It's the semi final and we've turned the clock
back to the Victorian era
when the potteries in Stoke were booming.
Queen Victoria was on the throne.
And this week she's not the only one
as our potters tackle their biggest build
for the smallest room, the toilet.
But who's busting to get through to the final?
Welcome to The Great Pottery Throw Down.
This time, it's the semi final.
You can fix it.
And the potters are tackling toilets.
I think there's a bit of of a leak at the bottom.
And the pressure is on.
I forgot one piece. I forgot one piece.
For the biggest make.
I'm just holding my breath.
For the biggest decision.
Sadly, we've got to say goodbye to--
Only three will survive
but who?
Just one step closer to the final.
it's scary, exciting.
They're gonna be looking for
close to flawless.
Really gonna step up this week, aren't we?
Semi final and we're going to make a toilet
it's going to be a bit mad, I think.
I just have to do my best.
Give 2,000 percent and then hopefully it works.
I'm bringing my A game now.
No more silly mistakes, I really wanna make the final
and then do well in it as well.
Got down to the last four.
I'm just really nervous now.
I might have to use that toilet.
Morning potter's, Welcome to Victorian week
and the semi final.
What stands between you and the final is a massive challenge
because this week for your main make, Sue and Keith
would like you to build a fully functioning toilet.
We don't want a plain white toilet.
The Victorians really loved a decorative toilet.
It can be any shape.
It can be any design, but it really must work.
But it's really critical you think about your measurements.
No one wants a toilet that won't flush.
So no sitting down on this one.
Potter's you've got four hours
to build your toilet pedestal, plinth, bowl, rim and U-bend
and your time starts now.
Potters get potty.
In this first stage of the main make
the potters must hand build
all the components of their toilet.
And get them ready to begin drying.
I've had my head down toilets
trying to suss out all the pipe work.
This is not a process I'm familiar with, at all.
I'm really excited about doing this.
There's mostly the engineering side of things
and working out not just how the toilet actually works
but how I'm gonna make it.
So Keith, semi finals, we've got four potters left.
And we've given them a massive challenge this week.
Well, not only is it a massive challenge
we've given them the most clay
that they've ever used in the pottery.
This is a real design project.
They've actually got to think about planning and drawing
and get their measurements correct.
When you look at your toilet at home
it looks like a simple structure.
But it's deceptively complicated.
And if they haven't really thought about how that water
enters that rim, that water's gonna go all over you.
They've got to make four component parts.
The plinth, the bowl, the rim, and the U-bend.
And they're hand building all these parts separately.
They've then got to put them all together.
So they have to have a good understanding
of the structure and the engineering
and the reason for it in the first place.
This is really gonna flush out the number ones
from the number twos, isn't it?
And no one wants to be a number two.
At the end of this main make
Keith will sit on the toilet
to quality check the potter's work.
I'm more worried about Keith sitting on it
and it just falling apart.
And they'll have to be
plumbed in and flushed.
I think I'm probably a bit free flowing
but not that technical.
It can't be that hard, can it?
I'm starting from the rim and doing the bowl.
This is the thing that came to mind to do the former.
I spent ages on the computer working out this system.
I approached it with technical drawing, cyber things.
My inspiration, really, comes from
there's a well-known Staffordshire Pottery
that makes decorative tea cups.
So I'm making a tea cup.
Matt will build his teacup toilet
from using large slabs of clay with a large handle
that protrudes from the front of the bowl.
So when you sit down, it'll peep out between your legs.
All decorated in a vintage Victorian repeat pattern.
The cups that I have in mind, are very decorative
almost like Victorian toilet
floral and with that classic blue.
And it's quite painterly.
You're painting this. -Yeah.
Well, feel the fear.
What about the handle then? Where's that going?
It's gonna go right on the front
for whatever you want.
For the extra bit of concentration.
Yeah. -Something to hold onto.
For those difficult mornings.
While Matt's using 21st century software
to create the bowl shape of his teacup toilet
Jacob's putting his semi final hopes all in one basket.
