IT’S SEWING BEE TIME!

Finally! It’s the 2021 pick-me-up we’ve all been waiting for – The Great British Sewing Bee is back on our screens and guaranteed to raise a smile. Host Joe Lycett and judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant return this month with another 12 contestants, all ready to show off their skills at the sewing machine. Series seven (yes, seven!) has all the elements we’ve come to know and love, but Covid restrictions while filming this year’s episodes gave the sewists – and the producers – a whole host of new logistical challenges to juggle on top of the sewing!

KEEPING A DISTANCE

So what difference did it make to the filming experience? “On screen, about 99% of it is the same,” explains Patrick. “There’s a difference when you see the models as they wear a mask for the judging and fitting, but for the catwalk they don’t. It felt very secure and a safe environment to be in.

“Everyone who was in the close contact cohort was tested regularly throughout, and on set there was a great