Is Keith Brymer Jones Married?

Keith Brymer Jones is a British potter and ceramic designer known for his appearance as a judge on the popular BBC Two reality competition show The Great Pottery Throw Down. He has built a successful career designing and producing ceramics and homeware, including his well-known Word collection featuring text and retro motifs on pottery pieces. His work is sold globally through retailers such as John Lewis, Liberty London, and Anthropologie.

In recent years, Keith has gained fame from The Great Pottery Throw Down, where he evaluates and critiques contestants’ pieces with his characteristic wit and wisdom. His emotional responses and propensity to shed tears over the pots have endeared him to fans of the show. As a result, there has been increased interest in Keith’s personal life, including questions surrounding his current marital status.

Early Life and Education

Keith Brymer Jones was born in June 1965 in London, England (Keith Brymer Jones). He grew up in the suburbs of London in a creative family. From a young age, Keith showed an interest in art and design. He attended Highgate School, an independent school in North London.

After graduating from Highgate, Keith went on to study graphic design at Newcastle Polytechnic (now known as Northumbria University) from 1984-1987. It was during his time at university that Keith first tried his hand at pottery and discovered his passion for working with clay. He was drawn to pottery for its combination of creativity and practical skill.

Career as a Potter

Keith Brymer Jones first became interested in pottery after taking evening classes at Harrow Art School while working as an insurance clerk. He eventually left his desk job to pursue ceramics full-time, studying for a degree in Ceramics and Glass at the Royal College of Art.

After graduating in 1990, Brymer Jones set up his own pottery studio and began designing and producing functional, handmade ceramics for retailers and galleries. Some of his early commercial success came from designing tableware collections for major British retailers like Habitat, Heals, and Conran.

Brymer Jones is best known for his signature Word collection featuring retro lettering and irreverent phrases like “Bugger,” “Damn,” and “Kiss Me.” Launched in 2003, the Word range merges Brymer Jones’ creative lettering with his pottery skills to produce mugs, plates, bowls and other items [1]. He creates the pieces by hand, applying the lettering to wet clay using a slip trailer before glazing and firing. The Word collection expanded into global popularity in the 2010s after exposure on television.

In addition to his retail work, Brymer Jones has created several public art installations, exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and taught ceramics at Central St Martins. His functional pottery reflects clean, simple forms often accentuated with graphic text or motifs relating to music, pop culture and social commentary.

The Great Pottery Throw Down

In 2015, Keith Brymer Jones became a judge on the popular pottery competition TV show The Great Pottery Throw Down. The show aired on BBC Two and was hosted by Sara Cox. As a judge, Keith evaluated and critiqued the pottery creations made by the contestants on each episode. He judged alongside fellow ceramicist Kate Malone.

The show became very popular among viewers, gaining up to 3 million viewers per episode. Its success has been attributed to the compelling format – following potters as they created pieces from scratch while facing tight deadlines and pressure. Viewers also connected with Keith’s emotional and heartfelt reactions whenever contestants’ works got destroyed. He was often moved to tears, showing his empathy and passion for pottery.

Being on The Great Pottery Throw Down raised Keith’s public profile tremendously. It showcased his expertise, artistry and love for pottery to a wider audience beyond the ceramics world. He gained many new fans who were inspired by his critiques, insights and support for the contestants. The exposure helped drive interest in his own pottery lines and cemented his reputation as a leading voice in British ceramics.

Personal Life

Keith Brymer Jones is quite private about his personal relationships and family life. However, it is known that he has been married to actress Marj Hogarth since 2014. Marj has appeared in various television shows over the years, including recurring roles on M.I. High and Doctors. She is Keith’s second wife, though not much is publicly known about his first marriage.

In July 2014, Keith shared on his blog that he and Marj were getting married and had created a wedding gift list featuring his pottery products for anyone wishing to purchase them a gift. He wrote, “Marj and I have decided to get married! It’s funny that after 12 years of being ‘an item’ the time now seems right.”

