high textured.

And just trying create a bit more drama,

so rather having a prefect round bowl

I want it to actually be quite imperfect.

The potters are approaching

the end of the building stage

and James is adding a little texture

to the rim of his basin.

I'm gonna have just check it doesn't get too sharp as well.

'Cause sometimes when you pull clay to quite an edge

it can be a bit sharp so the last thing you want

to do is like cut your hands as you

kind of going into the basin.

I keep changing my mind what to do.

Sally Jo still hasn't decided

on the shape of her sink.

I was just going to be circular,

basically mirroring the colander.

And I was originally just gonna keep it round

with a straight rim.

But actually I thought I could make

something more sculptural of it.

So, I have completely changed what I was gonna do.

I am literally making it up as I go along.

Okay guys you really need to be finishing up now.

- You've got 15 minutes left. -Bugger.

The hand built structures the potters commit

to the drying process can't be altered.

Their sink shape is about to be fixed.

I really hope this technical will stand up.

I think the principal of this definitely works,

I have seen it done before.

It's starting to sag now that's the thing.

I'm gonna put a rim on top of that pot

to create a nice finish.

Do this quick and then put it back in or it can collapse.

I actually broke in two pieces which I wasn't planning for

with 10 minutes to go.

So, not quite sure where to go with this actually.

Don't spoil now.

Come on baby, I know it will work.

Just centring myself, back in the room.

This will hopefully prevent it from slumping and making me cry.

I think I might just

put another piece of this and splice a piece in.

Take a breath, don't panic.

30 seconds guys.

30 seconds, put a blanket over them, give them kisses.

More, more, more.

- Okay five, four, three, two, one step back please.

It's very feminine bowl, isn't it?

Are you trying to say it's a bit vaginal?

- You are, aren't you? -Its gorgeous.

You clearly haven't seen enough of them.

That's all I am saying.

♪ A bit day with the rising sun ♪

Despite a late finish,

the potters are straight back to work.

Their sinks have dried over night.

But before they can continue working

they will have to free them from their Forma's

I'll just turn it over and lift it off.

Cracking is the thing I'm a little bit concerned about,

if I'm honest.

I can see you're just at the verge of turning it over.

I am, yes.

So, we can watch and see the inside.

So' we'll watch, yeah. No pressure.

I do love this bit but

I also have a lot of trepidation that goes into it.

Hand coiled clay has a high risk

of cracking during drying.

But freeing the sinks could make those cracks much worse.

Moment of truth.

Yeah, I'm fairly happy with that. A little bit of tiding up.

Go easy, go easy.

- Are you pleased with that? -Yeah.

- I think it's okay. -It's not in good shape

but I think I can say it was well done.

Bloody hell that weighs a ton.

Oh my God Matt. Beautifully done.

The power of the dreadlocks.

I'm just gonna cut the mould in half. Get it off now.

Yes, it's coming out all right.

I think that's all right.

Come on baby.

The potter's now have 90 minutes

to hand finish the surface of their dried basins.

It's still quite malleable and I can cut away.

I'm just gonna give it a little bit of something.

It's a wonderfully therapeutic thing to do.

Yesterday, lump of clay and now we've got these things

that have risen out of nothing.

This is the opportunity for

them to do something special for themselves.

This is their character.

There is a certain amount of poetic license here.

This will be smooth.

Just have to keep working it and working it and working it.

Pottery is a form of meditation.

I had a lot of sadness at the beginning

of last year when my husband past away.

About probably two months I didn't make anything.

But I did play with clay a lot.

And it was a way of releasing emotions.

Since Mel passed on it's something she can do.

It's something she can go out and put her soul into.

It has helped her throughout the last 16 odd months, a lot.

This is called sprigging. You have a plaster mould.

In this case I have three ammonites and a trilobite.

Press the clay into the mould like soap.

I have quite an extensive fossil collection.

These little chaps are 435 million years old.

But I just love them, geology it's a bit like clay

because it's all about the earth

from when it was a ball of molten lava right up to today.

What is clay?

If you think of volcanoes and you think of magma,

heat, very, very hot.

