The Great Pottery Throw Down (2015–…): Season 3, Episode 6 - Episode #3.6 - full transcript
This programme contains scenes
of nudity from the start.
Yamas! It's Greek Week in the
pottery,
as we pay homage to the gods and
goddesses in clay.
We've got pillars and jugs
and these.
Welcome to
The Great Pottery Throw Down.
I think we're going to need
bigger grapes!
Last time, Rosalind shone with her
sheep. It works so, so well.
But she just missed out
as our brightest star was Jacob...
It does look like the pot's
just exploded, doesn't it? Yeah.
...who won his second
Potter Of The Week.
I don't know why I keep putting
myself in this position.
But whilst Ronaldo struggled...
Sweetie... These things happen.
...the lights went out on Flea's time
in the pottery.
I'm really going to miss you.
I'm going to miss you, too.
Now...
LAUGHTER
...we're in a Greek odyssey... Ooh!
..with a gigantic
ancient throw down...
Gosh, the Earth moved, then, Keith!
...and the most colossal... Sorry.
Got some good muscles there.
...hand-build main make.
Oh, right.
...ever seen in the competition.
To be honest, I really have no
idea what I'm doing.
MUSIC: Making Time
by The Creation
# Making time
# Shooting lines
# People have their uses
# People have their uses. #
For our first-ever Greek Week, two
foreign objects have appeared
in the pottery.
THEY CHAT AND LAUGH
And just to add to the mystery,
the potters haven't been told
which bench to work at.
I don't know where to go!
LAUGHTER
Four bags of clay?!
No, I wanted to go here.
I want to go here!
I wanted to go there. No!
Are you going there? Yeah. I want to
go there now.
What they do know
is that, for this week's main make,
they'll be tackling the largest
hand-building challenge
of the competition so far.
I really do feel
like they're tightening the screws,
they're just pushing us to the
limit.
Super hard.
I think everyone's going to really
struggle with this challenge,
but you've got to have fun with it.
HE SIGHS
Man, sculpting is definitely not
what I'm made to do,
and I'm really not looking
forward to it.
Totally not prepared, mentally
or physically.
Good morning, potters.
Or should I say "Kalimera",
as it's Greek Week
at the pottery? For your main make,
Sue and Keith would like you to
sculpt a classic Greek statue.
And we've got some help.
Three, two, one.
CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS
Please welcome our Adonis
and Aphrodite.
You've got a good view of every
angle. And I can now reveal
that the front four benches,
you guys are going to be creating
the female statue, and you guys
at the back three benches are going
to be doing the male statue.
Potters go Greek!
The Ancient Greeks considered
sculpting the naked body
the ultimate artistic challenge.
Nice... bum there. Ooh!
To do justice to a tradition
that goes back thousands of years,
the potters have just eight and a
half hours to shape
and refine every inch
of their statues, ready for firing.
LAUGHTER
Concentrate! Concentrate!
I've got the female model.
It made no difference to me, really,
because I haven't practised either.
I wanted the female,
just because the form's a lot
easier to make.
Both the male and female form come
with their own complications
and appendages
that will be difficult to stick on.
I'm undecided which is
more difficult.
I wanted the lady.
She's got really good breasts.
I might have struggled with
the male, so...
...answered a prayer.
The style of statue that Keith
and Sue have asked the potters to
aim for can be found in the Walker
Art Gallery in Liverpool,
which houses one of the largest
collections in the country.
So nee-classical sculptors
were very good at capturing fine
details, like these beautiful curls,
and it shows the softness
of the skin, doesn't it,
and the tone of the muscles.
Absolutely.
Even this drapery hair is really
important in the whole composition,
but it's grounding it, isn't it,
and giving it support
so that it doesn't topple over.
They really, really want to think
about how they're going to support
these things as they're building
their statues.
Are they going to build separate
appendages - the arms and legs -
and then stick them onto the torso?
Or are they going to build
them from the ground up?
What I want is an elegant figure.
I don't want to see the arms
too long.
I don't want to see the legs
too short.
I want them to really look
critically at the model and actually
map it out and produce
that perfect form.
I want to see Aphrodite,
I don't want a lump of clay.
And I want to see Adonis,
a bit like myself.
THEY LAUGH
Keith and Sue are looking
for a hand-built Adonis or Aphrodite
that's at least 60cm tall.
I've never sculpted a model, no.
Oh, no, tell a lie.
I sculpted a bust.
Just the head and the shoulders.
That didn't come out too well.
It blew up in the kiln. Kaboom!
It's about 23 years
ago since I did one, I think.
So it was a long time ago.
Like the same age as Jacob.
Before they even touch the clay,
unless the potters carefully
measure their models, it
will be almost impossible to deliver
the natural-looking neoclassical
forms that Keith and Sue
have demanded.
From my perspective, I'm getting
23cm for the full height,
so if I scale that up by three,
that's bang-on, like, the size
I need to be in clay.
That's my head size.
So I've got a nice template
now to work towards.
I can offer it up to my pattern,
if you like.
Whilst Rosalind and Claire already
have everything mapped out...
I really have to focus.
Sorry, can I just measure
your head again?
...Rainna seems determined to spend
a little more time with the ruler.
Is that your hip you've got your
hand on? Yeah.
Is that dead-on your hip? That's
good. That really works out for me.
Wicked. I just want to know,
roughly, without actually going up
and measuring his body!
That's about a head.
Oh, we've got some, actually.
Does that work out better?
Campers.
She's properly going for it.
Sorry, I keep measuring you.
So if that's about there...
Hello, Rainna. Hello.
How's it going?
So, this is the model, is it?
That's Andrew. Yeah.
And then I've measured his head,
and how many heads go in the body.
I've got six heads in the body.
So you've got a sort of a mark
there. Yeah, yeah.
And then, just using that,
going all the way up.
And we've seen you getting up close and
personal there with the callipers. Yeah.
You know, and that's... that's
all about... She loves it!
That's all about, obviously, getting
the proportions right, isn't it?
Yeah. I mean, it is quite a
different experience.
You've not only got the 2-D - the
width and the height - you've got
the girth and the length and all...
THEY LAUGH
Oi! I meant the girth... I knew
she'd laugh at that!
...the back and the legs
I'm sorry, Keith!
I'm sorry, Sue.
I'm sorry, everybody.
Ignore Mel, she's
completely lost it.
But not everyone is quite
as obsessed with size.
I don't want to try to do
what they're doing, and I'm not sure
why they're doing it.
Even though it's kind of making
sense, they could put it to scale,
maybe something I should do.
Ronaldo is trusting his instinct for
form and he's
building without measuring.
I'm just literally going for it.
I'm just going to try to get
the form looking high.
Think it is.
And then worry about the details
a bit later.
Attempting to make a large Greek
statue with wet, heavy
clay is risky.
So I'm going to get the general
proportion right. Unless the potters
construct their basic forms
with separate hollow body parts...
My approach is to work from the
inside out using a slab-building
method, so I'm starting
with the torso.
...the weight will distort the body
and could even see Aphrodite
or Adonis collapse.
I'm just trying to get, like, the
hips and stuff the way
he'll be stood.
It's a bit rough, but it'll be
neatened up.
You've done the bottom, which is
lovely. Do you like her bum?
I think she's got a great bum.
She has got a great bum.
The model has actually got
a great bottom. Yeah.
I'm really happy with it, actually.
If I could just submit the bum,
I think I would be very happy.
SHE LAUGHS
Whilst Claire has started at the
bottom... To be honest,
I really have no idea
what I'm doing.
...for the first time
in the competition, Matt isn't sure
where to begin.
Out of my comfort zone. I've not
done anything like this,
so I can't really comprehend how
long it's going to take.
I'm going to start with the pillar.
I think it's going to be really
difficult to form the sculpture
without anything to lean on.
So I'm going to start with that.
Whilst Matt plans to lean on a
pillar for support,
for the potters
creating hollow body parts...
It's looking a bit like a body
already.
Maybe that's just how I'm
supposed to work.
...the battle for stability
is about to begin in earnest.
Stick something in his leg for now.
Unless they take the time to dry
each section, the hollow clay
will sag before they've had a chance
to begin constructing their statues,
resulting in distinctly
ungodlike forms.
I'm just really struggling with time
to try and get bits dried enough
to get it to stand up.
It's a frustrating and
time-consuming process...
I'd like to have it up like
Rosa's got.
Got some good muscles there,
don't you?
...and one that Rosa has
chosen to ignore.
Goodness. Don't know how
she's done that.
Hello, Rosa. Hello. Gosh, you've got
loads done already.
Yeah, but let's wait.
I haven't hollowed out
like everybody else yet.
So you've started with a solid
block of clay, have you? Sort of.
And why have you chosen this way
of working?
So I've gone for the carving
technique instead of the
body part making, because I sort of
see things, sort of, 3-D,
because I studied fashion and we
have to see it as a whole.
And if I was to make the arms
and torso and everything, the turn
and twist and the movement in the
body would not be right.
I feel I can get a whole
look of the movement.
So it's quite intuitive, isn't it,
the way you're working?
So how are you going to hollow
this out? From the back
or the front or...? I think I'm more
or less just going...