So this will be the bowl.
It's from an old basket and then towels around.
Not as good as Matt's but...
I am wrapping the slabs around my former, that I've done
to get that toilet bowl shape.
It's working.
My inspiration isn't Chinese heritage this week.
I'm gonna do a toadstool toilet.
Jacob plans to carve into his bowl
to give texture to his mushroom design
and finish with a red seat to create
his fly agric mushroom toilet
inspired by the ones he spotted on a road trip to Scotland.
- This is a pretty big build. -Yeah.
- That's big. -It is
when I measured it though, rim was
the right size with the shrinkage.
So when I take the former out
I'm gonna try and beat it a bit into shape
It's a big one, isn't it?
It is, it is, it is, it's for real men.
Actually, in fairy tales
fairies sit on top of toadstools, don't they?
I don't know if they're doing a number two though.
As Jacob battles with his big mushroom
he's not the only potter to have heard the call of nature.
Inside the toilet, it will be a little bit like a pond.
So there'll be fishies.
So when you're standing looking down
weeing in the toilet, if you're a boy
you wee into the pond.
Rose's fish will be hand painted
on the inside of the toilet bowl.
The outside will be covered with climbing Ivy
and flowers made from sprig molds
decorated in vibrant colors to make a loo
fit for the garden.
So this is a garden toilet for the garden.
A garden toilet. SUE: Outdoor toilet.
I got little children and they, especially my boy
he always needs a toilet in one way or another
when we're out in a garden.
And he often trail through the whole house
which is when he's in muddy boots.
So I thought it'd be nice to do a garden toilet
a nice pretty one inspired by the garden.
How are you gonna get your measurements accurate?
I asked my dear lovely husband
that's really good with math about their measurements
before swing kits.
And he sent them all to me
and then forgot to write them on my phone
- so that's a bit of error. -Oh.
I just have to go with it.
Just don't panic is a big pot, it should work.
Well look, good luck. ROSA: Thank you.
As Rosa makes a plan to guess her measurements
Claire has it all mapped out.
So this is the rim section.
And then the bowl will attach around
the outside of this
It worked on paper.
So, yeah.
Triple winner of potter of the week, Claire
is planning a toilet that's a nod to her accolades
from her time competing as a bodybuilder.
This is some of my trophy collection at home.
I have so many strong women competitive trophies.
And so I based my design on the cup of a trophy.
It's different elements of different trophies
that I've collected over the years
that just really draw the eye.
Claire's toilet bowl is the cup of her trophy design
complete with ornate handles either side.
The base of the trophy, will have a plinth with a plaque
all finished in a silver gray glaze.
This is my TURD place trophy.
Of course, it is.
Sort of added a bit of humor in.
How are you doing the handles on the side?
My favorite, pulled handles.
I'm gonna do big pulled handles on those tomorrow.
Is there any decorative finishes to them?
So I'll have a beading edge on this
on the center of the handle.
You're doing TURD place
- but you wanna come first. -Ideally.
Well, good luck. -Thank you.
Having forgot to bring any toilet plans
Rosa has decided mid-challenge to figure everything out.
This thing is not going as good as I thought it was going.
I clearly should have done some more measuring.
I should have drawn this out at home, shouldn't I?
I think I saw this was bigger than it was.
My toilet seat will be too big for it.
I have to make it big
so that I can manipulate the clay tomorrow. Heavy.
I've got to get the plinth on
get the rim extruded.
If I put it a bit thicker now.
So I'm going to add one and a half on the front
and one and a half in the back.
And then maybe my toilet seat won't fold over the toilet.
Potters, I know you're on a roll
but you've only got one hour left.
Oh Mel, it was just two hours a minute ago.
Now I have to think.
The potters have to have
all their component parts made in this stage.
I have some parts of a toilet.
It's resembling remotely of a toilet.
Any missing pieces and they risk
not being able to build a fully functioning toilet.
This is just the start of the U-bend.