The weather in action of that magma creates clay.

So, it's the wearing down process over millions

and millions of years that creates these flat platelets

that you can slide bit of water it sticks together.

And it tells you the whole history of the planet.

And it's fascinating, absolutely fascinating.

Geology is the only subject

that I was ever any good at or really enjoyed.

The finishing on Jim's first ever attempt,

a coil pot is also inspired by the natural world.

The idea is nautical theme, turtle image.

I have always had a thing for turtles

they are sort of the granddaddies

of the ocean kind of thing.

They live to great ages and I have always

had a sentimental thing for them.

Having changed her mind about

the shape of her basin, Sally Jo is working on the design.

Well, originally it was inspired by nature.

I'm gonna create two rivers

and a couple of fish on the bottom one.

And they are gonna be gold to relate to the colour of the tap.

I'm pleased I changed the shape with this.

It's not what I planned but now I'm pleased

I think it's a much nicer shape now.

Having textured the rim of his basin,

James is now working on the inside.

It's kind of rock inspired, so the sea side rather

than forcing it to become a sink.

I want it to almost look like as though someone has found it

and thought that will make a good sink. So, that's the idea.

So, all textures, all edges, I have noticed I'm the only one

really in the room doing that. So, it's a bit of a gamble.

Confidence is a big thing for James.

It was just four years ago

that he really sort of took on pottery.

He brought his first pieces home and sort of thought,

"This is interesting,

I am sure it can be worked on a little bit."

And just even a month later they were incredible.

A heat shaped dish, he made that for me.

It's a really nice crimpled edge, and I think he likes

to sort of emphasize, that's his style.

So, James it's nice to see that texture.

Pushing, squeezing. -Really?

- Yeah, I mean it. -On the basin?

Yeah, wait till the end. Lets see, Mr. Practical.

Okay.

I'm sure it will split their opinion.

I don't think Keith is looking

at it too favourably at the moment. But what can you do?

I have chosen the bed and now I have got to lie on it.

I love it, it's a beautiful form, it's so simple form.

Simple forms are often just the best.

When people wash their hands in that

they're gonna be transported to aspect or Greek times.

They're just textures that I have had

all the kids do from school.

That is so nice, basically you are put the children

to work when you teach at this school.

Nigel, how are you getting on?

More or less there.

The finishing on Nigel's basin

is as straight forward as its design.

That's the building side.

Yeah, that's the builders side of you.

I'm sort of liking this character coming out of you.

I probably would have used a different process

to make the sink.

I could over work it to make it too

crisp but then you kind of think,

"Well, what was the point in coiling it?"

Yeah, sure.

- It's a bit... -But it's amazing, isn't it?

That the simpler the form sometimes

the harder it is to actually

Yeah, to get the crispness of it.

- That's it. -Smooth it off a bit.

Sandra's simple form is still standing

without its paper support.

It's not a flowery thing,

it's very contemporary look I'm going for.

Beautiful bellies, sexy really.

I say sexy, I tell you now, too late.

I do remember being younger,

she used to make bowls with paper Mache.

I remember her being really frustrated

that it wouldn't come out the shape that she wanted it.

So, it's seems the movement from that to clay

was just a natural progression.

I like she makes from the crockery,

the plate and stuffs.

When I have friends around they're like...

Yeah, my mum made that. We don't go to Ikea for nothing.

How does your mum cope with stress and pressure?

She doesn't.

Smoothing is something I do all the time

but the time constraints is what's killing me.

With every smoothing stroke,

Sandra's unsupported basin will move

which could weaken the clay.

I'm a bit scared.

Keep powering through you'll be rich.

Sandra, I brought some tights with me.

Tie them round and they support your bowl.

Excellent idea.

They're black I thought I bought flesh coloured.

Flesh clothes are on your flesh or my flesh.

Sweetie. -It is all about the colour.

I don't want it too kind of perfect.

So, I have just pushed and pulled it a big,

chopped a few bits out, curled a couple of sections in.

As well as finishing their surfaces....

This was a nightlight.

