Great British Sewing Bee 2026

[LIZS]

Back on 14th July at 8pm

Its definitely the Zadie jumpsuit, Ive made a few of them, theyre really comfortable to wear

i think the knicker pattern might be a Paper Theory pattern too, the Stevie knickers

I cannot believe that Angie's coffee bean skirt was below Lewis's tabard with hood in the transformation challenge

Was Anna's dress supposed to be unhemmed? Was there any mention of it? (I kept dropping off 😴)

I agree that Patrick can take the final lead on opinion as it were. I suspect she enjoys her role and may not be arsed for the inevitable hierarchical schiesse of TV production. I worked in TV for years and it can be very egotistical - even on the most positive programmes.

I cannot be doing with this presenter. The terrible puns that have obviously been written for her. I mean she’s too stiff for it. I loved Joe and I liked Sara P in the end.

I think the judging pretends to be neutral but it’s inevitably subjective. Esmee is always complaining about colours she doesn’t like.

on another level I can see that they can see the best sewers a country mile away and then it becomes the best who are also the most creative.

And making Patrick cry - wow. For one moment he was like the guy on the pottery throw down who burst into tears every episode.

But the presenter role in the format looks very lame and sort of stultified now. They need to make it work more naturally than it is without quips about shaving your toes. It’s so Not Funny Enough. Stop trying to be funny! Just present without trying to be funny unless you actually ARE funny. 🤷‍♀️ it puts me off watching it a bit.

I think it’s an amazing format but at 12 seasons it feels a bit creaky in parts.

think the unfinished hem was part of the story,?

Poor old Patrick had a bad cold this week!

Couldn’t agree more! In fact I just came on here to write exactly the same set of points.

The current presenter is putting me off! Bring back Sarah P!

I think the problem with the presenter role is that it is somewhat superfluous! Save the budget by ditching their salary and spend it on fabric and trimmings!

Yes! Holdyour, it is nearly not needed. But I guess they need a bod to wander and shout out how many minutes. It’s like the Bake-off, maybe the same company, fantastically rigid, highly saleable tv franchise. But this presenter - no no no - nothing wrong with her as a person but she look very uncomfortable, she is not easy in the role, she is trotting out funny bits in a joyless way. I mean Claudia is the queen of natural presenters as was Joe wotsit. You can’t have the stiffness because that emphasizes the grim rigidity of the format.

The format is comforting and reassuring but not IMHO when you can see the steel girders holding the warmth up. They need an easy person with warmth and confidence whose observations seem real and whose interest in the sewers feel real. This poor woman is clearly not really happy, and this is poor casting by maybe a complacent senior group in the production team. I do not blame the presenter at all - I’m sure she would be fine in other settings but not here. It needs authenticity and real warmth.

Very true

I agree with you.
As lovely as Anna’s dress was, it appeared unfinished.
Minnie’s suit and the bag for life dress were great too.
Lots of really good competitors this season

I don’t think Anna’s dress was supposed to be hemmed.

Does anyone know where Sophie’s green patterned dress she wore last night is from? I really loved the neckline and sleeves on it.

Don't know if they were scripted or not but the shaving toes and no knickers comments - can't see anyone carrying them off

I don’t think Sophie is wrong for the role of presenter - it’s just they’ve hired writers from the 1950s who think their incredibly lame jokes are hilarious. The ‘going commando’ thing was verging on harassment and surely wouldn’t be acceptable in any decent workplace. So it’s not her fault.

And her green mesh dress was fab!

I’ve paid a lot of money for ‘unfinished’ hem garments …

Agree! I have nothing against the presenter personally but don’t think this format is a good match for her. Perhaps it is a bit soon to judge but agree with everyone that her script is incredibly lame; if it is a script! I would love to know how much the presenter wings it and how much is scripted and how much latitude they have with the script?

I think this type of presenting job is much, much harder than it looks.

Siobhán McSweeney makes it look easy on The Pottery Throwdown and manages to be genuinely funny, while respecting the work ifyswim.

And yet I found Siobhán McSweeney disappointing on The Traitors Ireland.

Haven’t seen the Pottery show; scripted or ad-lib?

Why do the makers of these types of shows add in stupid jokes and segments that aren’t funny? The GBBO is the same. A lot of it is cringeworthy.

Pretty obvious who the winner is based on the favourable editing in every episode!

Because they have zero faith in viewers.

🤷‍♀️

But, @littlemousebigcheese you can’t edit in talent? Anna made two outstanding garments yesterday. And other people made a hash of almost everything they touched. Unless there’s some behind the scenes skulduggery … 🤷‍♀️

She does get away with more than the others in my opinion. She’s very talented but frustrating that some are on completely different levels so the competition isn’t there.

I'm glad Kate from The Fold Line put out an email that had a bit about Esme type fashion (which is on her blog) and some upcycling ideas, a book on sewing with scraps and a few patterns from this series (which I can't see on the website in one place like the email was)

Really don’t like the veg garden one, it’s very poor. Emma is technically good but I find her hard to watch. Lewis’s looked like a prison uniform.

Sophie Willan is funny. Have you seen Alma's Not Normal?

Oh she was really good on Small Prophets! But she’s an actress! That makes sense - tv presenting is not natural for everyone, it can be learned (up to a point IMO ) but some people work well as themselves, as it were. And seem just don’t. It’s a skill built up over years. You need someone experienced. Particularly with a series that is valued.

You need an experienced person at presenting.

But absolutely - the bombing, intentionally unfunny panto nudge nudge jokes no longer work. They might work in amazing hands (like Noel fielding’s) but not anyone’s. They make the format seem really tired.

And the going commando lines just made me slump in my chair and want to go to bed.

DO BETTER! It’s a big team, enough to write better material. If you can’t make a presenter funny then make them authentic at least so we don’t want to switch off

is what I say!