I'm going for more of a V-bend than a U-bend.
While Matt gets his hands around his bend
Jacob is less confident about his plumbing.
I'm trying to do this really weird pipe fitting
which is from the cistern to the bowl.
No experience of plumbing, as you could probably imagine.
Bit confused still, but... Yeah.
But he's not the only one struggling.
So that's the outside of the toilet.
So if I put this somewhere along
here
Rosa's trying to solve the riddle of her rim.
How is this to work?
Just don't know what I'm doing, that's the only thing
But Claire's methodical approach
seems to be paying off.
Look at that, I did it.
It's a bit ropy, but we got there.
That looks so neat, Claire.
Look at my bowl of turd.
All right, potters you've got 30 minutes left.
I'm a little bit stressed now.
Okay, have a focus.
I don't think I quite get how a toilet works still.
I just got that last little bit of
piping to make in the back.
Matt, you look as if you're done.
I don't know about that.
My plinth is actually coming all the way up to the rim
because I'm doing a teacup.
I made it just a little bit taller
so I can chop back that
in a really nice straight line tomorrow.
It's gonna be perfect height
perfect height
unless it crumbles.
I'm gonna join my components in the next stage.
So I'm gonna cover all my edges
so I'll still be able to manipulate this edge tomorrow.
I've got to do my rim.
And then I think I'm done.
Potters, this is your ten minute time call.
No pressure.
This is gonna be tough.
I think I work best under extreme pressure.
I think I've done as much as I can do.
I'm just gonna pick another thing up.
Oh, come on.
Of course this happens whenever you have five minutes left.
I think I got all the components.
What have I forgot? What have I forgot?
What have you forgot?
If I go down, we go down together, girl.
This bit's quite fiddly.
I was going to make mine fancy
but that's clearly going to come tomorrow.
I suppose if Keith's bum fits on it
then you're on to a winner
Ten seconds left
nine, eight.
I forgot one piece. Seven, six--
Five, four
three, two, one.
End of the challenge.
Well done, your loos are all ready.
Excellent work.
I made a toilet in four hours.
Hopefully, all my joints stand up
but it looks teacup shape.
So it looking teacup shaped is a good thing.
I think I got all the components parts.
I don't know if they all fit together.
I think I should be able to beat it into shape somehow.
I don't really know.
I'm happy with the making stage.
Obviously, that huge looking toilet
is gonna be refined down into
hopefully, a very nice looking toadstool.
Looking around the room, how much bigger
the boys toilets are than the girls.
That's really bizarre.
I don't think my measurements are wrong.
Victorian week continues for the potters
as we step back in time with a second historic challenge.
But with a place in the final at stake
this is more than just a history lesson.
Potters, your second challenge is a spot test.
And it's been inspired by our neighbors here at Middleport.
Please welcome to the pottery
- Alison and Chris from Burley. -Hello.
- Welcome. -Thank you.
So would you like to tell our potters
what their second challenge is?
I'd love to.
We, since 1851, have been decorating using
the tissue transfer process.
We'd like you to use this process
to decorate a Victorian style teapot.
There are 10 different pieces that you need to cut out.
The piece for the handle.
Chris is cutting very, very closely to the print.
You don't want lots of white bits of tissue on there.
This is how you apply the tissue.
So sticky side down.
Your border needs to go on first
and you need to fit it very closely
to the edge of the teapot.
Make sure your lines aren't skewiffed.
When you put your side up
you're putting two cuts across the center of the design.
One here and one here.
And you flannel the two sides down first
and then the centerpiece last.
Once it's down you can't lift it back off again.
What we do now, rub it on with soft soap.
You have to put some force on
because if you don't see it'll just come off pale.
We're gonna wash the tissue paper away from the pot.
So as you can see
the paper is beginning to come away on its own.
I've been doing this process for 40 years.
And how long did it take to master?
About five years.
So you're gonna be in here for five years.
Potters, you've got one and a half hours.
Your time starts now.
Just cut straight through it.
