Great British Sewing Bee judge laments ‘loss of pride in making things’

BBC show’s judge feels the arts are now pastimes that middle-class people pay money to do

Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant has expressed his regret over the loss of pride in relation to artisanship and craft.

The 53-year-old Scottish designer is presenting the latest series of the popular BBC show, which he has has judged since 2013.

As this week’s guest on The Independent’s Like This Love This podcast, Grant opened up about the books, movies, TV shows and podcasts that have left an impression on him.

Grant told Lucie McInerney that he felt a sense of sadness at the lack of quality in modern day products and how the idea of what people do for work has changed. He explained that he felt there was “a loss of pride in making things”.

Grant judges the Great British Sewing Bee (BBC/Love Productions)

“Do it as quickly as you can, doesn’t matter how s*** it is, move on to the next thing,” he said of modern day products.

Addressing how the doing things well takes time, Grant explained that he felt the arts had now become pastimes that middle-class people pay money to do whereas they used to be people’s jobs. Meanwhile, he said billionaires are “cosplaying at being beekeepers”.

The Great British Sewing Bee, presented by Sara Pascoe, is currently on air, with 12 new contestants hoping to earn the title of Britain’s best sewer.

Contestants have been tested on on themes ranging from art and movies to the 1920s and South Korea by judges Grant and Esme Young.

The Great British Sewing Bee is available to watch on BBC One every Tuesday at 9pm and can be streamed on BBC iPlayer.