There is another feature

to add before the basins head to the kiln.

And I think it's the right size for the plug.

They must cut a hole for a standard British plug.

But as clay shrinks in the kiln by up to 15%.

See how it goes, trial by fire.

I have to double check it.

It isn't straight forward.

Work out shrinkage. I don't guess at all,

I just know exactly what it's gonna be.

It's a really ropey hole.

It's a sink.

How are you for time do you think, hang on?

One minute potters.

In which case I am quite pushed for time.

Yeah, I'm pretty confident I got it about right.

All under control.

With their surfaces finished

the basins will now have to dry before their first firing.

Go on Nigel.

Because of their size it's a process

that will take 72 hours.

The potters face an agonizing wait.

It's our technician Richie's job

to get the basins to their first firing.

All the basins have had a couple of day's to dry.

I'm just gonna be really cautious to make sure all of

this makes it to the kiln safely.

Well, given the sheer size of the basins,

this won't be a standard biscuit firing.

As you can see from Sally Jo's piece here

there is still a lot of moisture left in the clay.

You wouldn't normally fire the pots

with them in this sort of state.

Otherwise these pots would just explode in the kiln

and I wouldn't be very popular.

So, that's why I'm gonna put

a 50 degree firing on for the night.

It's not gonna be hot enough for the water to boil

but it'll just allow for that moisture to come off the clay.

And then tomorrow this will go on

for a standard biscuit firing straight up to 900 degrees.

Which will turn it from clay into ceramic.

That's our kiln loaded and ready to go on.

It's the day before the judges decide

which potter will have to leave Middleport.

And they've come up with a surprise challenge

that will test them on their technique

that flourished during Stoke-on-Trent's hay day

and is still used today.

Hello potters, welcome to your spot test.

This is where you get to show Kate and Keith

just how good you are at a particular pottery technique.

This week, we want to see how you are with surface decoration.

Underneath your clothes you will find exactly

what is you're gonna literally make you mark on.

Oh, Tiles.

Nine tiles that need to be decorated.

We're talking texture, pattern and design.

Now, there's various ways you can do this.

Inlaying, scratching, scouring.

The judges won't be in here for this spot test.

Okay Kate and Keith you are excused.

Potters you have 90 minutes, starting now.

90 minutes, nine tiles, could be a complete disaster.

There's no pictures to take inspiration from.

You can't go for a walk for half an hour and come back.

It's just literally like design something now,

get on with it.

I want to see a sense of rhythm, a sense of pattern

and I'd like to see them really concentrating

on giving us a clear message.

My main concern is that they over think it

and that the design surface pattern is too fussy.

But then in the same breath they could actually simplify it

and make it really boring.

Doing patterns is one of my biggest nightmare.

I have nine random tiles

and that's what you are gonna get nine random tiles.

Initially, I thought.

I'm making flowers, tying it together with a sort of motify,

sort of thing.

Butterflies, they're just a beautiful graphic image.

See what the judges say.

Has everyone started?

I'm just to try stray away

from doing the same thing over and over again.

This is a porcupine quill.

I lived in Zimbabwe for a couple of years

and picked this up walking through the bush

and it is the best tool.

Tom's not the only one

who thinks he's got a secret weapon.

Got my name on it.

Hi, Nigel. I've got a gift for you.

Judges aren't in for this spot test.

And why are they not in for this spot test?

So, they don't know who's is who's.

And what have you put on yours?

- Put your name all over it. -They might not see.

There is only one Nigel sunshine, so...

So, you saying I can't use that one?

You can't use that one.

45 minutes remaining.

I have just glimpsed behind me at Tom.

I'm doing some inlay.

That's a really nice idea.

Everybody is different.

Good to know who wants to be normal.

Me.

No, you got a long way to go Jim.

This kind of surface decoration,

I feel like a 6 year old in an art lesson.

It will be playtime soon you can go outside and do some skipping.

- Can I have a chocolate bar? -And a glass of milk.

Potty people we have 30 minutes remaining.

- Oh, no.