Jacob. -There's spares, aren't there,
at the back?
Yeah, you're all right.
Tissue printing and transfer
is an age old tradition.
And Middleport is the only existing pottery
to still continue decorating using this process
to create a perfect pattern and a perfect finish.
And only a perfect finish will pass muster with the judges.
I've done loads of transfer tattoos as a kid.
I never quite worried about the application of
a Sonic the Hedgehog tattoo.
It's very difficult.
You have to really lean heavy
or the blade doesn't cut straight
And then if you lean really heavy, it tears the paper.
Oh my god, can't believe how much I'm shaking. Ah.
I feel like I got ten thumbs.
This just such a flimsy thing.
Oh, dear
just getting this so it doesn't crease
how did she do that?
I think I'm getting on all right.
Come on.
It's the same flower definitely on this sheet
that's one got the two stalks but that's got three bowls.
Which pigeon is it? There's like 80 pigeons.
Does that paper just come off?
Just stick your hand in it, Jacob just swirl it like that.
Ten minutes left.
- Oh, wow, -That went quick.
I was going to finish the other one.
They're in for a treat, Special Edition.
Come on.
It looks like that
only not quite as good.
Potters, you've got one minute left.
I almost did it in ten minutes.
Show off.
And your teapots need to be at the front up here.
It's the best they're getting.
Four tissue transfer
Victorian tea pots ready for judging.
But will the potters efforts stand up to the high standards
of guest judge Allison's critical eye
as she rates them for worst to first
So we're gonna start with fourth position.
Yeah.
It's a little bit messy. -Yeah.
So your body, you've got a big white gap
and a little bit of double printing.
Found it difficult. Couldn't stop shaking as well.
In third, Claire.
The handle's very straight.
You've gotten that one bang on.
Your birds would need to be a little bit higher up.
So vying for top teapots and first place
is between Rosa and Matt.
Second place.
Rosa, you've done ever so well.
You've fitted all the borders around the contours
of the teapot, and that's really important.
We have got quite a lot of color
in the white here though.
So that means
Matt you're in first position.
All of the pieces are on in the right place, well done.
Well done.
I feel really good about coming first
a little bit safer for tomorrow.
I would have been in a better position if I won this one
but unfortunately, I didn't.
Gotta take my hat off to these people who can do it
because it is a true craft and a true skill.
But I won't be doing it again that's for sure.
So one judgment between me and the final
will, I be in it? Who knows?
it's all down to the kiln guards and the toilet.
It's day two in the pottery.
Overnight the potters toilet parts have been drying out
ready for the assembly stage.
But as the clays dry
Shit, Claire.
cracks have started to appear.
You can fix it.
No, my pipe's done the same.
Are you joking me?
The potters now have three hours
to build and finish their toilets.
It's so heavy
But before they can start construction--
Not good.
any cracks will have to be fixed
taking up valuable time.
There's me worried it'd be too wet.
We have a massive crack.
I got a crack on my rim.
Yes, it's not too bad.
I feel like I'm gonna lose a lot of time.
while trying to shave it down.
I'm just gonna try and fill it in with soft clay.
It should be fixable.
It's not over yet, we won't give up.
As Claire starts filling her crack
Jacob has some magic to work on his mushroom bowl.
It's like a bath.
It's so big.
Morning, Jacob. -Morning, Sue.
How's it going?
- Bad. -Why is it bad?
I don't know whether I can beat it into the shape I want it to.
So how did you miscalculate that then?
The measurements are hard with the right measurements
but it's just kind of...
I don't know. I don't know.
Is there any cracks anywhere?
- The pipes have cracked. -Where is that?
They're really vital to your build, aren't they?
Really vital to the build
to make sure that the water comes out.
I'm just gonna try and get the pieces on
as soon as possible.
Okay. All right, well, I'll let you get on with it.
You've got a lot to do. And I hope that works out for you.
- Good luck. -Thanks.
I'm gonna try and get that wet again now.
And then see how I can attach it.
When I come to it, I'm gonna face that problem.