When I get it right, I'm going to do
a clean cut and cut him up.
Whilst Rosa plans to butcher, gut
and reassemble her Adonis...
I'm going to do a body massacre.
You know, when they cut bodies
up in a bathtub?
RAINNA LAUGHS
I watch too many crime movies!
...over on Matt's bench...
Um...
Well, it's... I'm just not getting
anywhere.
...there's still no evidence
of Aphrodite.
Just trying to gather my thoughts at
the moment.
The way that I was going to do
it doesn't seem to be working out
for me very well,
so I'm going to start again.
BLEEP!
I'm just going to go outside.
It's Greek Week in the pottery.
And there's already been a tragedy.
Matt's lack of love
for hand-building has seen him
abandon his Aphrodite.
But not completely.
Have you any tips?
I'm really stuck...
Are you? What are you stuck on?
I just can't...
How do you make this?
With the extruder.
\ Oh, my God. I
As Matt finally makes a start,
for those who've already begun
sculpting, this challenge
is about to get even harder.
If it's too heavy, obviously,
it could collapse the entire thing.
There's a lot to it, isn't there?
Yeah, you have to be thinking
constantly.
The potters now need to combine
their creativity with engineering.
Oh, for God...
This is getting on my...
Each additional body part
increases the pressure
on any soft clay on the lower
half of their statue...
This is really difficult cos
it's stood up and the clay's so wet.
...forcing the potters to invent
ingenious ways to keep everything
upright until it's firm.
When I practised at home,
the clay collapsed upon itself.
So I thought it'd be a good idea
to put a stick
inside - the old umbrella
stand from home.
They're called formers. After it's
set up, I can take them out.
I made them
with paper drinking straws.
These are my formers -
just house bricks.
I'm going to have skewers
that will pierce through the body
and then I can build up.
I've squished his genitals
a little bit to the side
with my watering can.
What have I done to him?!
Morning, Matt.
Hi, Matt. Morning. Hello, lovey.
You've got your structure
here as your support.
And so I take it
each part of the body
that you're producing,
you're then going to slide
onto your wire?
The plan was to start with the head
and then just really nicely work
everything in proportion to that.
And what changed it?
Just hand-building.
OK, it's the process.
Not particularly enjoying myself.
Just wandering in the dark.
So you've really had to reboot
this morning, haven't you?
Yeah. I took myself outside for ten
minutes. Yes.
I've just, I've thrown away an hour.
But in terms of preparation for
this, you've got it all mapped out,
you've got all the measurements
here. I've disregarded the, erm,
measurements as well, so...
So you're really going on
just eye, are you?
Don't you think those measurements
would be helpful?
Yeah, they probably would,
but also time-consuming.
Potters, half the time has gone.
Don't look so worried.
Nowhere near enough done.
Not enough time.
I think I'm going to get something
out. It's just that I haven't done a
body before, and I've got to get it
to all stand up.
As most of the potters
concern themselves...
\ Oh, boy. I
...with stabilising their statues...
I'm setting myself up
for failure, yeah,
I reckon, with this.
Why do you keep falling over?!
"Confident in her careful
measuring and planning...
You see - head... groin...
...Rosalind has already moved
on to the final details.
Hi, Rosalind. Hello!
Things have moved along nicely here,
haven't they?
Yeah, they're coming along.
Shall I turn it around? Yes, please.
Oh, wow, look at that hair.
Excellent.
You've done quite a lot
of hand-building, haven't you?
Yes. That was my first thing.
Starting hand-building creatures -
boxing hares,
and I made some garden busts.
I done that one. Life-size bust.
Life-size? Terracotta
for the garden, and she's got
all moss and... So have you done
figures with limbs, as well?
Cos this is just a torso. No.
And also I worked from photographs,
sort of Googled beautiful girls.
So how are you finding it here?
Cos, obviously, you can get
the full view of the body.
I've never been able to do this
way of working,
because you can't get anyone
to pose nude!
Right, not even your husband?
I think he'd be... he'd be wanting
to get on with his pigeons rather
than standing there naked!
Yeah, well... fair enough.
Most potters are yet to grasp
their statue's final details.
It fell over.
You missed it.
It went...
He had flat back, like that.
I'm a bit upset
just cos of the height.
I'm 10cm short.
And whilst Jacob's small Adonis
has yet to hit the heights
that the judges have demanded...
I need to make a base, really.
...Ronaldo and Matt's instinctive
measurement-free approach comes
with its own size issues.
I've been giving a slight
breast reduction,
but they're still very ample.
You don't want to take them too
small, do you?
Cos I'm doing
it off the top of my head,
I'm letting my imagination go!
I don't think he's got the
proportions right on them, at all,
do you? No.
Do you think he's measured that?
Well, if he has, I'd like to see
his ruler!
Potters, you've got two
and a half hours remaining.
Is that all right with you?
Fine. Cool, good-o.
Good job.
Starting to just work on the
buttocks and the legs.
All I have to focus on is getting
the body parts joined.
Keep it standing -
and getting the detail in!
\ And finesse! I
I'm 10cm short,
so hopefully these columns
will give that extra 10cm
boost.
I'm trying to keep it really
Greek-y, sort of, style.
But I'm still a long way from that.
Still got a lot to do.
So I need to do the head.
I need to get the hands on.
Probably try to reduce the size
of the breasts a bit!
Having constructed her Adonis
from a single lump of clay...
I hope I won't be spending too long
on this because I'd quite like to
get some of the details into it.
...Rosa's to-do list
is a little longer.
I've never hollowed anything
out before. Taking
off the thickness from inside.
It's really bad to fire anything
this wet, so it's quite important
that it's dry, and the drying
process is quicker if it's thin.
If it's not dry, it's much, much
more likely to explode.
Not everyone's worried
about explosions.
It's collapsing.
I'm going to have to cut it apart.
It's looking like some potters
might struggle to get a statue
into the kiln at all.
It's collapsed about twice already.
I think that the weight
from the breasts
was just a bit too much.
That's you
having done a reduction...
They must have been enormous.
I'm not sure, I'm not sure what size
you'd call that.
I reckon that's an F-cup.
So, Jacob's
just taken those brick supports out.
And it's standing up.
I bet he's relieved. In fact, I
think it's the first one that is
actually standing up on its own.
Rosa might be about to take
her supports out as well.
I'm sweating already.
You got this, girl. OK.
I'm going to give it a little twist,
as well.
Do you want me to hold this?
This is completely loose. Right.
Would you like me to hold this bit?
I got it.
Just leave the... Leave the column.
Don't hold the column. OK.
Is it actually going to stand up?
Don't go so quick. Sorry.
OK, we need to move him forward.
If you hold the fabric, I think,
putting him forward, on the fabric.
Sorry, what do you mean?
What do I mean?
Do you want me to just slide
the bat out? Yeah.
Towards me. Towards you?
I don't know if I can do that.
Towards yourself, then.
No? There's too much weight on
there.
It's just going to slide it all off.
There's too much weight on it.
What do we do?
What do we do? Think, think, think.
I don't know.
\Ah-haQ
She feels a bit sturdy already.
Thank you so much, Rainna.
That's all right.
I don't know what I would have done
without you.
Without support, not all of our
Greek gods seem to be immortal.
She's sort of... Like she's just
about to sit down
to go to the toilet.
I might give her something
just to sit back on.
Mate, this is already slumping.
BLEEP! You're joking me!
Look at the leg,
it's broke off here.
There's no point, man.
It's like an operating table,
isn't it?
He's been cut in half, his leg's
come off.
Have you got anything
inside there, still?
No. Everything's out.
That's what's ruined it.
OK. Because once I took it out,
that was it.
It's... It started just to fall
down? Yeah.
It just keeps cracking. A crack
there, by the way.
Yeah, I know that
I'm not going to get it completed...
No.
...how I would like to. No.
Sure.
So let's make the best of the bits
that I have got.
We can rebuild him.
We can rebuild him!
Potters, you've got 30
minutes left.
Remember, all your statues
have to be in the drying room
by the end of time. Oh!
It's probably gonna be all
in sections.
Poor man, he's losing all
his brain cells here.
Do I do fingers and toes, or
do I smooth the surface?
I wanted to make it fantastic,
now it's slap, slap, slap.
Not great.
She finally gave way and fell over.
And the arm's gone as well. Yeah.
And there goes the leg. Yeah.
Can you pull it off for me? Why
don't you try and save those bits?
Add a bit more bosom here. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, she's a bit smaller on
that side. Yeah.
Like that one. Yeah, it's lovely.
Do I do him smooth?
Or do I do the details?
I don't think there's enough
time for both of them.
What are you doing in the last
few minutes here?
Oh, forgot to put the crown on. Oh!
I can do it. I can do it.
She doesn't have any feet.
I don't really think there's
much point putting them on.
OK, potters, we're nearly at the
end.
You've got ten minutes.
And she's starting to squat again.
Whoa! Cos it's tall, isn't it?
Just make room. That's it.
Come round this way.
Right, Matt's on the move.
Oh, I can't look at this!
The stick's just...
It's like carrying newborn babies.
Two minutes. I can do this!
Jacob's in! Oh...!