Normally this would be my thing. I love creating texture in clay,

but I think the square title thing has just thrown me,

I think it's really restricted me.

That tile has been disqualified

and that is the tile I'm happy with.

This is me replacement tile, it's quite simple.

This feathery thing going on I quite like that.

I'm just playing around with geometric patterns.

Creativity is quite difficult when you are under pressure.

Well, it's a challenge for a reason.

I've figured this would've gone concentric design

so they all link together but I don't like it.

It's just a rim but I need to get it on quite quickly.

So, any final touches now guys you need to be doing it now.

Time goes so quickly during these spot challenges.

The overriding theme is panic.

Where's the wide one gone in the middle?

Yeah, it just isn't right.

Have you winged it a little bit?

- No, I've used my intuition. -That's the word.

I wanna give Tom something to worry about.

I think he's getting a bit confident.

Okay potters times up. Step back from your tiles please.

Sorry.

Please bring your tiles forward ready for judging.

♪ It's all too beautiful ♪

Nine sets of tiles but Kate and Keith

have no idea who's is who's.

So, shall we look at these set here.

Yeah, lets have a look.

Could have been a bit more creative I think.

Lacking different decorative skills.

I think so yeah. Let's have a look at these.

A bit sparse and this one's a bit obvious, don't you think?

Yeah I do.

Now, this person's obviously gone for a theme.

I think this looks great.

A good use of the different types of colour.

There is a continuity.

There is a freshness, the actual design idea.

A Lovely use of the two clays.

Again, a mixture of different techniques

and this great border.

Amazing border, really lovely.

And they've obviously made it like a panel.

Moving along.

See someone here has obviously followed a theme.

So, they've got sort of abstract butterfly

right through to a very literal one.

And there is almost a sort of encaustic look here.

Yeah, actually like the old Victorian tiles.

These are very contemporary, aren't they?

I like the use of relief work here

where one's embossed, one's in relief.

And that's actually quiet difficult to do.

The person who's used that has held their tool properly.

They've sort of stood properly

and they've made the right marks.

I think that's really strong set.

They all hang well together, don't they?

Yes, in fact they are all identical actually.

Is this the only person that has decided on a design?

Not totally identical actually.

They've been conscious of the colours of clay.

This is interesting.

- Isn't it? -That's really nice.

Sort of blending of the one to the other.

And the dynamic of this is absolutely gorgeous.

Whoever it is, they've gone in with this tool

and they've actually

thought about which direction they've gone in.

So, that's a really concise and clear message.

And this one. This is the first one where it's really started

- to come up as the tile. -Bit dull.

Something could've been done with more clarity.

Yes.

The spot test is ranked.

9th place is the one an the end here.

So, whose is this? Number nine.

- That's mine. -James.

Just not well executed and we wanted to see you showing off.

Yeah, absolutely.

And in 8th place, we've got this one over on this side.

- Yeah, that's mine.

You could have showed us a bit more imagination.

The flower though is really nice, really nice.

- I don't do flowers. -You do now.

Joanna came 7th, Jim 6th,

Sally Jo was 5th and Tom 4th.

And in 3rd place is this tile panel here.

Whose are these?

Sandra, I personally really love the fine lines

and the way you've integrated the white and the darker clay.

Okay guys, so that means we've got two sets of tiles remaining.

You have to choose a winner guys. Jane, Matthew.

Okay, who takes the top spot?

These.

Matthew, well done.

The simplicity of the design is fantastic.

There was great imagination and great skill.

Imagination Matthew, that's what we wanna see from you.

I would've struggled judging that.

Fair play to them if they think that I came first out of it.

I won't argue.

My main aim of the spot test was not to come last.

Or last as they say in the south, I came 3rd.

I am up against some technical whizz kids

and I feel as so I'm kind of hanging

on with my bare fingernails at the moment.

I think coming in 2nd place that's a good thing.

I'm still a bit nervous about taking

the hand basin out of the kiln.

The 24 hour biscuit firing is done.

And Richie's brought all the basins back to the studio.

Everyone's future in the competition could now rest

on what lies beneath the hessian.