This is a stick I found on the skip.
I'm just making a handle for my tea cup.
It's quite a big handle.
These are flowers for my toilet.
This is too big so I'm cutting it down
which will help my cracking situation.
As Claire and Jacob cut their toilets
down to size, Rosa's also having to reconsider
the measurements of her garden water closet.
I'm not that good at the measurements.
Thirty-three.
It looks like I need to scrape a lot out.
This is literally putting your head in the toilet, isn't it?
When I was investigating what to do
I realized in the hotel
they don't clean all parts of the toilet.
Potters, you're halfway through so don't waste any time.
Is that one and a half hour left?
Yeah.
It hasn't collapsed yet.
Even though Matt got ahead and built
his bowl and plinth as one piece at the making stage.
I think I need a few people.
He's not home and dry just yet.
These structures are so big
they're quite fragile in a way
If you just support that there.
I'm just holding my breath.
Yeah, it is.
Just don't let it fall off that board.
I've got it, I've got it, I've got it.
Well done. MATT: Thanks, guys.
- Well done. -Thanks.
The semi finalists now have a huge to do list.
It's not as easy as planned, that's for sure.
With time running out
the potters have to start construction.
Each plumbing component
must be precisely installed for a perfect flush.
The slightest error
and the potters won't have a functioning toilet.
And for Jacob, he's still got to fix his pipe.
I'm just attempting to patch it on.
You know, I would be amazed if this didn't blow up in the kiln.
So Matt is the only one that's done
the whole structure in one piece.
But that's a good thing to do, I think, don't you?
'cause you won't have to worry about stress cracks on joints.
No, that's right.
I'm attaching all the parts to it now.
I might actually have a toilet.
Every single joint is getting support clay.
I'm taking no chances.
So what else have you got to build
apart from saving the cracks?
I still have to put the hole
and put the U-bend cup in, join all that.
But my main problem is I need to take this support
to get in there and I'm terrified of it.
The cracks just snuck up on me today.
It hasn't collapsed.
This is the decorative bit.
And a flushing toilet
is not the only judges requirements.
I was gonna do grass leaves coming off.
They're looking for a unique design
so the potters can't cut corners on their decoration.
This cool tool carfs away things, is really handy.
You're now down to the last ten minutes.
Are you all right, Claire?
Why the sad face?
I don't have time to do my handles.
No.
You can have a trophy without handles, that's all right.
I know you can but it wasn't what I want.
I know. I know.
Hopefully, they just pop out really easy.
Come on, this is for a place in the final, guys.
I was gonna do texture, but I've run out of time
I'm terrified of this process
'cause this is where the cracks could slump
and get too wet.
It does look like a teacup.
Yeah, I'm happy with myself.
That is a beautiful handle.
I was just hoping that my decoration could be a bit neat.
Hands off the toilets, please.
Come on, Rosa.
Well done.
Well done, guys.
It's day three in the pottery.
And after drying and firing
their toilets are ready to come out of the kiln.
Hopefully, I got something to decorate
anything could happen in the firing and the drying process.
I really, really hope they survived.
If my toilet hasn't blown up
I feel quite confident about doing a decent job
with the decorations.
There's always that worry at the end of every challenge
if it's my last one.
But I've gotten this far and I'm so happy, proud of myself.
I'm quite nervous about seeing the toilet
come out of the kiln. I had one particularly big crack
in the basin part of the toilet.
And so I'm not sure whether that'll open up or not.
This is the first time the potters
will find out whether they have a toilet
intact and worth decorating.
How's yours come out, Claire?
A lot of cracks. MATT: Has it survived?
Has it?
Oooh.
There's a big one in the base here and one at the back.
It was better than I was expecting.
I think the worst cracks' probably this one.
But I think the the glaze will probably fill that in.
Claire's crack is not the only issue
with her trophy toilet design.
I didn't get the handles done.
So instead of my original plan
with the nice pulled handles
I've had to go tweak it a little bit.