Oooh! Oh, God.
So, Ronaldo's in. Claire's in.
Rosalind's in.
OK.
Rosa's coming in!
Is it really heavy?
Extremely heavy.
Nice and slow.
I... I think
my arms might give up now.
I don't think my arms
can hold it.
I think I need to be levelled.
You've got a slight split.
Come on, Rainna. Do a countdown.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,
five, four,
three, two,
one.
That's the end of the challenge!
In you go.
It's going to land
on the floor if I let go.
I don't even know what she can do.
Is there anything she can prop it up
with?
What about my pencil case?
I don't think that will help.
It will have to lie down, then.
That's fine.
Oh, God, it's so heavy.
Come here.
Whoa!
Where was it?
Where did it go?
I couldn't hold it!
\ Oh, sweetie! I
It's going to be OK. It was so
heavy! I know.
As their statues dry ready
for firing, the potters must tackle
a second Greek challenge.
Honestly, anything on the wheel,
I'll be happy, anything, anything!
Potters, your second challenge
this week is a throw-down.
And because he's Greek Week, Keith
and Sue would like you to make
an amphora.
It's a Greek jug.
It has two handles and a narrow neck
and a pointy bottom.
So this is the largest piece of clay
we've done in a throw-down.
You've got six and a half
kilos here. Wow!
Gosh, the Earth moved then!
Now I'm just really relaxing
into centring it.
It wants to be roughly
a good 40 centimetres high.
I'm visualising and I'm forming the
inside of the pot.
You don't need to do it
all in one piece.
You can do in sections
if you want to.
Are you using your knuckles?
I'm using my knuckles, yeah.
If it doesn't hurt, you're not
doing it right. Right. OK.
Forming the shoulder now,
just gently pushing out
from the inside and accentuating
that shoulder.
The speed of the wheel is really,
really important into the neck.
Just taking it in a bit
and making a nice deliberate rim.
There you go. Amazing!
Remember, the clay you've got
is enough clay also
to do your handles
and turning that point afterwards.
Claire's smiling.
At least I get to throw
before I go home.
So you've got one hour
to throw your amphora
and your time starts now.
Amphoras were used to carry wine
and oil
and their distinctive
pointed bottoms
allowed the ancient Greeks
to store them upright in sand.
It's a throwing challenge.
I know. I'm so happy.
If it was another hand building,
that was it - I was getting my coat.
I'm throwing an amphora?
Super hard. I'm going to do terrible
at it because I'm not
very great at following
something so big.
It's going to take me an hour
to wedge it, it's so hard.
Six and a half kilos, it's like
a two-month-old baby, isn't it,
or something like that?
SHE PANTS
I'm going to go for it.
The potters can throw the jug in one
or two halves to join together.
Either way, it's going to take
a huge amount of clay and strength
to master this jug.
Don't film me for this bit.
I'm like that!
I'm going for the one piece. I love
throwing, I love throwing big.
I think it's better to do it
in two parts.
If I do it in one,
it's more likely that I'll get
to about this high, start shaking.
And Matt's not hanging
around throwing his jug in one.
I have to do well in this,
so I'm just going to go as big
as I can get it.
Matt, isn't this just wonderful?
\ It's brilliant. I
I don't think I've
got my back on properly.
BLEEP! BLEEP!
I'm going to do it in two parts.
I do know I can throw
something this big,
but I know some of the other guys
as well,
they probably throw as good as me
or even better than me.
Gosh, Matt, you don't mess
about, do you?
You're quicker than Keith!
I was pretty excited to find out
what the challenge was. Yeah.
This is what I really like doing,
where I feel most comfortable.
Well, it's obvious.
I mean, you've done that so quickly
and it's beautiful.
SHE HUMS ANXIOUSLY
OK, potters, you're halfway through
the challenge.
You've got half an hour left.
Oh, yeah. Half an hour. Right. Yep.
As the other potters' jugs take
shape, for Rosalind,
the sheer amount of clay is proving
difficult to work with.
You're right stuck in there, aren't
you? Yes.
It's not doing too great.
In what way?
I'm not used to using this amount.
I couldn't wedge it.
It was too hard. Really?
Yes! Oh, no.
If I can't do it, I can't do
it but I'm going to have a go.
If you've not got any muscles now,
you will by the end of
the challenge.
Matt has already got his first
one off.
Wowser'.
He's a good boy, isn't he?
He's got it.
With a chance
to redeem their Greek fortunes,
there's a bit of a jug-off between
Matt and Claire.
I'm going to go for another one.
May as well. It might be better.
Hers is not as big as mine, is it?
Both Claire and Matt are amazing.
I hope one day I can throw
like them.
So you're done? I've done one.
I'm going to make another one
just cos I want to play with
more clay.
Ii
Right, potters, you've
got ten minutes left.
Oh! That's plenty of time,
Rosafind.
Come on.
It's gone down in size! Naughty.
I'm liking the concentration
there, Rosalind.
Don't let it collapse. OK.
OK, potters, you've got one
minute left.
Three, two, one.
Ronaldo, take your hands off
the clay, please.
If you've made more than one
amphora,
you've got to choose which...
Oh! Oh, Matt, I can't believe that!
After the amphora bodies have dried
overnight, the potters now
have one hour to make the handles
and shape their pointy bottoms.
So I'm just refining the shape
and then I'm going to add a bit
for my point.
Criteria is 40 centimetres tall.
My piece ain't 40 centimetres tall.
So add this pot, that I made
to some of this pot I made,
make it taller - bish bash bosh -
got myself an amphora.
I quite like the way that Keith's
goes in and then out
and flat at the bottom.
I think I'm going to do that.
Yeah, I think I'm going to go
for a point
because I think it's going to
suit this shape better.
You're doing the bottom.
I'm doing the bottom.
But I couldn't centre it
like this
and where it's off centre,
I've not turned it equally.
So I've got a big side.
I'm going to do things a little bit
different.
I'm actually going to poke a hole
in the bottom of this
and then use the excess
clay to sort of throw again.
It's really difficult.
Agh, no. Still have to try to
get them put together,
so that's another challenge maybe.
I'm going to go for a pointy
bottom
and I'm just starting to get
to the point
where I'm closing it off now.
It's very pleasurable to watch
for sure.
It's pretty satisfying to do
it when you get it right as well.
Potters, you're halfway through.
You've got half an hour left.
Oh! BLEEP!
Uh'.!
That was pretty deep.
Don't look.
Yeah, all right. It doesn't seem to
be closing so we're probably
going to have to take you up to
the hospital
just to maybe glue it or get
a stitch.
Don't worry about your pots.
I'll finish it for you.
Just go and get yourself sorted.
Bless you.
I wish I'd thought of that in the
sculpture challenge, to be honest.
Finally, these jugs need
some handles.
I've never done any handles this big
on anything in this size before.
How big are they going to be?
I don't need them that big.
Hopefully, the judges' eyes will go
to that finial
and won't notice any wonkiness.
Potters, remember, your amphoras
have got to be in the stands
at the edge of your benches
ready for judging.
A minute for each handle, Ronaldo.
Three, two, one.
Please get your hands
off the clay.
Ronaldo, please stop touching them
blooming handles.
So which potter's amphora
will meet Greek God Keith's exacting
standards?
Can I just pick it up?
Ooh, that's it.
The handles could have been adhered
a bit better, but interestingly
enough, the pull and the thickness
and the width -
it's sort of nicely in proportion
with the pot.
44 centimetres high.
A really good effort, Ronaldo,
really, really good.
Yeah, well done.
It's a really good shape,
isn't it?
I like the curves into this
bead here
and then just that slow silhouette
is really nice.
The only issue
I would have with it - the handles.
They're a bit too big
for the form itself.
You really were struggling with it.
Yeah.
I'm just so impressed.
So it was quite a challenge for you,
then, wasn't it?
I'm glad I've done it because it
will liberate me to attempt
things like that in the future.
Yeah.
Well done.
It really looks like an amphora,
doesn't it? It does.
You've really got the nice
fluidity there.
You've got a lovely defined
lip on the top.
I've got gotta say these handles,
they're lovely.
They're really, really lovely.
You've got a nice shape here.
You've got a nice form.
I suppose it could have been
finished off slightly better.
But this is lovely - this accent
here, this is really, really nice.
So your amphora is...
"44, which is fine.
It's quite a lot of meat up here.
Yeah. Yeah. The shape could have
done with a little bit more
of a point on the end, couldn't it?
Could have done.
It's neither a point or a sort
of like a little foot ring.
It's halfway house really.
Keith and Sue will now reveal
who has the best amphora.
So in sixth place is Rosalind.
We're really looking for a little
bit more curve and a bit more spring
on your handles.
In fifth place, Ronaldo.
Rosa is in fourth place.
Jacob is third.
Which leaves Matt and Claire
vying for the top spot.
So in second place is...
"Matt.
So in first place is Claire.
Really lovely throwing,
a nice accent on the bottom
and those handles just really,
really fluent.
Well done. Brilliant.
L'm feeling happy-
I'm feeling confident insofar
as I won a throw-down,
about the sculpture.
Coming second in the throw-down
puts me a little bit at ease,
but definitely not completely.
