The pottery world is once again alight with the return of The Great Pottery Throw Down! As we settle into the new year, a fresh batch of potters has entered the Gladstone Pottery Museum, ready to face the heat – both literally, in the kilns, and figuratively, under the watchful eyes of judges Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones. Forget dry January; we’re diving headfirst into a season brimming with creativity, clay, and, if the first episode is anything to go by, a healthy dose of gravy.
This isn’t just about crafting beautiful objects; it’s about the heart of the home, the shared meal, and the vessels that bring it all together. And what’s more central to a traditional British roast dinner than the gravy boat? These aren’t just any gravy boats; we’re talking about potential heirlooms, future stars of Sunday lunches, and perhaps even pieces that could rival the elegance of King Edward Gravy Boat Serving Dishes in their own right.
Let’s meet our twelve new contestants, each hoping to mold their way to ceramic stardom: Andrew, Cadi, Dan, Daniel, Dave, Donna, Edward, Jan, Princess, Shani, Steven, and Sophie. Each potter brings a unique style and background to the wheel, and their personalities are already starting to shine through – even in the face of the daunting first challenge: the roast dinner set.
A promotional image for The Great Pottery Throw Down Series 7 Episode 1 featuring judges and presenters.
Let’s Get This Roast a Cookin’ – Gravy Boat Edition
The first challenge thrown down (pun intended!) was to create a six-piece roast dinner set. This wasn’t just about plates and salt and pepper shakers; the spotlight was firmly on the gravy boat. Alongside a plate, salt and pepper pots, and a somewhat anachronistic mustard pot, the gravy boat was the centerpiece, the pièce de résistance of this ceramic ensemble. The potters were tasked with personalizing their sets, injecting their own stories and styles into each piece. While some opted for whimsical and abstract interpretations, others drew inspiration from deeply personal memories, particularly those centered around family roast dinners.
Donna and Steven, for example, both tapped into the nostalgia of childhood Sunday lunches at their grandmothers’ homes. Donna’s set was a direct homage, rendered in a striking monotone red slip trail illustration, reminiscent of classic, comforting tableware. Imagine a gravy boat echoing the warm, familiar tones of family gatherings, a piece that feels both contemporary and timeless.
Donna's monotone red slip trail illustration roast dinner set, showcasing a gravy boat inspired by grandmother's dinners.
Steven took a slightly different approach, aiming for a more stylized, almost futuristic aesthetic. His mustard pot was a retro-futuristic dream, while his salt and pepper shakers cleverly mimicked non-branded fizzy pop cans – a touch of playful, everyday nostalgia. His gravy boat, while not explicitly “King Edward” in style, aimed for a sense of refined, mid-century modern elegance.
Steven's retro-futuristic roast dinner set with fizzy pop salt and pepper shakers and a stylized gravy boat.
Princess ventured into more abstract territory, drawing inspiration from seaside holidays. Her set, while undeniably beautiful with its delicate design, seemed to lack a clear narrative connection to the roast dinner theme. The explanation felt a little tenuous, perhaps a touch of first-episode nerves. However, her gravy boat, despite its abstract inspiration, possessed a refined form that hinted at classic serving dish shapes.
Princess's seaside holiday inspired roast dinner set, including an abstractly designed gravy boat.
Andrew, on the other hand, fully embraced the novelty aspect. His inspiration? Austrian ski racer Franz Klammer. Yes, you read that right. Franz Klammer as a salt pot. While the entire set was meant to be a “friends and family” theme, it was Franz Klammer who stole the show. His gravy boat, however, seemed to take a backseat to the ski-themed salt and pepper, perhaps missing an opportunity to create a truly memorable, themed gravy server.
Andrew presenting his Austrian ski racer Franz Klammer inspired salt pot as part of his roast dinner set.
Jan also drew inspiration from family, but hers was centered around board game nights and her beloved beagle, Hero. Hero even made an appearance as a sculpted beagle adorning her set. Her gravy boat, perhaps overshadowed by the charming canine centerpiece, aimed for a functional and family-friendly design.
Jan's board game night themed roast dinner set featuring a beagle-shaped sculpture, including a functional gravy boat.
Cadi joined the pet parade with a gravy boat inspired by her dog – though perhaps not in the most flattering way. Her dog became the gravy boat itself, a somewhat unconventional but undeniably memorable design. This playful approach to the gravy boat challenge showcased Cadi’s willingness to push boundaries.
Cadi's dog-shaped gravy boat, a playful and unconventional design for the roast dinner challenge.
Dave, ever the craftsman, channeled his passion for homemade creations into his set. Inspired by a canoe he built, his set featured a river theme, complete with fish and ducks. His gravy boat, while perhaps less overtly themed than some, was meticulously crafted and integrated seamlessly into his overall riverine vision. It was a testament to understated elegance, a quality often found in classic gravy boat serving dishes.
Dave's river-themed roast dinner set, featuring fish and ducks, and a carefully crafted gravy boat.
Dan opted for a seaside theme, reminiscent of fish and chips on the beach. His gravy boat incorporated textual elements, designed to resemble paper-wrapped takeaway food. While perhaps lacking the overt elegance of a King Edward gravy boat, Dan’s design was conceptually strong and well-executed. However, the judges noted the lack of “gravy vomiting animals,” a missed opportunity for true comedic ceramic brilliance.
Dan's seaside-themed roast dinner set, featuring a gravy boat designed to resemble paper-wrapped fish and chips.