That's a relief.

Yeah, I think that will be all right.

It's in one piece, so I'm happy.

- It's absolutely fine. -Mine's got a big crack.

Sometimes that can happen with coil pots.

Because that's the bit that dries is quickest.

So, you're still adding wet clay on top of it.

But I'm hoping just with come glazer application

it can be hidden disguised.

No, once it's cracked, it's hopeless,

is useless as a sink, isn't it?

Jane, Sandra and Nigel will now have

to deal with the catastrophic cracks in their basins.

Too upset now.

A sink with a hole doesn't work, is it?

Well a pot is not a pot till it's finished.

The potters have reached

the final stage of their main make.

They have two and a half hours to decorate their basins

using a selection of glazes and oxides.

I'm gonna have some dark bronzey coloured fish

going through the river.

Oxides are unpredictable as they change

colour in the heat of the kiln.

Just chosen a very vivid bright colours

just to try and capture the colours of pansy really.

The colours they choose may also bleed

and run into each other.

- A traditional Japanese glaze. It's quite a lot of iron in it

and hopefully it will bleed through.

Sponging is a nice effect but it does take a while to do.

It gives a more even effect and because this is textured

I don't want brush marks.

Brush marks are the least of Nigel's worries.

It is so blinding obvious.

The reason why it happened you haven't scoured it

and slipped it enough, have you?

Move forward deal with it.

The decoration was gonna be inside zircon white,

to give that clean, crisp finish.

The outside I was gonna put oil spots followed by blue tylion.

And that's why I put those lines

to give me break lines 'cause it will break

and it will give a metallicy finish.

But it will look like it's oxidized

- Look forward to seeing it. -All right.

- Cheers. -Thanks.

Turtles.

What goes in the kiln is

very different to what comes out, colour wise.

Yes, especially with glazes.

You're dealing with minerals that gonna be melted together

and the heat acts on them and changes them.

You are at the mercy of the minerals.

Well, at the mercy of the minerals, yes.

It's gonna be dark blue, light gray.

If the colours don't go that's what I'm worried about really.

And the fact they might not like it.

Because you get so used to being disappointed

when you open the kiln door.

I don't really connect with a pot till I have seen it

and it's all right really.

When it's like looking at a bag of flour, a box of eggs

and some sugar inside it's not gonna be a cake.

Or looking at a cow in a field and a tomato

and that is your spaghetti bolognaise, you just don't know.

The idea is the way it's fired,

it's going to be a glossy sky azure blue.

You are at peace now,

you weren't before but you seem okay.

I was pretty upset before, I'm still a little bit upset

but then I saw Nigel's bottom fell off so I thought, okay.

So, this is just iron oxide and water.

This should have a nice bronzed dark roasted look.

I've just put it on nice and thick.

What I'm trying to do is get the grooves to stand out.

And I do that now by wiping off the iron oxide off the outside.

While major Tom is whipping off.

I'm using a combination of two colours.

A very dark blue and a very light gray.

Eager to impress after a disastrous spot test,

James is piling on the glaze.

For you to lay the glazes up each glaze needs to be dry

so you have to just steady it out a little bit

which is quite difficult for me 'cause I just want

to throw glaze all over it.

I just think if he's not careful

it's gonna just look like a complete mess.

I know, that's what those brushed on glaze can be.

So, with Jim and his lovely turtles,

he's used the glazes in a very painterly way.

And I hoping they're not gonna come out too flat.

- Feeling stressed? -I haven't got enough time.

I don't think I estimate how many layers it really needs

and it takes ages to build up the layers.

- Timing with ceramics. -Timing is everything.

- Lot of it is timing. -Story of my life.

Nigel thinks he's found a solution

to his crack problem.

'Cause I have glazed this piece, when that piece goes on

the glaze should fuse it all together.

I should end up with one piece, that's the plan.

What is the worst that can happen

the bottom falls out of it.

Using the brush strokes horizontally

there might be some sort of linear idea going on hopefully.

It becomes a pattern other than this brush marks

that shouldn't be there.

How long do we have left?