I don't really know where I stand
at the moment.
I just know I wish that I could
have done better in the amphora
challenge and in the
sculpture challenge as well.
The pieces have gone in the
kiln, but it's not in my hands.
It's not in any of our hands -
we just need to wait.
It's judgment day
and, after a 24-hour firing,
the potters must collect
their statues from the kiln
and present them to the judges.
As long as it's standing,
I'll be smiling.
If she's beautiful,
I shall be walking out, "Mmm!"
But if she's horrible,
I'll be going, "Hrmph!"
Mine's alive! She's alive! Yeah!
I'm going to hold him like a baby.
He's armless and legless.
What should I call him? Arthur.
Cos he's ARTHUR man.
'alf a...? Oi! Badum-tssh!
Be really careful.
That's amazing, Ros. Thank you.
Go one hand underneath.
Thank you. No worries.
Think we've got
some relieved potters.
Morning, potters.
It's been a Herculean task.
So shall we get cracking
and start judging?
Yeah. Yeah?
Generally, it's the proportions
that are wrong.
You've got the breasts here.
They're rather large,
but also there's no definition
underneath the breasts.
There there's no overhang, is there?
It just carries on
straight into the torso.
The pose isn't there, is it? No.
It's like she's squatting,
ready to sit down.
And you can tell that the legs
are obviously giving way.
So basically gravity took over.
So let's just give it a measure.
So we've got 44 centimetres,
roughly.
We were looking for 60 centimetres.
You've started off really nicely
on some of the features,
yet then the mouth
is far too big there.
Yeah, you haven't really nailed
our Aphrodite, have you? No.
The proportions are wrong.
I mean, her legs down to the knee -
that bit's far too long.
The hands aren't the right size,
her arms are too thin.
You've kind of sort of missed
the observation here.
You've got some definition
on her breasts there,
which is quite nice to see.
But one thing that we was
particularly impressed with
was her bottom, because
that was one of the first things
that we saw taking shape.
She had a nice bum.
She did have a good bum.
I enjoyed doing her bum.
You've really captured the energy
of Andrew standing there.
The stance is really, really good.
The proportions
are pretty good as well.
It's very expressive, in the way
that you've used the clay.
You know, you can see that
you've thumbed it into position.
You've got really nice detailing
on the hands.
You know, his torso,
right into his groin.
But the problem is,
we asked for nee-classical style.
And this is more modern.
It's almost like
you've got everything there,
just in a different style.
In terms of size,
you know, we're looking at,
here... 63 centimetres.
That's really impressive.
I mean, as a statue,
it's incredible. It's wonderful.
I kind of like
his sort of jaunty pose.
You have got sort of
some movement there.
He was leaning over slightly.
So I think
that's really nicely done.
I'm really impressed
with the proportions you've got.
Even his genitalia
is the correct size.
Well, it was in my face long enough,
so...
THEY LAUGH
Well, for 81/2 hours, yeah.
It's a strong piece,
but we've got, really,
10 centimetres of plinth
and 50 centimetres of Adonis.
She is just disappearing into that
plinth, isn't she? Yeah, she is.
I don't know what happened
to the feet,
but they're not there, are they?
The shoulders look really large
for that sort of stature.
Sizes and proportions have
gone haywire, haven't they?
You've managed to get the
proportions right in the head,
though you've put more detail
in the private parts.
You could have maybe
given less time to that.
Believe me, Keith, I didn't
spend much time on that bit.
THEY LAUGH
Well, yes.
You were the first one that
was going up close and personal
with the callipers,
from literally head to foot.
You can't really see
that kind of level of observation
in your statue.
If there's any detail
to say, "Fantastic, well clone,"
it's up here.
You know, in and around the neck.
But he's got an arm missing,
a foot missing. I know.
We've got this bit of wire
that's actually keeping him upright.
Without that,
he wouldn't be standing.
What an embarrassing piece!
Well, no, it's not embarrassing,
because you carried on
and you persevered.
And we commend you for that.
So well done.
What we love about you, Rosalind,
is when you do something sculptural,
the attention to detail
is really, really lovely to see.
The proportion of the nose to
the mouth to the eyes is very good.
And you've managed to get
a nice smooth surface
on the finish as well.
I love the drape of the fabric here.
Although the legs are really long,
you know, there is a nice shape
to them,
and especially her bottom -
that's fabulous.
But the torso -
that is in proportion.
Really nice curves, very considered,
you know, obviously using your
observational skills to the fore.
Thank you. So shall we measure it?
\ Yes, yeah. I
Well, look at that.
We're about 591/2 centimetres.
Not bad at all.
Thank you. Brilliant.
I'm not banking on
Potter of the Week,
because always the bridesmaid,
never the bride.
Judging was not very good!
But it was expected.
It was a disaster.
I'd definitely say
I was in the bottom three.
Second in the Throw Down -
I'm just hoping
that that'll just tide me over.
I think they thought it was a good
sort of interpretation of man.
It was just not maybe
a Greek, smooth-skin man.
We all ticked
maybe one or two boxes,
so I can't see
who could possibly be going home.
It could be me.
It could be anyone else, really.
You two have got a colossal task,
choosing Potter of the Week,
and who's going to be going home.
Both challenges this week
have been the toughest
we've ever asked them to do.
We've had so many different
styles of pots.
Some have completely collapsed.
Some them are quite successful.
It's been a huge up-and-down week,
hasn't it?
It's been a Greek epic,
it really has.
What I really liked
about Rosalind's piece
was that lovely drapery
of the fabric.
It looked lifelike.
And we've seen her apply loads
of textures, lots of detailing.
And I love the way she'd interpreted
the bone structure
right underneath the skin.
She'd really got
some movement there.
Rosa did really well.
I think she'd worked really hard
to get that muscle tone
and that chiselled look.
Went all the way
down the front of the body,
even into the genitalia
and the top of the legs.
I think she pretty much
captured that pose.
It's a brilliant sculpture,
but it's very contemporary.
It's quite modern.
Who's in the scary zone this week?
So for Rainna's main make,
it all fell to pieces.
The clay wouldn't support the body
that she was working on.
It looked like a zombie movie,
really. Matt was another one.
Certainly was more of a Medusa
than an Aphrodite.
In fact, it looked like something
out of Jason And The Argonauts.
Do you remember those films? Yes,
I do. Yeah, showing my age there.
Ronaldo's in a difficult position
because the proportions
of his statue were completely out.
And he hasn't done so well
in the Throw Down.
To be perfectly honest,
Matt and Ronaldo's statues
are equally as bad as each other.
I don't think I've really made
my mind up yet.
I can't really decide.
No, it's not clear-cut at all.
Potters, Sue and Keith
have made their decisions.
Keith, would you like to deliver
the good news?
The Potter of the Week this week,
with their statue going into
the Pottery Throw Down gallery is...
"Rosalind.
Oh. Well done.
But that's not the end of the story.
There's another potter
whose statute deserves a place
in the Throw Down gallery
this week.
And that statue belongs to...
"Rosa.
Yes!
THEY LAUGH
Well done, you. So you are both
Potters of the Week this week.
OK, it's the bit which I hate.
The potter
who's leaving us this week is...
Rainna, it's you.
I don't you want to go.
Can I give you a hug? I'm going to
miss you so much, darling.
It was expected. I've been
waiting for it all day, really,
just to say, "You're out."
But at some point, it's got to end.
I'm going to miss you guys!
It's really, really sad
to see Rainna go this week.
You know, her personality
lights up the pottery.
It was a hell of a week
for all of them,
but, for Rainna, even more so.
I'll be really sad to see her go.
She's just positive about...
about things,
and, like, she's been a shoulder
to cry on for a lot of people.
I'm really looking forward
to putting this bit behind me
and hoping that the next one's
something that I can do better with
and do more justice to myself with.
Well, I'm glad that I survived
another week,
but I'm really upset
that Rainna's going.
She does lovely cuddles, and...
Yeah, she's really, really
a kind person.
I wish she was staying.
Rosa's Adonis and Rosalind's
Aphrodite are the first-ever
joint exhibits to enter
our Potter of the Week Gallery.
I love to share
with Rosalind as well.
So we got the two Rosas winning,
didn't we? That was rather good.
PHONE LINE RINGS
Hello? Hello, my darling.
Hello, Mumsy! You all right?
Yeah, I got Potter of the Week.
SHE GASPS
Did you?!
Oh, brilliant!
Oh, you're so clever!
Well done, Mum. I'm so proud of you.
Aww.
You know what? I'm just loving that
I've had six really amazing weeks
with the most incredible people.
I've made, like, friends for life.
THEY CHEER
Good luck to everyone who's left.
Go for it, smash it. Whoo!
Well, don't smash it -
don't smash your work,
cos that's what I done.
SHE LAUGHS
But smash it
in the other sense that I mean.
LAUGHING: Oh, my God!
Next time, it's chim-chimney time
at the wheel...
It's cool, isn't it, clay?
...and a fireside tale of tiles.
Dad said I should learn to tile.
So he was right.
He's always right.
But who will stand the heat...
I'm really impressed with
what you've presented to us.
...and whose hopes
will be extinguished?
