Will There Be A 6Th Season Of The Great Pottery Throw Down?

The Great Pottery Throw Down is a popular British pottery competition television series that first aired on BBC Two in 2015. The show features amateur potters competing in a variety of challenges while being judged by expert potters. Since its debut, The Great Pottery Throw Down has seen 5 successful seasons and has gained a dedicated following in the UK and abroad.

Despite starting as a niche competition show, The Great Pottery Throw Down has steadily grown in popularity over the years. By 2021, the show was considered “the most heart-warming programme on television” according to The Independent. Its fifth season in 2022 drew an average audience of 3.3 million viewers, making it one of Channel 4’s top performing shows.

Overview of Past Seasons

The Great Pottery Throw Down first began airing in 2015 on BBC Two. So far there have been 5 complete seasons of the competition show. The first four seasons aired on BBC Two from 2015-2018. After a hiatus, the show was revived and season 5 aired on Channel 4 in 2021.

Throughout its run, The Great Pottery Throw Down has featured renowned potters as judges. The main judges have been Kate Malone, who has been a judge since the first season, and Keith Brymer Jones, who joined as a judge in season 2. Other guest judges have included Sue Pryke and Richard Miller.

While airing on BBC Two for the first four seasons, The Great Pottery Throw Down saw moderate success. After moving to Channel 4 for season 5, the show experienced a surge in popularity and viewership.

Season 5 Details

The fifth season of The Great Pottery Throw Down aired from January 2 to February 6, 2023 on Channel 4 in the UK (1). This latest installment once again took place at the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent. The judges returned, with Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller judging the technical aspects of the pottery, while Sue Pryke judged the more creative and design elements (2).

There were some format changes in season 5. Most notably, Sara Cox stepped down as host and was replaced by comedian Ellie Taylor (3). The number of contestants was also reduced from 12 to 10. Otherwise, the successful format remained largely the same – contestants faced a series of increasingly difficult challenges across each episode, with one being eliminated each week until a champion potter was crowned.

Season 5 Viewership and Reception

Season 5 of The Great Pottery Throw Down premiered in January 2022 on Channel 4 in the UK. Viewership numbers were strong, averaging around 2 million viewers per episode (Wikipedia). The season 5 premiere drew 2.2 million viewers, making it the highest rated episode of the entire series. Critical reception to season 5 was very positive, with critics praising the high quality of the contestants’ work and the exciting challenges (Rotten Tomatoes).

Fans of the show largely loved season 5, taking to social media to express enthusiasm for each episode. Many called it the best season yet, highlighting standout contestants like AJ and Kevin. However, some fans were disappointed by the outcome of the finale. Overall audience demand for The Great Pottery Throw Down was over 7 times higher than the average TV series in the US, underscoring the show’s popularity (Parrot Analytics).

Renewal Status

As of January 2023, The Great Pottery Throw Down has not yet been renewed for a sixth season. The show airs on HBO Max in the US, which has not made any official announcements regarding renewal. After the fifth season aired in November 2022, fans began speculating whether there would be a sixth season. However, neither HBO Max nor the show’s producers, Love Productions, have commented on the possibility of renewal.

The fifth season wrapped up in December 2022, so it’s likely too early for HBO Max to have made a decision about season six. Big streaming services like HBO Max tend to take a few months after a season ends to evaluate viewership and determine if a renewal is viable. So fans eagerly await any news about the future of The Great Pottery Throw Down, but will likely have to wait at least a few more months for an official renewal notice from HBO Max.

Speculation on Likelihood of Renewal

While HBO Max has not yet officially announced whether The Great Pottery Throw Down will return for season 6, there are several factors that may influence the likelihood of renewal.

Viewership and reception for season 5 remained strong, continuing the show’s steady popularity since it moved to HBO Max from PBS. According to one source, “The Great Pottery Throwdown is going from strength to strength” (Source). Its relaxing and uplifting tone has filled a niche that stands out amidst more dramatic competitive reality shows.

