The Great British Sewing Bee (2013– ) User Reviews (15)

A delightful watch, even for non-sewers

[pinkblueberrycat · 8/10 · 4 June 2022]

At my secondary school, "D&T" (Design & Technology) was a required subject in the pre-GCSE years. Among other tasks, we had to attempt to learn how to use a sewing machine. I was rubbish at it, embarrassingly so. Luckily for me, I'm also part of a generation that relies on fast fashion, so I've never really *needed* sewing as a skill. However, I have a lot of admiration for people who make their own clothes. And I enjoy Glow Up, another BBC series with a similar format to this show - pitting aspiring 'MUAs' against one another with surprisingly backstabbing or negativity from its bright-eyed young talents. So, I gave The Great British Sewing Bee a try. I'm so glad I did! It's a relaxing, low-drama reality competition series where the contestants are united by a real passion for sewing. Reality telly has a reputation for encouraging fakery and conflict for the sake of conflict. The producers of this series seem to understand that the genre can be entertaining even without endless amounts of lip filler and scripted arguments. There's a time and place for trash but sometimes you just want to watch a group of slightly eccentric people from around the UK get excited about well-executed skirt linings or whatever.

Another thing I like about the show it is that, like you might expect, there's substantially more age diversity here than in a lot of reality competition shows. Season One includes a gran in her 80s and it's nice to see her compete with people who are much younger - hopefully it'll challenge some prejudices!

Simply, well made.

[mostofa_khan · 8/10 · 30 July 2023]

It's simply well made. There's good balance of no-nonsense and encouragements for amateurs to be better. It's neither too critical nor too loose. The challenges are well thought out for amateurs and it is after all, a competition tele for amateurs. The background stories of the contestants and snippets of relevant history were a nice touch. Unlike other competition tele, there's less exaggerated hype, forced exclamations, forced comedy or tragedy and far less interference from the judges and presenter. The settings is simple. Simply setting it next to river makes it somehow relaxing. The bit of old songs are well placed. It is not titivating.

To Bee or not to Bee?

[flamingomoon414 · 10/10 · 31 March 2018]

This is probably my favorite reality/competition show ever. I've watched every episode more than once if I could find it here in the USA. My great disappointment is that it was not sold to Netflix or run on my local PBS station. The best thing this show did was make sewing fun. The contestants were so passionate about their hobby that I was always encouraged to go make something. Such a shame that the production company dropped the marketing ball on this one.

Love this Show

[freeflyingmom · 10/10 · 10 November 2019]

Love this show!!!! PLEASE COME TO AMERICA!!! If we have the GBBaking Show, why not the Sewing Bee!!!

Inspiring and comforting

[aj_eva · 10/10 · 30 August 2019]

Love, love, love this show. Watching such lovely people build friendships and support each other's growth and I learn heaps about sewing techniques and material, get tips and ideas. More shows should be this lovely.

Sew good

[KittieC · 10/10 · 14 January 2020]

GBSB is just a lovely piece of tele and a panacea to many of the over-hyped competition shows that have multiplied in recent years. It borrows from the Bake Off format with a couple of challenges on day one (broken up by a nice bit of morning tea in the local caf) and a major challenge on day two. A small starting group is whittled down week by week across eight episodes by judges whose sewing expertise is matched by their delightful oh-so-British eccentricity. The contestant's backstories are light-touch, and largely without drama. Most importantly, the contestants are delightful, kind, considerate, polite and humble. There aren't any villains and the products of their sewing remain in focus the whole time. Wholesome, restful, entertaining tv without any octane, and that's ok.

An absolute pleasure.

[morgan-659-312842 · 10/10 · 20 June 2021]

This is a wonderful alternative to the mindless dross that is often passed off as entertainment. The presenters and contestants are friendly and fun and the sewing process is remarkably interesting even to a non-sewing person like me. This is an opportunity to relax, have a laugh and wind down. Excellent.

OMG WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH

[rmcgregor-3 · 1/10 · 5 May 2021]

Typical BBC dross, simply awful, to think we have to actually pay a licence fee for this is breathtaking.

Lovely feel good show

[claire_bear-80256 · 10/10 · 23 March 2019]

I love Sewing Bee, and I think the new series is excellent. Joe Lycett does a great job bringing humour and Esme and Patrick are fabulous. The competition is very friendly which is nice, though I wish there was a proper prize at the end really. Very informative, I like the fashion history as well.

Bloody brilliant

[nancy-793-228879 · 10/10 · 29 April 2020]

Who knew sewing could be this fun! Sew talented sorry couldn't help it

Awful

[iannelson-48255 · 6 July 2020]

It astonishes me that watching people sewing is being passed off as entertainment but having said that it's no more brain-dead than watching people bake or dive into a swimming pool. 0/10

Wholesome and archetypal entertainment

[the_oak · 10/10 · 30 July 2023]

This is a reaction to season 8 of the show.

I have a sense that sewing clothes have been a part of human culture since we first started wearing garments tens of thousands of years ago. In our blood lines each of us have thousands of distant forefathers who made their own garments, weather it was a bear skin sown together with braided horse tail hair and fish bone needles or a sweater knitted from sheeps wool in the 15th century home at the farm.

What it comes down to for me are likable, talented and creative contestants who do their best to make every creation in their own way hoping that the judges will approve. The judges, by the way, are also likable and nice, and so is the host of the show, who is in fact very creative and funny herself. All in all this is very wholesome and archetypal entertainment!

Sewing Bee

[jpugh-05291 · 10/10 · 4 July 2022]

I love Sewing Bee, but this year I am finding Brogans voice so irritating. I have to keep muting when she is talking it's a squeaky little girls voice that is absolutely grating. I have rated it 10 out of 10 because I love the program just don't like Brogans voice.

The Great British Sewing Bee

[studioAT · 1/10 · 16 April 2022]

Oh for goodness sake BBC, get a grip.

Trying to pass this off as entertainment is beyond even your marketing powers.

Call a spade a spade and admit that this is a flop.

Not what it used to Bee

[AdriaTroi · 3/10 · 13 March 2019]

I really enjoyed this show when it first started. But the rot set in when they lost May Martin. I could never take to Esme. The latest series with Joe Lycett presenting is just awful. I can't bel how I'm wishing they would bring back the annoying Claudia Winkleman.

It's such a shame. I'm a fan of Joe Lycett, I like his humour but absolutely hate him in this show.

It's so disappointing. I've deleted the schedule to record from my planner.

Sorry GBSB it's 🐝n nice knowing you but you're a has 🐝n now