'The Great British Sewing Bee' 2024: Meet contestants of BBC show, plus new series 10 air date, how to watch

‘The Great British Sewing’ Bee is back on the BBC - and once again 12 amateur sewers will complete a series of challenges in a bid to be the best in Britain.

Each week, they must take part in three challenges; a pattern challenge to test their basic dressmaking skills, a transformation challenge to assess their creativity, and a made-to-measure challenge to create a bespoke garment. As ever, they’ll be hoping to use their creativity to impress judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young.

All the previous series of the Sewing Bee was presented by comedian Sara Pascoe, but she was on maternity leave during the filming of this series and series 10 is fronted by comedian and actor Kiell Smith Bynoe. Regular viewers of the show will recognise Kiell as she also presented ‘The Sewing Bee Christmas special’ 2023, and was also a contestant in the 2021 Christmas special - so she’ll have a good idea exactly what the sewers are feeling.

So, just who are the 12 contestants taking part in this year’s series and when can you watch series 10? Here’s all you need to know.

Who are ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ 2024 contestants?

Here are ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ 2024 cast.

Ailsa

Ailsa describes her sewing style as "contemporary, sustainable, modern and experimental", and will undoubtedly be hoping to impress the judges on this year's Sewing Bee. When she isn't sewing, Aisla enjoys wild swimming in Loch Lomond.

Alex

Copywriter and editor Alex lives in Derbyshire and has been sewing since she was young. She would often make her own stuffed toys. Outside of sewing, Alex is passionate about sustainability and believes "comfort is key".

Comfort

Prior to becoming a self-employed designer and business manager, Comfort trained as an architect. She began sewing after giving birth to her first child and feeling she was lacking creativity.

Don

Don was taught how to sew over 70 years ago by his mother on a hand-cranked sewing machine and nowadays he is a "perfectionist and likes to create unusual but simple garments".

Georgie

Georgie is passionate about sustainability and recycles tablecloths and quilted blankets. As well as sewing, DJ Georgie enjoys knitting.

Janet

Janet loves to make "formal, glamorous dresses for holidays and dancing classes" and outside of sewing, she is passionate about oil painting.

Lauren

Lauren's sewing is inspired by '80s fashion as she loves the "bold aspects of the era". She currently works as a finance administrator but has followed in her mother's footsteps of being a talented singer.

Luke

Luke was taught how to sew by their grandmother when they were just eight years old. They currently work as a diversity, equality and inclusion director.

Marcus

An enjoyer of DJing, rollerblading, writing, art, building Lego and playing video games, Marcus describes his garments as "jarring, garing or kitsch".

Neil

Neil learnt how to sew when he couldn't find vintage clothing to fit his six foot four frame. Outside of sewing, Neil leads a murder-themed bike tour.

Pascha

Psychology and innovation student Pascha once made a Marie Antoinette inspired silk ballgown.

Suzy

Suzy often uses charity shop curtains and bedsheets as materials and is no stranger to big ruffles and enormous sleeves in her designs.

When is ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ 2024 on TV?

The tenth series of the Sewing Bee will air tonight (Tuesday May 21) at 9pm on BBC One. It’s available to watch live and also stream on BBC iPlayer. New episodes will be broadcaste every Tuesday in the same time slot for the next nine weeks.

In the first episode of the new series, the sewers must make an A-line denim midi skirt, and then transform a T shirt into a totally new garment. For the final challenge, the contestants are asked to make their models a casual day dress. At the end of each episode, the contestant who has impressed the least will be asked to leave the compeition. The final episode will see the winner of ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ 2024 crowned.