Keith and Marj currently live together in London. While Keith prefers to keep his personal life out of the spotlight, he has shared that Marj and their family are incredibly important to him.

Current Marital Status

Yes, Keith Brymer Jones is currently married. He has been married to actress Marj Hogarth since 2009 (source). The couple first met in 2007 and dated for two years before tying the knot. Marj Hogarth has appeared in various television shows and films, including MI High, Doctors, and New Tricks. She and Keith live together in London and keep their relationship relatively private, though he does sometimes reference her in interviews. After over a decade of marriage, Keith and Marj’s relationship appears to still be going strong.

Impact and Legacy

Keith Brymer Jones has had a significant impact on the pottery world. As head of design at royal Crown Derby, he helped revive the historic British pottery brand by introducing bold new glazes and contemporary designs.¹ He is credited with breathing new life into the 250-year old company and renewing interest in British ceramics.

As a judge on The Great Pottery Throw Down, Brymer Jones has inspired a whole new generation of potters. The popular reality show has motivated many viewers to take up pottery as a hobby. Brymer Jones’ emotional and enthusiastic responses on the show have highlighted the joy that can be found in crafting ceramics.² His critiques educate aspiring potters on techniques while emphasizing creativity and fun.

Many credit Brymer Jones with demonstrating that pottery can appeal to contemporary tastes. His funky, irreverent designs have shown that ceramics need not be stuffy or old-fashioned. Brymer Jones has proven that pottery can be avant-garde, whimsical, and boundary-pushing while still respecting the deep tradition of the craft.

Notable Quotes

Keith Brymer Jones is known for his emotional reactions and insightful comments while judging contestants on The Great Pottery Throw Down. Here are some of his most memorable quotes:

“There are quite often times when I’ve looked at a certain shape, and it will move me to tears” (Source). This quote shows how pottery can evoke strong emotions for Keith.

“I think anything handmade represents, for me, thousands of hours of thinking love” (Source). This demonstrates Keith’s appreciation for the artistry and care put into handmade objects.

“If you’re making a living from making pots, you want to keep getting better every day. It keeps me on my toes” (Source). This quote highlights Keith’s dedication to continuously improving his craft.

Fun Facts

Keith Brymer Jones has some interesting and lesser known facts about his life and career:

He originally started out as the lead singer of a punk band called The Wigs before becoming a potter (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/dec/24/keith-brymer-jones-great-pottery-throw-down-judge-christmas-miracle-interview).

His birthday is on October 1st, making his zodiac sign Libra.

Keith is an avid collector of mid-century ceramics and is especially fond of work by Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, and Shoji Hamada.

He loves watching documentaries and listening to punk bands in his free time.

Keith has said that his superpower would be to be able to walk through walls so he could see how pots were made centuries ago.

His favorite movies are Withnail and I and A Matter of Life and Death by Powell and Pressburger.

Keith struggled with dyslexia as a child but found solace in working with clay.

If he could have any superpower, it would be to have ‘clay vision’ – being able to see the potential in every piece of clay.

He loves visiting art galleries and museums whenever he travels to find inspiration and see ceramics from around the world.

Summary

Keith Brymer Jones is arguably one of the most famous potters in Britain today. His marital status has been a point of interest among fans, especially after his emotional moments on The Great Pottery Throw Down. To recap, Keith is currently unmarried, though he was previously married to a woman named Penny Byrne. While that marriage ended in divorce back in the 1990s, Keith has kept his romantic life private in recent years.

Professionally, Keith is known for his beautiful and unique functional pottery that pushes creative boundaries. He became interested in pottery from a young age and went on to study ceramics at Cardiff and the Royal College of Art. After working under revered potter Ray Finch, Keith started his own pottery company in the 1980s focusing on handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces. He rose to fame in the 2000s after his pottery was picked up by retailers like Harrods and Liberty. Keith served as a judge on The Great Pottery Throw Down, where his emotional and passionate responses won over viewers. He continues to make pottery and advocate for British craftsmanship and artistry. Though unmarried today, Keith leaves a legacy as one of Britain’s most inventive and talented potters.