It's a couple of minutes now Sally Jo.

Okay.

I think you'll still see the cracks.

Would I buy this pot? Not a chance.

Would I sell this pot? Not a chance.

I'm just toying with adding another.

But do you know what, I am not going to.

In ideal world I would have another coat of blue

on top the rivers.

I need this one to dry before I can turn it over and do it.

So, I might just do the top one

and have it slightly different shades of blue.

Five, four, three, two, one...

Times up guys.

That will do.

We are gonna take hem down for their final firing, well done.

I haven't seen yours. I'm gonna have look at yours.

I think mine is a bit of a congealed mess.

I am the God of hell fire and I bring you.

♪ Fire ♪

Whatever they've done

or not done, it's too late now.

The basins are heading off for their second

and final firing.

I don't want this piece sticking to the shelf.

I'm just checking the base to see what's

under here in terms of glaze.

It's nice and clean under there.

There's no glaze so I can just go straight onto props

and straight into the kiln.

I haven't slept properly the last 3 or 4 days,

because I knew I was taking a gamble on it.

And it's radical how I have glazed it so...

Glazing pieces together is not particularly a good idea.

It's a 5050 shot whether it could glue.

But other problems could happen in the kiln anyway.

Mine is definitely gonna open up

and then just come out the kiln like a plate.

Could just open up like a lotus flower

and become something else, completely different.

The glazing is half the fun of it.

It is but you run the risk of

producing something pretty awful.

I shall be watching for yours eagerly.

Yes.

♪ Oh keep on holding on ♪

- Morning. -Hi guys.

With the basins cooling in the kiln.

Kate and Keith have set the potters one final challenge.

♪ Oh keep on holding on ♪

How they fair will help determine their fate.

You know what this is, this is the thrown down.

Today, I want you to throw the tallest straight sided vase.

And the judges really wanna test your sense of touch.

They want you to use one of these.

'Cause it's a throw down,

you gonna watch the master at work first.

Gasps of wonderment there from the potters.

It's all in the touch and the pressure.

And you can feel when the clay is centered.

Here we go, you sort of just wanna feel

and sense the clay between your fingers.

I want it nicely finished as well, there is no excuse.

You might not be able to see it but your fingers are your eyes.

I'm sort of finished now.

Get behind your wheels please potters.

You've got 10 minutes to do it in.

And if anyone messes up their first ball of clay.

If you put your hand up in the air,

another ball of clay will be sent to you.

So, which potter will throw the tallest vase?

Okay potters, off you go.

Take a deep breath.

This looks so bizarre guys. I have go to say.

That's it Joanna fight with it, fight with it.

If you get it centered, the rest of the job is gonna be easier.

Sally get those forearms into your body.

You will be able to centre it more.

Push against the wheel.

It's my mouth, isn't it?

Control is everything.

This is what this task is all about.

Control, feel, texture, touch.

That's it Matthew, doing well.

I love how Matthew is just shaking

- his head, like feeling it. -Oh, yeah.

His head is kind of nodding with the momentum of the wheel.

Oh my God, a disaster. Need more clay.

- Okay. -On my way.

Half way through guys, so five minutes left.

You are lying! Guys!

- Okay, Joanna relax with it. -Don't panic.

And actually learn what went wrong with the first one

to get the second one right.

Nice and delicate there Jane, well done.

First time I have been called delicate. Thank you very much.

Two minutes left now, two minutes.

God, it could easily collapse at any moment.

It's gonna go.

- Too late. -Sally just stop.

It has died a death.

30 seconds left guys.

Come on guys you can do this.

Keep going, good work there Jim.

Nice one, Tom.

Ten. - Nine, eight,

seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.

Time is up guys.

Look what you have done.

Oh my God, something's happened to mine.

Joanna's grew sort of ledge at the last minute.

Oh my god, I mean this is just ridiculous.

So, who's vase will measure up?

Let's have a look at Sally Jo's.

- 12? -It's 12, yeah.

Nigel, 13.

James, 15.

Joanna, 17.5 cm.

Sandra, 18 cm.