We do get trophies without handles
I do actually have one without a handle.
So there'll be a lot of work to do now
in the decorating stage.
And Claire's not the only potter with a lot to do.
The potters now have three and a half hours
to decorate their toilets and bring their designs to life.
It's quite rough and ready to sand it smoothly.
And then pour so much color on that you can't see my cracks.
I've got one here just in the handle.
And then there's just one small one
but it's only in the surface there.
I'm painting inside.
I love the blue.
- How's it going up there? -It's good.
I'm loving it.
Can you see I got my fishes in there?
Fantastic, so what about the colors?
Because at the minute, they're very pale.
What are you expecting this to do?
So this is chocolate, there's moss in the roots
and the leaves as well is quite a lot of different greens.
And then it's going to be blue inside with the goldfish.
So it should look really colorful then, shouldn't it?
Yes, it should look like a painting on a toilet.
As Rosa hand paints her decoration
Matt has come up with a more technical approach
to achieve his pattern.
I made the stencils on the computer
put them onto some sponge and then cut the sponge out.
I'm just about to
apply
my first peacock.
It's quite daunting on pretty much blank slate.
That'll do.
I'll fill in the rest with a paintbrush.
All right potters, you've got a half an hour left.
Whoa, whoa.
Every inch of their toilets must be glazed
to make sure they are sanitary and fit for purpose.
Put white on the glaze on
and I'm gonna pour a white opaque over.
There's a big leak in there somewhere.
But Jacob has just discovered a further issue
a crack in his bottom.
It's pulled away in the biscuit firing
so it's opened up a hole. I'm trying to think what I can do.
What's happening here, then?
A broken pottery so I'm gonna try to stuff it
and then glaze it.
Heavily glaze it and stuff it.
Because that's actually the bowl itself.
It's the most important part.
Well, this is working well for you, I like this relief.
Thank you.
But it's gotta be fit for purpose, isn't it?
I know. Get in there.
Oh god.
I guess I'm back on track.
So this is to make it look more marble like
more realistic and help cover the cracks.
You've had to adapt a little bit
- on this challenge, haven't you? -Yeah, adapt and overcome.
So what have you changed apart from the handles?
Apart from the handles, I was gonna actually do
this diamond scratch into the surface.
But instead I'm gonna paint it on.
- So that still stands? -It's still the same design
just slightly compromised in the way I'm doing it.
I would like to go back inside
and do a bit more on my fishes.
But I don't know I have time.
My hands can do with being a little bit steadier, but
not too bad.
Steady enough.
So usually under pressure, I'd be quite shaky.
If there's ever a time to need a steady hand, it's now.
Guys, you've got one minute left
one minute to the end of the challenge.
I made a mess again, haven't I?
It might give a bit of bass of color.
I'm really happy with how it's gone.
Let's just add another little depth of color.
So definitely I don't want it to look too gray.
Fifty Shades of Grey.
No, no, we're not doing 50 Shades of Grey.
This is for a place in the final.
I think I've tried my best
I don't wanna go now.
I think it might be done.
That's the end of the challenge.
Well done, everybody.
At last, well, done.
Now all you got to do is get these toilets
down to the kiln.
I'm over the moon with it.
It's exactly how I imagined it.
I was really upset with what happened
this big hole in the bottom.
So I had to try and fix that
a lot of improvisation and fixing of the toilet.
Fingers crossed, the plumbing will be okay.
I don't know if I've done enough
to earn my place in the final.
I think the main thing is the functionality of my toilet.
That could let me down.
Major worry would be the crack in the U-bend.
I would be satisfied with third place.
As long as I'm not last.
I really wanna make it into the final.
It's judgment day. RICH: Morning.
Morning.
And the potters are about to find out
whether their toilets have stood up
to the intense glaze fire.
Oh.
Wow, Rosa, that's lovely.
It's not too bad. CLAIRE: It's all right.
I've been dying to do this.
That looks good, Claire.
Well, that's pretty.
Nice one.