And there's that word again,
isn't there? "Finish."
Subtitles by Red Bee Media
of nudity from the start.
Yamas! It's Greek Week in the
pottery,
as we pay homage to the gods and
goddesses in clay.
We've got pillars and jugs
and these.
Welcome to
The Great Pottery Throw Down.
I think we're going to need
bigger grapes!
Last time, Rosalind shone with her
sheep. It works so, so well.
But she just missed out
as our brightest star was Jacob...
It does look like the pot's
just exploded, doesn't it? Yeah.
...who won his second
Potter Of The Week.
I don't know why I keep putting
myself in this position.
But whilst Ronaldo struggled...
Sweetie... These things happen.
...the lights went out on Flea's time
in the pottery.
I'm really going to miss you.
I'm going to miss you, too.
Now...
LAUGHTER
...we're in a Greek odyssey... Ooh!
..with a gigantic
ancient throw down...
Gosh, the Earth moved, then, Keith!
...and the most colossal... Sorry.
Got some good muscles there.
...hand-build main make.
Oh, right.
...ever seen in the competition.
To be honest, I really have no
idea what I'm doing.
MUSIC: Making Time
by The Creation
# Making time
# Shooting lines
# People have their uses
# People have their uses. #
For our first-ever Greek Week, two
foreign objects have appeared
in the pottery.
THEY CHAT AND LAUGH
And just to add to the mystery,
the potters haven't been told
which bench to work at.
I don't know where to go!
LAUGHTER
Four bags of clay?!
No, I wanted to go here.
I want to go here!
I wanted to go there. No!
Are you going there? Yeah. I want to
go there now.
What they do know
is that, for this week's main make,
they'll be tackling the largest
hand-building challenge
of the competition so far.
I really do feel
like they're tightening the screws,
they're just pushing us to the
limit.
Super hard.
I think everyone's going to really
struggle with this challenge,
but you've got to have fun with it.
HE SIGHS
Man, sculpting is definitely not
what I'm made to do,
and I'm really not looking
forward to it.
Totally not prepared, mentally
or physically.
Good morning, potters.
Or should I say "Kalimera",
as it's Greek Week
at the pottery? For your main make,
Sue and Keith would like you to
sculpt a classic Greek statue.
And we've got some help.
Three, two, one.
CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS
Please welcome our Adonis
and Aphrodite.
You've got a good view of every
angle. And I can now reveal
that the front four benches,
you guys are going to be creating
the female statue, and you guys
at the back three benches are going
to be doing the male statue.
Potters go Greek!
The Ancient Greeks considered
sculpting the naked body
the ultimate artistic challenge.
Nice... bum there. Ooh!
To do justice to a tradition
that goes back thousands of years,
the potters have just eight and a
half hours to shape
and refine every inch
of their statues, ready for firing.
LAUGHTER
Concentrate! Concentrate!
I've got the female model.
It made no difference to me, really,
because I haven't practised either.
I wanted the female,
just because the form's a lot
easier to make.
Both the male and female form come
with their own complications
and appendages
that will be difficult to stick on.
I'm undecided which is
more difficult.
I wanted the lady.
She's got really good breasts.
I might have struggled with
the male, so...
...answered a prayer.
The style of statue that Keith
and Sue have asked the potters to
aim for can be found in the Walker
Art Gallery in Liverpool,
which houses one of the largest
collections in the country.
So nee-classical sculptors
were very good at capturing fine
details, like these beautiful curls,
and it shows the softness
of the skin, doesn't it,
and the tone of the muscles.
Absolutely.
Even this drapery hair is really
important in the whole composition,
but it's grounding it, isn't it,
and giving it support
so that it doesn't topple over.
They really, really want to think
about how they're going to support
these things as they're building
their statues.
Are they going to build separate
appendages - the arms and legs -
and then stick them onto the torso?
Or are they going to build
them from the ground up?
What I want is an elegant figure.
I don't want to see the arms
too long.
I don't want to see the legs
too short.
I want them to really look
critically at the model and actually
map it out and produce
that perfect form.
I want to see Aphrodite,
I don't want a lump of clay.
And I want to see Adonis,
a bit like myself.
THEY LAUGH
Keith and Sue are looking
for a hand-built Adonis or Aphrodite
that's at least 60cm tall.
I've never sculpted a model, no.
Oh, no, tell a lie.
I sculpted a bust.
Just the head and the shoulders.
That didn't come out too well.
It blew up in the kiln. Kaboom!
It's about 23 years
ago since I did one, I think.
So it was a long time ago.
Like the same age as Jacob.
Before they even touch the clay,
unless the potters carefully
measure their models, it
will be almost impossible to deliver
the natural-looking neoclassical
forms that Keith and Sue
have demanded.
From my perspective, I'm getting
23cm for the full height,
so if I scale that up by three,
that's bang-on, like, the size
I need to be in clay.
That's my head size.
So I've got a nice template
now to work towards.
I can offer it up to my pattern,
if you like.
Whilst Rosalind and Claire already
have everything mapped out...
I really have to focus.
Sorry, can I just measure
your head again?
...Rainna seems determined to spend
a little more time with the ruler.
Is that your hip you've got your
hand on? Yeah.
Is that dead-on your hip? That's
good. That really works out for me.
Wicked. I just want to know,
roughly, without actually going up
and measuring his body!
That's about a head.
Oh, we've got some, actually.
Does that work out better?
Campers.
She's properly going for it.
Sorry, I keep measuring you.
So if that's about there...
Hello, Rainna. Hello.
How's it going?
So, this is the model, is it?
That's Andrew. Yeah.
And then I've measured his head,
and how many heads go in the body.
I've got six heads in the body.
So you've got a sort of a mark
there. Yeah, yeah.
And then, just using that,
going all the way up.
And we've seen you getting up close and
personal there with the callipers. Yeah.
You know, and that's... that's
all about... She loves it!
That's all about, obviously, getting
the proportions right, isn't it?
Yeah. I mean, it is quite a
different experience.
You've not only got the 2-D - the
width and the height - you've got
the girth and the length and all...
THEY LAUGH
Oi! I meant the girth... I knew
she'd laugh at that!
...the back and the legs
I'm sorry, Keith!
I'm sorry, Sue.
I'm sorry, everybody.
Ignore Mel, she's
completely lost it.
But not everyone is quite
as obsessed with size.
I don't want to try to do
what they're doing, and I'm not sure
why they're doing it.
Even though it's kind of making
sense, they could put it to scale,
maybe something I should do.
Ronaldo is trusting his instinct for
form and he's
building without measuring.
I'm just literally going for it.
I'm just going to try to get
the form looking high.
Think it is.
And then worry about the details
a bit later.
Attempting to make a large Greek
statue with wet, heavy
clay is risky.
So I'm going to get the general
proportion right. Unless the potters
construct their basic forms
with separate hollow body parts...
My approach is to work from the
inside out using a slab-building
method, so I'm starting
with the torso.
...the weight will distort the body
and could even see Aphrodite
or Adonis collapse.
I'm just trying to get, like, the
hips and stuff the way
he'll be stood.
It's a bit rough, but it'll be
neatened up.
You've done the bottom, which is
lovely. Do you like her bum?
I think she's got a great bum.
She has got a great bum.
The model has actually got
a great bottom. Yeah.
I'm really happy with it, actually.
If I could just submit the bum,
I think I would be very happy.
SHE LAUGHS
Whilst Claire has started at the
bottom... To be honest,
I really have no idea
what I'm doing.
...for the first time
in the competition, Matt isn't sure
where to begin.
Out of my comfort zone. I've not
done anything like this,
so I can't really comprehend how
long it's going to take.
I'm going to start with the pillar.
I think it's going to be really
difficult to form the sculpture
without anything to lean on.
So I'm going to start with that.
Whilst Matt plans to lean on a
pillar for support,
for the potters
creating hollow body parts...
It's looking a bit like a body
already.
Maybe that's just how I'm
supposed to work.
...the battle for stability
is about to begin in earnest.
Stick something in his leg for now.
Unless they take the time to dry
each section, the hollow clay
will sag before they've had a chance
to begin constructing their statues,
resulting in distinctly
ungodlike forms.
I'm just really struggling with time
to try and get bits dried enough
to get it to stand up.
It's a frustrating and
time-consuming process...
I'd like to have it up like
Rosa's got.
Got some good muscles there,
don't you?
...and one that Rosa has
chosen to ignore.
Goodness. Don't know how
she's done that.
Hello, Rosa. Hello. Gosh, you've got
loads done already.
Yeah, but let's wait.
I haven't hollowed out
like everybody else yet.
So you've started with a solid
block of clay, have you? Sort of.
And why have you chosen this way
of working?
So I've gone for the carving
technique instead of the
body part making, because I sort of
see things, sort of, 3-D,
because I studied fashion and we
have to see it as a whole.
And if I was to make the arms
and torso and everything, the turn
and twist and the movement in the
body would not be right.
I feel I can get a whole
look of the movement.
So it's quite intuitive, isn't it,
the way you're working?
So how are you going to hollow
this out? From the back
or the front or...? I think I'm more
or less just going...
When I get it right, I'm going to do
a clean cut and cut him up.