- Right then Jim, 19 cm. -Brilliant.

Which leaves just three potters

but who will be this weeks winner?

Hey Tom.

I'm thinking power station chimney there.

- 20 cm. -Good height though.

- Hey Matthew. -Hello.

- 22.

Jane that's looking really straight.

The winner of today's throw down is...

- Going 20... -20.

Matthew

And the next time you see Kate and Keith

will be when they're judging your hand basins.

So, off you go.

So, the potters are just about

to collect their basins from the kiln.

They've been working on them for days.

Will the glazes have performed in the way

that they wanted them to?

And will there be any more cracks?

This is really exciting.

The potters will present

their finished basins in Middleport's old display room.

- It's just bottom knackered. -Really shocked.

Quite teary?

I was a little bit emotional, I can't deny that.

It's lovely, the sparkle is really nice.

Beautiful finish on that glaze.

Wow.

But before they can be judged,

there's one final job.

That's okay, isn't it?

That's fitted, I'm delighted actually.

The potters that are currently at the top now

they could be way down the pecking order

after this process.

I'm hoping that is gonna fit.

I'm short, what a shame.

Is it going in?

Oh my God, oh no what a disaster?

What do you reckon?

That's gone in there.

I wasn't gonna leave that out.

- Did you glaze on the inside? -No.

- It won't take that much. -That's not gonna take enough

to be able to get the plug through.

- You're not going to get it in tonight.

Kate and Keith will now judge

what has taken the potters seven days to create.

Hello potters. Hello.

Kate and Keith asked you to hand build a wash basin.

It's time now to judge the fruits of your labor.

Wow, it's great Jim, really good.

Thank you.

- No cracks. -No, not this time.

I was a little worried it was gonna be too illustrative

and cold.

But it's warm, it's beautiful, it makes sense.

It's as if it's a turtle shell.

I love the contrast between outside and inside.

Glaze and pot are at one.

I want it in my house. I'm swimming with the turtle.

The geologist expressing herself.

Indeed, yes.

Very well, shall we do the ring test

to see if the bowl has integrity without cracks.

- Are you ready Kate? -Yes.

- What a lovely ring. -It's still going on actually.

- Yeah, no cracks. -No cracks.

I have noticed one thing,

you haven't gotten your drain in there.

You are only a couple of ml out.

I'm really liking this blue on the outside Kate

and then the white glaze on the inside contrast obviously.

I'm just so upset it's cracked.

- I am too. -Yes the ring test.

I know, I know.

That is the one sound we don't want to hear.

hat is a depressing sound, isn't it?

What a shame.

Matthew.

- That's fabulous. -Absolutely.

The stamp work you've done here is just brilliant.

The relationship between the taps

and this colour is just incredible.

I love the circles and the relationship between

the spirals on the outside with the spirals echoed

in the stamps, very lovely design.

- I would use this basin. -You want at home, don't you?

Yeah, I do, I think that's brilliant.

I love the fact that you've actually thought about

the recess, that's a really good fit.

The glazing again,

you've got this beautiful watery effect.

A sort of mixture between stone and water.

The fishes are a little bit lost, aren't they?

It's unfortunate about this crack

because it's great in its originality, isn't it?

It's very pretty and it's a very lovely colour.

The colour matches right, this darker has actually brought

the thing together, very exciting.

Well done Jane. Thank you Jane.

Your glazes have worked really well for you.

I love the contrasts between the green and the blue.

Personally, I like to see a clearer message.

There's a lot going on.

There is this scratch, you have the dribbles,

you have the squares, you got the zigzag.

That's me just being extra critical

- 'cause I think you can take it. -Have you felt the underneath?

It's fantastic, really, really lovely.

For this kind of design on the outside

you were braving it there.

One of these could have quite easily have opened up.

Yeah, I was worried about that.

- Fantastic. -Thank you.

Fantastic, it's brilliant, it's really good.

Thank you very much.

So, Nigel. I presume this is like a pipe end.

- Yeah, that's.... -It's a flange.

It's an industrial fittings.

Yes, and I think that's fairly successful.