There's a bit of a hole that's opened up.
Is there a hole?
Only a little one, maybe it's alright, though.
But before the judges cast their eyes
over the loos, there is a small matter of plumbing them in.
I've never plumbed a loo before.
I had a look underneath
and there was a tiny pinprick hole.
But I put quite a few layers of different stuff on
so I think it might just be at that surface layer.
Why does it look easy when other people do it?
That is my saw line.
Oh god, can I have a bigger hacksaw?
I was really worried about this crack up here
and it's glazed over so we're all good.
Just hope it flushes.
The potters won't find out
if their toilets work until they are flushed
for the very first time by the judges.
Look at your lovely loos, you've done so well.
It's judgment time.
You said you wanted to make a toilet
for the garden and you have.
It looks very tree like, all of those vines
that are growing out of the ground, aren't they?
And just taking over that piece of ceramic.
You have got some cracks.
There are a few problems in your build
but you can see where you've really pressed the clay
into shape with your fingers and with a tool.
It's got those marks of being handmade.
So let's just lift this up.
Really nice surprise when you open the lid
you've done these fish on the inside.
And that's again at the attention to detail
is really, really nice to see.
Obviously, the seat on there is a bit on the large side.
I'm just feeling your rim there.
Do you wanna try it for comfort?
Yeah.
It's the right height.
Yeah, absolutely fine.
Can you imagine being Alfresco on that then?
Yeah, I don't usually go Alfresco.
Should we go for a flush? SUE: Yeah.
It's a strong flush.
It's quite vigorous, isn't it?
It's a robust piece of ceramics
for your garden, for your children.
- I think it looks great. -Thank you so much.
As I walked over, I could see the tea cup profile.
But I probably would have wanted to see
the handle on the side.
You might change your mind when you get it between your legs.
Well, this is it.
In terms of decoration, I was quite impressed
that you'd made a sponge and sponged your pattern
onto the side of the bowl.
But if you wanted to get that crisp pattern
with your stamps, then it really needed to be
an underglaze stump with a glaze over the top.
Unfortunately, the glaze is far too thick on there.
And you are running the risk
of the whole surface pattern just shifting down
Are you gonna take a seat?
Yeah, okay. It's the right height.
It's comfortable. Do I look all right?
You look lovely.
It is quite disturbing seeing a handle between your legs
like that, I must say.
So it's the all important flush, Sue.
There's plenty of water in that U-bend.
- Yeah. -Which is what you want.
Brilliant. I think you've done really well.
As I look at it, the first thing I notice
is that it doesn't have the handles that you planned.
If that was white
I think I'd just be looking at a Victorian style toilet
because you've really just missed the mark
by not having those handles on there.
Because of the crack on my bowl
I had to spend quite a lot of time repairing that crack
and I had to sacrifice the handles, unfortunately.
In terms of a build, it looks great.
And the loo seat itself
appears to fit really, really well on there.
I have to say, I just love that plaque at the front
looks great.
Take a seat.
Really steady.
You feel safe on this. Very good.
Gonna give it a whirl.
Oh, so there's quite a lot of water coming out there.
You've got a problem under there.
I thought that might rear its ugly head.
That's a real shame, which happens in ceramics.
I've walked over here and I'm walking over to a mushroom.
I think what helps is that big pop of red
isn't it, on the seat?
You've got the scale. right between the bowl
and actually the plinth.
And I'm loving the relief work
those slats or gills as you call them.
Those mushrooms they've sparkle
you've got a really nice form to them.
You've an incredible little woodland scene going on there.
So Keith would you like to try it for size?
Okay.
It's level and it's stable.
I'll just lean back.
It's fine, absolutely fine.
Let's have a look inside.
That crack's massive, isn't it?
It is.
Should we go for the all important flush?
Right, we're ready.
We're gonna see if that's gonna leak.
Yeah, it's nerve wracking.
Look at that.
Wow.
That's really good, there's no leak.
And the U-bend is still full of water.
So if there was a leak in that U-bend
that would have disappeared.