Daniel (Full Name Daniel, to avoid confusion) took a different culinary route, drawing inspiration from Cantonese brunch, or dim sum. His steamer basket mustard pot was a miniature marvel, showcasing impressive detail. However, his gravy boat, while well-made, was noted as potentially undersized for a proper gravy deluge, especially compared to Shani’s “Gravy Celeste” which was about to make its grand entrance.
Daniel's Cantonese brunch inspired roast dinner set with a steamer basket mustard pot and a smaller gravy boat.
Sophie’s set took an Easter turn, featuring daffodil motifs and a chicken salt shaker. While undeniably charming and perfectly timed for spring, it felt slightly thematically disjointed from a traditional roast dinner. Her gravy boat, however, was beautifully crafted, showcasing her technical skill, even if it didn’t scream “Sunday roast”.
Sophie's Easter-themed roast dinner set with daffodil details and a chicken salt shaker, including a well-crafted gravy boat.
Shani and Edward both opted for floral themes. Shani’s lotus flower design, a nod to her Buddhist beliefs, was elegant and meaningful. Her gravy boat, however, was anything but delicate. Designed to serve gravy for her four sons (and perhaps a small village), it was a colossal vessel, a true testament to generous portions and family feasts. It was less “King Edward” refinement and more “Queen-sized” abundance.
Shani's lotus flower themed roast dinner set, featuring an extra-large gravy boat designed for a large family.
Edward’s floral inspiration came from foxgloves, or so he claimed. The judges, and indeed the internet, couldn’t help but notice the distinct aubergine-esque qualities of his gravy boat. Accidental vegetable inspiration aside, Edward’s gravy boat was beautifully formed, with a fluid shape and elegant handle, perhaps the closest in spirit to the refined lines of classic gravy boat serving dishes.
Edward's foxglove (or aubergine?) inspired gravy boat, showcasing a fluid shape and elegant handle.
Spinning Plates – But Did They Hold Gravy?
The second challenge, the Throw Down challenge, tested the potters’ speed and consistency in creating side plates with a mustard well. While gravy boats were momentarily sidelined, the focus on functional tableware remained. Shani, in a bold move, declared her aversion to mustard, earning points for consistency in her mustard-related wrongness. Dan, exhibiting almost superhuman speed, churned out ten plates of impressive quality, sparking waspish suspicions among viewers (and perhaps Siobhan).
Siobhan walking amongst the potters during the side plate Throw Down challenge.
The side plate challenge, while not directly related to gravy boats, highlighted the importance of speed, precision, and consistency – qualities just as crucial when crafting elegant gravy boat serving dishes as they are for mass-producing side plates.
An Official Side Plate Throwdown Ranking: (A humorous ranking based on plate quantity and quality, as per the original article).
Roast, Roast, Roast Your (Gravy) Boat Merrily Down the Stream – The Judgement
The firing process proved mostly kind to the potters’ creations. Shani faced some cracking issues, and her colossal gravy boat, the “Gravy Frigate,” nearly required its own postcode. Its sheer size became hilariously apparent during judging, almost needing a separate table to be displayed alongside the rest of her set. However, the cohesiveness of Shani’s set was praised, a key factor in the judges’ assessment.
Shani's extra-large gravy boat, the "Gravy Frigate," being presented to the judges alongside her roast dinner set.
Sophie’s daffodil relief, while beautiful, raised concerns about roast beef-cutting obstacle courses. However, her adorable chicken salt shaker won hearts. Andrew’s set, while charmingly illustrated, lacked overall cohesion, feeling like a collection amassed over several Father’s Days. His Franz Klammer salt pot remained a firm favorite, a testament to quirky ceramic charm.
Jan’s Hero the beagle mustard pot was undeniably endearing, and Dave’s river-themed set impressed with its cohesive vision and the exquisite detail of his fish-decorated plate. Donna’s slip-trailed set earned high praise for its illustration, Keith even declaring it the best he’d seen in pottery. However, some felt it lacked the sculptural flair of pieces like Edward’s “aubergine” gravy boat.
Edward's aubergine-like gravy boat praised for its fluid shape and elegant handle during judging.
Steven’s “Nan’s Cans” set evoked retro nostalgia with his fizzy pop salt and pepper shakers, although some of his illustrations were less refined. Dan’s seaside set was deemed perfectly executed, despite the potential impracticality of spade and flagpole salt and pepper pots. His gravy boat, however, received much praise for its lettering and overall design.
Daniel’s dim sum set shone with exceptional modeling, particularly his steamer basket mustard pot and dumpling shakers. His gravy boat, while beautifully crafted, was again noted for its potentially small size compared to the gravy-guzzling needs of a proper roast dinner.
A Roast Dinner Set Ranking: (Humorous ranking based on set quality and judge’s comments, mirroring the original article but with slight adjustments to highlight gravy boats).
Potter of the Week and Farewell
Donna’s slip-trailed ode to her nan earned her the coveted Potter of the Week title. A well-deserved recognition for her cohesive and beautifully illustrated set. The elimination came down to Shani and Andrew. Sadly, despite his Franz Klammer charm, Andrew was the first potter to leave the pottery. A loss for quirky novelty, but a reminder that even in the world of ceramics, not everyone can survive the heat of the kiln.
Donna being announced as Potter of the Week for her slip-trailed roast dinner set.
And so, the first episode concludes, leaving us with eleven potters ready to face new challenges, new clays, and new opportunities to create the next generation of stunning tableware, perhaps even some gravy boat serving dishes worthy of a King Edward’s table. The journey has just begun, and the clay is waiting to be molded.