It's kind of copper pipe but the shame is.

We know where the shame is, don't we?

- Crack. What a shame. -Just very very frustrating.

This crack round here we all know why that's happened.

Wasn't fixed properly. It wasn't adhered properly.

Just really poorly constructed.

This overhang that you've got there,

there is a lot of stress on there in the kiln.

It's really unfortunate.

I'm feeling fresh just standing in front this

like an iceberg wave.

Yes, you could say that.

Rough, jagged, you could cut your hands on it.

I'm not so keen may be on the heavy use

of the glaze there's quite a few sort of,

I would say erratic applications.

I think that's a bit of naivety

and lack of understanding of the glaze on my behalf.

It's definitely a completely different look

to any of the other basins.

Well potters the judges have seen all your fabulous basins

and they've got a lot to discuss.

So, we'll see you back here shortly

when they'll make their decision.

Can't believe I made Keith cry

but the guy he just really connects with the material

and the beauty.

Not saying in particular that my stuff was beautiful.

I have done alright this time.

The characters I drew came to life.

But I'm not sure if I have taken pole position.

I think there are a few contenders for top potter.

I think Jim's basin was fantastic.

But on overall performance

I think it will probably go to Matt.

There's some good contenders being top potter.

Tom's is very well mate and so is Jim's.

You make one mistake and you're history

and I think I have just made that mistake.

Feels like I can go out with my head held high

because I did put myself out on a limb.

It's a steep learning curve,

I'm on it and don't want it to end yet.

Lets start off with the happy decision of top potter

who's really shone for you this week?

Well, for me the three boys Tom, Matthew and Jim.

Tom's basin blew me away but it really did make me cry.

And Matthew what a turn around?

He's really shown us from last week

how he's really making this great effort.

And then of course Jim's turtle basin.

Pure decorative genius.

You can't improve on Jim's.

And now we've gotta go onto

who's gonna be leaving the pottery today.

Nigel is using his building know how

but he's trying to force it in to his pottery.

I was almost in tears when I saw the bottom of his basin.

The amounts of cracks on it, it was a disaster.

Who else is looking a little bit

like they just can't quite keep up with the others.

I think James is lacking his technical ability.

It could have been so good and it wasn't.

He actually said, "I'm chasing myself here

because I need to learn more."

James at the spot test, his tiles,

God love him, but they really weren't inspiring at all.

So, it's a tough one.

The judges have made their decision,

the first of which is top potter, Kate?

There were three potters that really stood out.

The top potter of this week is...

Jim.

Now for the more difficult part,

because somebody has to leave the pottery.

They really, really struggled with this

but they have decided that the person leaving the pottery is...

- Nigel. -Okay.

It's fine don't worry about me.

When the bottom falls out of your sink.

Nigel, his main task was a bit of a disaster, bless him.

Well done Nigel.

I'm so sad to see Nigel go, that beaming face.

He was so eager to show us what he could do, just didn't fit.

We're gonna miss you so much.

Well done, you just smile so much.

We are gonna miss you smiles.

I actually naively thought I'd come in,

make a few pots, everybody go,

"Wow Nigel, they're brilliant pots."

And I would walk right through to the end.

However, I didn't realize the pressure I would be under.

When you're put under that kind of pressure

inevitably there will be problems.

I hope I've dealt with them, in good grace.

I've had a good time, I came for the crack

and that's what ultimately I got.

Going back into the judging room

then my heart was absolutely pounding.

I was just ready to go.

You kind of accept the fate that you think it's coming

and when it doesn't happen you think,

"Did they not say my name?"

It's crazy but I live to tell another tale.

- Thank you. -Well done.

This weeks top potter, it's great,

I'm not gonna deny it, it feels good.

Next time.

Dollop it on smash it on.

Sparks fly in the main make.

Come on, something work.

As the potters play with fire.

You are okay, take your time.

As spot test.

It shouldn't be such a big deal.

To get them thinking.

I have gone a bit blank now.

And a throw down to leave them gasping.

Do keep breathing.

Who will rise up?

And who will crack under pressure?