Good job, Jacob. MEL: Excellent.
I've never been praised for a toilet before.
I was surprised that it actually flushed
and that it worked.
It's interesting to see what happens in that judgment room.
I just got a feeling that I'm going through to the final.
I could be proved wrong
but that's just the feeling in my head at the moment.
There was lots of faults in that build
and clearly, it spilled all over the floor with mine.
So it might only go one direction
but we'll hope for the best.
What's meant to be is meant to be.
I'm learning so much and it'd be a shame to go home yet.
It's difficult.
One of us have to go.
I do not envy you this decision, because it's huge now.
This is for the guys to go through to the final.
Well, it's really tough
because they've all improved their skills enormously.
They've come such a long way.
So let's talk about Matt.
I think his was the biggest loo of them all.
- It was massive. -I know.
But right from the beginning
it was planned meticulously, but what let it down, for me
was he's put the handle at the front.
You approach the toilet, face on
and then you turn round
and there was this bloody great big handle in the way.
But it was a functioning toilet.
And let's face it, he did really, really well
in that second spot test, that Burley wear challenge
Claire didn't have so much luck, did she?
We know Claire's brilliant at building
and she's a great, great potter
and she really has an affinity with the clay.
But for me, there was no handles
and she sacrificed the handles to make sure
that the build was absolutely perfect.
And then she failed at that as well with her leak.
It's a real shame, isn't it because she is a real planner.
She intended to incise that pattern, that diamond pattern
going all the way around the bowl
but she didn't have time for that.
So she's painted it on, but because she didn't plan it
her line thickness is exactly the same all the way round.
There's no quality to that line.
It looks dubbed on.
Let's talk about Rosa.
What I really liked about Rosa's was
you can see all of the plants growing up it, lots of detail.
And I love those really heavy sprig decorations on there.
She had a few cracks as well.
But fortunately for her, the flush
it was a bit uneven, but it did really work.
I think she was more surprised than we were, actually.
We thought we were all gonna get wet.
And it does look like a toilet
that you'd see in the garden.
So what about Jacob?
I think Jacob's done really well.
He's got a really lovely shape to that toilet.
It does look like the underside of a mushroom
in a really strong structure.
He pulled it back really, didn't he?
You can only respect and admire what they've done
and what they've achieved.
And it's that respect for their...
It's that respect, and for their hard work
that we have to really take this decision
very, very seriously because it is the final
of the Throw Down.
It's gonna be really tough to say goodbye to anybody.
Potters, the judges have made their decisions.
So for the good news, the potter of the week
and going through to the final is
Jacob.
Wow.
Well done, Jacob.
Now I've got the horrible job of saying
who's gonna be leaving us and that person
has had the most incredible run.
But sadly, we've got to say goodbye to
Claire.
- I'm so sorry, honey. -Yeah.
You are brilliant, absolutely fantastic.
I applaud you.
I really do applaud you.
I never expected to make it this far.
I'm gonna take away so much from this experience.
I'm gonna stick out the pottery
try and make a proper career out of it
and just keep going.
It's hard to see Claire go
because she's just been absolutely flawless
through the entire competition.
We had so much fun time together
and I just wasn't really ready for her to go.
Seriously, good luck.
I'll be rooting for you all.
It's been amazing. I really really, enjoyed it.
And I wouldn't change it for the world.
So sadly, Claire is the ninth potter
to leave the pottery.
As Jacob's mushroom toilet wins him his third piece
in the Throw Down gallery and a place
in that all important final.
I'm really speechless.
I'm over the moon, absolutely over the moon.
Absolutely astounded, and
blown away that I'm in the final.
I'm going to stand up for the ladies
and try to win this challenge
and show those boys that I can do it.
Three very differently disciplined potters
left in the final which should be quite interesting.
Frederick, I made it through to the final.
Yippee!
Can't wait to get to the finals. I'll show what I've got.
I think it's gonna be amazing, I can't wait.
I can't, I can't wait.