Whilst Rosa plans to butcher, gut
and reassemble her Adonis...
I'm going to do a body massacre.
You know, when they cut bodies
up in a bathtub?
RAINNA LAUGHS
I watch too many crime movies!
...over on Matt's bench...
Um...
Well, it's... I'm just not getting
anywhere.
...there's still no evidence
of Aphrodite.
Just trying to gather my thoughts at
the moment.
The way that I was going to do
it doesn't seem to be working out
for me very well,
so I'm going to start again.
BLEEP!
I'm just going to go outside.
It's Greek Week in the pottery.
And there's already been a tragedy.
Matt's lack of love
for hand-building has seen him
abandon his Aphrodite.
But not completely.
Have you any tips?
I'm really stuck...
Are you? What are you stuck on?
I just can't...
How do you make this?
With the extruder.
\ Oh, my God. I
As Matt finally makes a start,
for those who've already begun
sculpting, this challenge
is about to get even harder.
If it's too heavy, obviously,
it could collapse the entire thing.
There's a lot to it, isn't there?
Yeah, you have to be thinking
constantly.
The potters now need to combine
their creativity with engineering.
Oh, for God...
This is getting on my...
Each additional body part
increases the pressure
on any soft clay on the lower
half of their statue...
This is really difficult cos
it's stood up and the clay's so wet.
...forcing the potters to invent
ingenious ways to keep everything
upright until it's firm.
When I practised at home,
the clay collapsed upon itself.
So I thought it'd be a good idea
to put a stick
inside - the old umbrella
stand from home.
They're called formers. After it's
set up, I can take them out.
I made them
with paper drinking straws.
These are my formers -
just house bricks.
I'm going to have skewers
that will pierce through the body
and then I can build up.
I've squished his genitals
a little bit to the side
with my watering can.
What have I done to him?!
Morning, Matt.
Hi, Matt. Morning. Hello, lovey.
You've got your structure
here as your support.
And so I take it
each part of the body
that you're producing,
you're then going to slide
onto your wire?
The plan was to start with the head
and then just really nicely work
everything in proportion to that.
And what changed it?
Just hand-building.
OK, it's the process.
Not particularly enjoying myself.
Just wandering in the dark.
So you've really had to reboot
this morning, haven't you?
Yeah. I took myself outside for ten
minutes. Yes.
I've just, I've thrown away an hour.
But in terms of preparation for
this, you've got it all mapped out,
you've got all the measurements
here. I've disregarded the, erm,
measurements as well, so...
So you're really going on
just eye, are you?
Don't you think those measurements
would be helpful?
Yeah, they probably would,
but also time-consuming.
Potters, half the time has gone.
Don't look so worried.
Nowhere near enough done.
Not enough time.
I think I'm going to get something
out. It's just that I haven't done a
body before, and I've got to get it
to all stand up.
As most of the potters
concern themselves...
\ Oh, boy. I
...with stabilising their statues...
I'm setting myself up
for failure, yeah,
I reckon, with this.
Why do you keep falling over?!
"Confident in her careful
measuring and planning...
You see - head... groin...
...Rosalind has already moved
on to the final details.
Hi, Rosalind. Hello!
Things have moved along nicely here,
haven't they?
Yeah, they're coming along.
Shall I turn it around? Yes, please.
Oh, wow, look at that hair.
Excellent.
You've done quite a lot
of hand-building, haven't you?
Yes. That was my first thing.
Starting hand-building creatures -
boxing hares,
and I made some garden busts.
I done that one. Life-size bust.
Life-size? Terracotta
for the garden, and she's got
all moss and... So have you done
figures with limbs, as well?
Cos this is just a torso. No.
And also I worked from photographs,
sort of Googled beautiful girls.
So how are you finding it here?
Cos, obviously, you can get
the full view of the body.
I've never been able to do this
way of working,
because you can't get anyone
to pose nude!
Right, not even your husband?
I think he'd be... he'd be wanting
to get on with his pigeons rather
than standing there naked!
Yeah, well... fair enough.
Most potters are yet to grasp
their statue's final details.
It fell over.
You missed it.
It went...
He had flat back, like that.
I'm a bit upset
just cos of the height.
I'm 10cm short.
And whilst Jacob's small Adonis
has yet to hit the heights
that the judges have demanded...
I need to make a base, really.
...Ronaldo and Matt's instinctive
measurement-free approach comes
with its own size issues.
I've been giving a slight
breast reduction,
but they're still very ample.
You don't want to take them too
small, do you?
Cos I'm doing
it off the top of my head,
I'm letting my imagination go!
I don't think he's got the
proportions right on them, at all,
do you? No.
Do you think he's measured that?
Well, if he has, I'd like to see
his ruler!
Potters, you've got two
and a half hours remaining.
Is that all right with you?
Fine. Cool, good-o.
Good job.
Starting to just work on the
buttocks and the legs.
All I have to focus on is getting
the body parts joined.
Keep it standing -
and getting the detail in!
\ And finesse! I
I'm 10cm short,
so hopefully these columns
will give that extra 10cm
boost.
I'm trying to keep it really
Greek-y, sort of, style.
But I'm still a long way from that.
Still got a lot to do.
So I need to do the head.
I need to get the hands on.
Probably try to reduce the size
of the breasts a bit!
Having constructed her Adonis
from a single lump of clay...
I hope I won't be spending too long
on this because I'd quite like to
get some of the details into it.
...Rosa's to-do list
is a little longer.
I've never hollowed anything
out before. Taking
off the thickness from inside.
It's really bad to fire anything
this wet, so it's quite important
that it's dry, and the drying
process is quicker if it's thin.
If it's not dry, it's much, much
more likely to explode.
Not everyone's worried
about explosions.
It's collapsing.
I'm going to have to cut it apart.
It's looking like some potters
might struggle to get a statue
into the kiln at all.
It's collapsed about twice already.
I think that the weight
from the breasts
was just a bit too much.
That's you
having done a reduction...
They must have been enormous.
I'm not sure, I'm not sure what size
you'd call that.
I reckon that's an F-cup.
So, Jacob's
just taken those brick supports out.
And it's standing up.
I bet he's relieved. In fact, I
think it's the first one that is
actually standing up on its own.
Rosa might be about to take
her supports out as well.
I'm sweating already.
You got this, girl. OK.
I'm going to give it a little twist,
as well.
Do you want me to hold this?
This is completely loose. Right.
Would you like me to hold this bit?
I got it.
Just leave the... Leave the column.
Don't hold the column. OK.
Is it actually going to stand up?
Don't go so quick. Sorry.
OK, we need to move him forward.
If you hold the fabric, I think,
putting him forward, on the fabric.
Sorry, what do you mean?
What do I mean?
Do you want me to just slide
the bat out? Yeah.
Towards me. Towards you?
I don't know if I can do that.
Towards yourself, then.
No? There's too much weight on
there.
It's just going to slide it all off.
There's too much weight on it.
What do we do?
What do we do? Think, think, think.
I don't know.
\Ah-haQ
She feels a bit sturdy already.
Thank you so much, Rainna.
That's all right.
I don't know what I would have done
without you.
Without support, not all of our
Greek gods seem to be immortal.
She's sort of... Like she's just
about to sit down
to go to the toilet.
I might give her something
just to sit back on.
Mate, this is already slumping.
BLEEP! You're joking me!
Look at the leg,
it's broke off here.
There's no point, man.
It's like an operating table,
isn't it?
He's been cut in half, his leg's
come off.
Have you got anything
inside there, still?
No. Everything's out.
That's what's ruined it.
OK. Because once I took it out,
that was it.
It's... It started just to fall
down? Yeah.
It just keeps cracking. A crack
there, by the way.
Yeah, I know that
I'm not going to get it completed...
No.
...how I would like to. No.
Sure.
So let's make the best of the bits
that I have got.
We can rebuild him.
We can rebuild him!
Potters, you've got 30
minutes left.
Remember, all your statues
have to be in the drying room
by the end of time. Oh!
It's probably gonna be all
in sections.
Poor man, he's losing all
his brain cells here.
Do I do fingers and toes, or
do I smooth the surface?
I wanted to make it fantastic,
now it's slap, slap, slap.
Not great.
She finally gave way and fell over.
And the arm's gone as well. Yeah.
And there goes the leg. Yeah.
Can you pull it off for me? Why
don't you try and save those bits?
Add a bit more bosom here. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, she's a bit smaller on
that side. Yeah.
Like that one. Yeah, it's lovely.
Do I do him smooth?
Or do I do the details?
I don't think there's enough
time for both of them.
What are you doing in the last
few minutes here?
Oh, forgot to put the crown on. Oh!
I can do it. I can do it.
She doesn't have any feet.
I don't really think there's
much point putting them on.
OK, potters, we're nearly at the
end.
You've got ten minutes.
And she's starting to squat again.
Whoa! Cos it's tall, isn't it?
Just make room. That's it.
Come round this way.
Right, Matt's on the move.
Oh, I can't look at this!
The stick's just...
It's like carrying newborn babies.
Two minutes. I can do this!
Jacob's in! Oh...!
Oooh! Oh, God.
So, Ronaldo's in. Claire's in.
