BBC viewers were left disappointed during Thursday evening’s Christmas special of The Great British Sewing Bee as regular host Kiell Smith-Bynoe was notably absent from the festive edition.
The star-studded special, which aired on BBC, featured four celebrities putting their sewing skills to the test in a series of holiday-themed challenges.
Instead of Smith-Bynoe, comedian Sara Pascoe took the helm as host of the competition, leading to immediate reactions from fans who noticed the change.
The special saw judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant return to their usual roles, overseeing the celebrity contestants as they tackled festive sewing tasks.
The celebrity lineup featured reality star Charlotte Crosby, EastEnders actress Kellie Bright, Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins and comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri.
The contestants faced the scrutiny of expert judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant throughout the festive competition.
Pascoe stepped in to present the show, taking over from regular host Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Great British Sewing Bee fans wondered where Kiell Smith-Bynoe was
BBC
The change in presenter was immediately noticed by viewers who had tuned in expecting to see Smith-Bynoe’s familiar face.
The special maintained its usual format with the celebrity contestants being tasked with various festive challenges to test their sewing abilities.
Taking to social media, one viewer expressed their disappointment, writing: “I tuned into #celebritysewingbee looking forward to seeing [Kiell] presenting it but he’s not there. I hope [Kiell] presents the 2025 series.”
Another shared: “Where is Kiell? #SewingBee.”
Fans weren’t impressed by the change to Great British Sewing Bee
BBC
A third echoed this, also asking: “Where’s Kiell?? #SewingBee.”
“Hope Kiell is back for the proper season..” someone else shared.
A fourth asked: “Settled to watch #SewingBee Christmas special….no Kiell?! Has he been ditched?” (sic)
The first task required contestants to create their own unique take on an advent calendar, with judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young setting specific requirements.
The celebrities were also tasked with making Christmas costumes for children, putting their creative abilities to the test.
Each challenge was designed to showcase the contestants’ ability to work with festive themes and materials.
The advent calendar challenge proved particularly demanding, with contestants needing to incorporate festive ornaments as centrepieces in their designs.
The challenges maintained the show’s traditional format while adding seasonal flair appropriate for the Christmas special.
The contestants had to demonstrate both technical skill and creative interpretation in their festive creations.
During the advent calendar challenge, EastEnders star Kellie Bright faced a dramatic moment when her design nearly went awry.
Fans weren’t impressed by the change to Great British Sewing Bee
BBC
Bright chose to create a calendar featuring a festive robin alongside her children’s and grandmother’s initials.
The actress encountered trouble when ironing on letters, with only the ‘J’ successfully transferring while the ‘O’ fell off and the ‘Y’ became stuck to her iron.
“Help me, help help,” she called out after touching the hot iron, with Steps’ Ian “H” Watkins watching on.
Despite this setback, her creation impressed the judges with its stitch work and decorations.
Patrick Grant praised the design, noting how “the robin on this green holly leaf just leaks out” like a “Batman kapow.”
The calendar finished second overall, and Bright went on to win the Christmas special with a Last Christmas inspired dress.