On the other hand, costs of production and talent contracts could sway HBO Max’s decision. The show films on location at studios in the UK, requiring significant overhead. Key talent like hosts Melanie Sykes and Siobhán McSweeney may also need new deals for a sixth season.

Competition in the genre remains limited too, with few other major shows focused exclusively on pottery or ceramics. The Great Pottery Throw Down remains one of the most prominent titles in this niche across both US and UK television. This reduced competition increases the chance of renewal.

Taking these factors together, speculation remains strong that HBO Max will likely renew the feel-good competition series for a sixth season. But fans eagerly await final word from the network.

Potential for Format or Judge Changes

There has been speculation that if The Great Pottery Throw Down returns for a sixth season, there may be some format or judge changes to keep the show fresh. The core format has remained largely the same since the show’s inception in 2015. While fans enjoy the comforting familiarity, some have suggested the show needs to evolve to continue attracting viewers.

One rumor is that there could be slight tweaks to the challenges each week, with new creative twists on classics like the bowl throw and raku firing. There’s also chatter about the judging becoming more rigorous, with higher expectations for seasoned contestants. As for the judges themselves, Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller have been mainstays since the first season, while the third judge chair has rotated. Some wonder if a permanent third judge might join the lineup for continuity.

Ultimately, the show’s producers have not hinted at any major format changes in recent interviews. It seems likely the sixth season would stick to the essence of what makes The Great Pottery Throw Down so beloved. But some minor enhancements could freshen things up and showcase the new batch of contestants’ skills in innovative ways.

What Fans Want to See

Fans have taken to forums and social media to voice what they would like to see if the show gets renewed for a sixth season. On Reddit, fans have discussed hopes to see the show continue its tradition of highlighting lesser known regional pottery styles, with suggestions for Native American pottery techniques like Hopi pottery or Anasazi styles (Source). Some fans on the ClayShare forums are hoping for more in-depth lessons on throwing techniques and decorating styles, as well as longer runtimes for each episode (Source).

Many fans seem eager for the show to continue spotlighting diverse contestants and exploring pottery traditions from around the world. There are hopes that season 6 might bring in guest judges from various regions to provide expertise on local styles. Overall there is a lot of enthusiasm among dedicated viewers for seeing more seasons that celebrate the global reach of pottery as both art and craft.

Impact of No Sixth Season

The possibility of no sixth season of The Great Pottery Throw Down has left many fans feeling disappointed. As one Reddit user commented, “We were watching season 6 on YouTube a few days ago, and now all the episodes have been taken down! We thought maybe that meant they were moving to HBO Max or something. But now it seems like there won’t be a season 6 at all?” (Source).

Beyond disappointing loyal viewers, the cancellation of the show could also impact the pottery community that has embraced it. As noted by one reviewer, “Beyond the competitive aspect, The Great Pottery Throw Down celebrates the craft, creativity, and human spirit. It fosters a sense of community among potters and raises the profile of pottery as an artform” (Source). The loss of a high-profile showcase for pottery on television would be a blow for an already niche craft.

Conclusion

The Great Pottery Throw Down has seen great success over its past five seasons on Channel 4, growing a dedicated fanbase and earning strong viewership. However, the show’s future remains uncertain as Channel 4 has yet to officially renew the show for a sixth season. With no official cancellation, there remains hope that we could see more episodes in the future.

Given the show’s popularity and acclaim, the chances seem reasonably strong that Channel 4 will eventually order a sixth season. Competition style shows frequently run for many seasons, and Pottery Throw Down fills an interesting niche that could continue producing compelling episodes. However, without an official renewal, fans will likely have to wait and see if the show returns down the line after a break between seasons.

In conclusion, while nothing is guaranteed, there are good reasons to be optimistic that The Great Pottery Throw Down will throw some more clay in the future and return for a sixth season. For now, fans will have to wait patiently for any official word from Channel 4 on the show’s renewal status. If the show does return, it will likely continue captivating audiences with its unique blend of artistry and competition.