Rosalind's in.
OK.
Rosa's coming in!
Is it really heavy?
Extremely heavy.
Nice and slow.
I... I think
my arms might give up now.
I don't think my arms
can hold it.
I think I need to be levelled.
You've got a slight split.
Come on, Rainna. Do a countdown.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,
five, four,
three, two,
one.
That's the end of the challenge!
In you go.
It's going to land
on the floor if I let go.
I don't even know what she can do.
Is there anything she can prop it up
with?
What about my pencil case?
I don't think that will help.
It will have to lie down, then.
That's fine.
Oh, God, it's so heavy.
Come here.
Whoa!
Where was it?
Where did it go?
I couldn't hold it!
\ Oh, sweetie! I
It's going to be OK. It was so
heavy! I know.
As their statues dry ready
for firing, the potters must tackle
a second Greek challenge.
Honestly, anything on the wheel,
I'll be happy, anything, anything!
Potters, your second challenge
this week is a throw-down.
And because he's Greek Week, Keith
and Sue would like you to make
an amphora.
It's a Greek jug.
It has two handles and a narrow neck
and a pointy bottom.
So this is the largest piece of clay
we've done in a throw-down.
You've got six and a half
kilos here. Wow!
Gosh, the Earth moved then!
Now I'm just really relaxing
into centring it.
It wants to be roughly
a good 40 centimetres high.
I'm visualising and I'm forming the
inside of the pot.
You don't need to do it
all in one piece.
You can do in sections
if you want to.
Are you using your knuckles?
I'm using my knuckles, yeah.
If it doesn't hurt, you're not
doing it right. Right. OK.
Forming the shoulder now,
just gently pushing out
from the inside and accentuating
that shoulder.
The speed of the wheel is really,
really important into the neck.
Just taking it in a bit
and making a nice deliberate rim.
There you go. Amazing!
Remember, the clay you've got
is enough clay also
to do your handles
and turning that point afterwards.
Claire's smiling.
At least I get to throw
before I go home.
So you've got one hour
to throw your amphora
and your time starts now.
Amphoras were used to carry wine
and oil
and their distinctive
pointed bottoms
allowed the ancient Greeks
to store them upright in sand.
It's a throwing challenge.
I know. I'm so happy.
If it was another hand building,
that was it - I was getting my coat.
I'm throwing an amphora?
Super hard. I'm going to do terrible
at it because I'm not
very great at following
something so big.
It's going to take me an hour
to wedge it, it's so hard.
Six and a half kilos, it's like
a two-month-old baby, isn't it,
or something like that?
SHE PANTS
I'm going to go for it.
The potters can throw the jug in one
or two halves to join together.
Either way, it's going to take
a huge amount of clay and strength
to master this jug.
Don't film me for this bit.
I'm like that!
I'm going for the one piece. I love
throwing, I love throwing big.
I think it's better to do it
in two parts.
If I do it in one,
it's more likely that I'll get
to about this high, start shaking.
And Matt's not hanging
around throwing his jug in one.
I have to do well in this,
so I'm just going to go as big
as I can get it.
Matt, isn't this just wonderful?
\ It's brilliant. I
I don't think I've
got my back on properly.
BLEEP! BLEEP!
I'm going to do it in two parts.
I do know I can throw
something this big,
but I know some of the other guys
as well,
they probably throw as good as me
or even better than me.
Gosh, Matt, you don't mess
about, do you?
You're quicker than Keith!
I was pretty excited to find out
what the challenge was. Yeah.
This is what I really like doing,
where I feel most comfortable.
Well, it's obvious.
I mean, you've done that so quickly
and it's beautiful.
SHE HUMS ANXIOUSLY
OK, potters, you're halfway through
the challenge.
You've got half an hour left.
Oh, yeah. Half an hour. Right. Yep.
As the other potters' jugs take
shape, for Rosalind,
the sheer amount of clay is proving
difficult to work with.
You're right stuck in there, aren't
you? Yes.
It's not doing too great.
In what way?
I'm not used to using this amount.
I couldn't wedge it.
It was too hard. Really?
Yes! Oh, no.
If I can't do it, I can't do
it but I'm going to have a go.
If you've not got any muscles now,
you will by the end of
the challenge.
Matt has already got his first
one off.
Wowser'.
He's a good boy, isn't he?
He's got it.
With a chance
to redeem their Greek fortunes,
there's a bit of a jug-off between
Matt and Claire.
I'm going to go for another one.
May as well. It might be better.
Hers is not as big as mine, is it?
Both Claire and Matt are amazing.
I hope one day I can throw
like them.
So you're done? I've done one.
I'm going to make another one
just cos I want to play with
more clay.
Ii
Right, potters, you've
got ten minutes left.
Oh! That's plenty of time,
Rosafind.
Come on.
It's gone down in size! Naughty.
I'm liking the concentration
there, Rosalind.
Don't let it collapse. OK.
OK, potters, you've got one
minute left.
Three, two, one.
Ronaldo, take your hands off
the clay, please.
If you've made more than one
amphora,
you've got to choose which...
Oh! Oh, Matt, I can't believe that!
After the amphora bodies have dried
overnight, the potters now
have one hour to make the handles
and shape their pointy bottoms.
So I'm just refining the shape
and then I'm going to add a bit
for my point.
Criteria is 40 centimetres tall.
My piece ain't 40 centimetres tall.
So add this pot, that I made
to some of this pot I made,
make it taller - bish bash bosh -
got myself an amphora.
I quite like the way that Keith's
goes in and then out
and flat at the bottom.
I think I'm going to do that.
Yeah, I think I'm going to go
for a point
because I think it's going to
suit this shape better.
You're doing the bottom.
I'm doing the bottom.
But I couldn't centre it
like this
and where it's off centre,
I've not turned it equally.
So I've got a big side.
I'm going to do things a little bit
different.
I'm actually going to poke a hole
in the bottom of this
and then use the excess
clay to sort of throw again.
It's really difficult.
Agh, no. Still have to try to
get them put together,
so that's another challenge maybe.
I'm going to go for a pointy
bottom
and I'm just starting to get
to the point
where I'm closing it off now.
It's very pleasurable to watch
for sure.
It's pretty satisfying to do
it when you get it right as well.
Potters, you're halfway through.
You've got half an hour left.
Oh! BLEEP!
Uh'.!
That was pretty deep.
Don't look.
Yeah, all right. It doesn't seem to
be closing so we're probably
going to have to take you up to
the hospital
just to maybe glue it or get
a stitch.
Don't worry about your pots.
I'll finish it for you.
Just go and get yourself sorted.
Bless you.
I wish I'd thought of that in the
sculpture challenge, to be honest.
Finally, these jugs need
some handles.
I've never done any handles this big
on anything in this size before.
How big are they going to be?
I don't need them that big.
Hopefully, the judges' eyes will go
to that finial
and won't notice any wonkiness.
Potters, remember, your amphoras
have got to be in the stands
at the edge of your benches
ready for judging.
A minute for each handle, Ronaldo.
Three, two, one.
Please get your hands
off the clay.
Ronaldo, please stop touching them
blooming handles.
So which potter's amphora
will meet Greek God Keith's exacting
standards?
Can I just pick it up?
Ooh, that's it.
The handles could have been adhered
a bit better, but interestingly
enough, the pull and the thickness
and the width -
it's sort of nicely in proportion
with the pot.
44 centimetres high.
A really good effort, Ronaldo,
really, really good.
Yeah, well done.
It's a really good shape,
isn't it?
I like the curves into this
bead here
and then just that slow silhouette
is really nice.
The only issue
I would have with it - the handles.
They're a bit too big
for the form itself.
You really were struggling with it.
Yeah.
I'm just so impressed.
So it was quite a challenge for you,
then, wasn't it?
I'm glad I've done it because it
will liberate me to attempt
things like that in the future.
Yeah.
Well done.
It really looks like an amphora,
doesn't it? It does.
You've really got the nice
fluidity there.
You've got a lovely defined
lip on the top.
I've got gotta say these handles,
they're lovely.
They're really, really lovely.
You've got a nice shape here.
You've got a nice form.
I suppose it could have been
finished off slightly better.
But this is lovely - this accent
here, this is really, really nice.
So your amphora is...
"44, which is fine.
It's quite a lot of meat up here.
Yeah. Yeah. The shape could have
done with a little bit more
of a point on the end, couldn't it?
Could have done.
It's neither a point or a sort
of like a little foot ring.
It's halfway house really.
Keith and Sue will now reveal
who has the best amphora.
So in sixth place is Rosalind.
We're really looking for a little
bit more curve and a bit more spring
on your handles.
In fifth place, Ronaldo.
Rosa is in fourth place.
Jacob is third.
Which leaves Matt and Claire
vying for the top spot.
So in second place is...
"Matt.
So in first place is Claire.
Really lovely throwing,
a nice accent on the bottom
and those handles just really,
really fluent.
Well done. Brilliant.
L'm feeling happy-
I'm feeling confident insofar
as I won a throw-down,
about the sculpture.
Coming second in the throw-down
puts me a little bit at ease,
but definitely not completely.
I don't really know where I stand
at the moment.
I just know I wish that I could
have done better in the amphora
challenge and in the
sculpture challenge as well.
The pieces have gone in the
kiln, but it's not in my hands.
It's not in any of our hands -
we just need to wait.
It's judgment day
and, after a 24-hour firing,
the potters must collect
their statues from the kiln
and present them to the judges.
As long as it's standing,
I'll be smiling.
If she's beautiful,
I shall be walking out, "Mmm!"
But if she's horrible,
I'll be going, "Hrmph!"
Mine's alive! She's alive! Yeah!
I'm going to hold him like a baby.
He's armless and legless.
What should I call him? Arthur.
Cos he's ARTHUR man.
'alf a...? Oi! Badum-tssh!
Be really careful.
That's amazing, Ros. Thank you.
Go one hand underneath.
Thank you. No worries.
Think we've got
some relieved potters.
Morning, potters.
It's been a Herculean task.
So shall we get cracking
and start judging?
Yeah. Yeah?
Generally, it's the proportions
that are wrong.
You've got the breasts here.
They're rather large,
but also there's no definition
underneath the breasts.
There there's no overhang, is there?
It just carries on
straight into the torso.
The pose isn't there, is it? No.
It's like she's squatting,
ready to sit down.
And you can tell that the legs
are obviously giving way.
So basically gravity took over.
So let's just give it a measure.
So we've got 44 centimetres,
roughly.
We were looking for 60 centimetres.
You've started off really nicely
on some of the features,
yet then the mouth
is far too big there.
Yeah, you haven't really nailed
our Aphrodite, have you? No.
The proportions are wrong.
I mean, her legs down to the knee -
that bit's far too long.
The hands aren't the right size,
her arms are too thin.
You've kind of sort of missed
the observation here.
You've got some definition
on her breasts there,
which is quite nice to see.
But one thing that we was
particularly impressed with
was her bottom, because
that was one of the first things
that we saw taking shape.
She had a nice bum.
She did have a good bum.
I enjoyed doing her bum.
You've really captured the energy
of Andrew standing there.
The stance is really, really good.
The proportions
are pretty good as well.
It's very expressive, in the way
that you've used the clay.
You know, you can see that
you've thumbed it into position.
You've got really nice detailing
on the hands.
You know, his torso,
right into his groin.
But the problem is,
we asked for nee-classical style.
And this is more modern.
It's almost like
you've got everything there,
just in a different style.
In terms of size,
you know, we're looking at,
here... 63 centimetres.
That's really impressive.
I mean, as a statue,
it's incredible. It's wonderful.
I kind of like
his sort of jaunty pose.
You have got sort of
some movement there.
He was leaning over slightly.
So I think
that's really nicely done.
I'm really impressed
with the proportions you've got.
Even his genitalia
is the correct size.
Well, it was in my face long enough,
so...
THEY LAUGH
Well, for 81/2 hours, yeah.
It's a strong piece,
but we've got, really,
10 centimetres of plinth
and 50 centimetres of Adonis.
She is just disappearing into that
plinth, isn't she? Yeah, she is.
I don't know what happened
to the feet,
but they're not there, are they?
The shoulders look really large
for that sort of stature.
Sizes and proportions have
gone haywire, haven't they?
You've managed to get the
proportions right in the head,
though you've put more detail
in the private parts.
You could have maybe
given less time to that.
Believe me, Keith, I didn't
spend much time on that bit.
THEY LAUGH
Well, yes.
You were the first one that
was going up close and personal
with the callipers,
from literally head to foot.
You can't really see
that kind of level of observation
in your statue.
If there's any detail
to say, "Fantastic, well clone,"
it's up here.
You know, in and around the neck.
But he's got an arm missing,
a foot missing. I know.
We've got this bit of wire
that's actually keeping him upright.
Without that,
he wouldn't be standing.
What an embarrassing piece!
Well, no, it's not embarrassing,
because you carried on
and you persevered.
And we commend you for that.
So well done.
What we love about you, Rosalind,
is when you do something sculptural,
the attention to detail
is really, really lovely to see.
The proportion of the nose to
the mouth to the eyes is very good.
And you've managed to get
a nice smooth surface
on the finish as well.
I love the drape of the fabric here.
Although the legs are really long,
you know, there is a nice shape
to them,
and especially her bottom -
that's fabulous.
But the torso -
that is in proportion.
Really nice curves, very considered,
you know, obviously using your
observational skills to the fore.
Thank you. So shall we measure it?
\ Yes, yeah. I
Well, look at that.
We're about 591/2 centimetres.
Not bad at all.
Thank you. Brilliant.
I'm not banking on
Potter of the Week,
because always the bridesmaid,
never the bride.
Judging was not very good!
But it was expected.
It was a disaster.
I'd definitely say
I was in the bottom three.
Second in the Throw Down -
I'm just hoping
that that'll just tide me over.
I think they thought it was a good
sort of interpretation of man.
It was just not maybe
a Greek, smooth-skin man.
We all ticked
maybe one or two boxes,
so I can't see
who could possibly be going home.
It could be me.
It could be anyone else, really.
You two have got a colossal task,
choosing Potter of the Week,
and who's going to be going home.
Both challenges this week
have been the toughest
we've ever asked them to do.
We've had so many different
styles of pots.
Some have completely collapsed.
Some them are quite successful.
It's been a huge up-and-down week,
hasn't it?
It's been a Greek epic,
it really has.
What I really liked
about Rosalind's piece
was that lovely drapery
of the fabric.
It looked lifelike.
And we've seen her apply loads
of textures, lots of detailing.
And I love the way she'd interpreted
the bone structure
right underneath the skin.
She'd really got
some movement there.
Rosa did really well.
I think she'd worked really hard
to get that muscle tone
and that chiselled look.
Went all the way
down the front of the body,
even into the genitalia
and the top of the legs.
I think she pretty much
captured that pose.
It's a brilliant sculpture,
but it's very contemporary.
It's quite modern.
Who's in the scary zone this week?
So for Rainna's main make,
it all fell to pieces.
The clay wouldn't support the body
that she was working on.
It looked like a zombie movie,
really. Matt was another one.
Certainly was more of a Medusa
than an Aphrodite.
In fact, it looked like something
out of Jason And The Argonauts.
Do you remember those films? Yes,
I do. Yeah, showing my age there.
Ronaldo's in a difficult position
because the proportions
of his statue were completely out.
And he hasn't done so well
in the Throw Down.
To be perfectly honest,
Matt and Ronaldo's statues
are equally as bad as each other.
I don't think I've really made
my mind up yet.
I can't really decide.
No, it's not clear-cut at all.
Potters, Sue and Keith
have made their decisions.
Keith, would you like to deliver
the good news?
The Potter of the Week this week,
with their statue going into
the Pottery Throw Down gallery is...
"Rosalind.
Oh. Well done.
But that's not the end of the story.
There's another potter
whose statute deserves a place
in the Throw Down gallery
this week.
And that statue belongs to...
"Rosa.
Yes!
THEY LAUGH
Well done, you. So you are both
Potters of the Week this week.
OK, it's the bit which I hate.
The potter
who's leaving us this week is...
Rainna, it's you.
I don't you want to go.
Can I give you a hug? I'm going to
miss you so much, darling.
It was expected. I've been
waiting for it all day, really,
just to say, "You're out."
But at some point, it's got to end.
I'm going to miss you guys!
It's really, really sad
to see Rainna go this week.
You know, her personality
lights up the pottery.
It was a hell of a week
for all of them,
but, for Rainna, even more so.
I'll be really sad to see her go.
She's just positive about...
about things,
and, like, she's been a shoulder
to cry on for a lot of people.
I'm really looking forward
to putting this bit behind me
and hoping that the next one's
something that I can do better with
and do more justice to myself with.
Well, I'm glad that I survived
another week,
but I'm really upset
that Rainna's going.
She does lovely cuddles, and...
Yeah, she's really, really
a kind person.
I wish she was staying.
Rosa's Adonis and Rosalind's
Aphrodite are the first-ever
joint exhibits to enter
our Potter of the Week Gallery.
I love to share
with Rosalind as well.
So we got the two Rosas winning,
didn't we? That was rather good.
PHONE LINE RINGS
Hello? Hello, my darling.
Hello, Mumsy! You all right?
Yeah, I got Potter of the Week.
SHE GASPS
Did you?!
Oh, brilliant!
Oh, you're so clever!
Well done, Mum. I'm so proud of you.
Aww.
You know what? I'm just loving that
I've had six really amazing weeks
with the most incredible people.
I've made, like, friends for life.
THEY CHEER
Good luck to everyone who's left.
Go for it, smash it. Whoo!
Well, don't smash it -
don't smash your work,
cos that's what I done.
SHE LAUGHS
But smash it
in the other sense that I mean.
LAUGHING: Oh, my God!
Next time, it's chim-chimney time
at the wheel...
It's cool, isn't it, clay?
...and a fireside tale of tiles.
Dad said I should learn to tile.
So he was right.
He's always right.
But who will stand the heat...
I'm really impressed with
what you've presented to us.
...and whose hopes
will be extinguished?
And there's that word again,
isn't there? "Finish."
Subtitles by Red Bee Media