Tattoo Artist Turns Clay King in Great Pottery Throw Down Surprise Win!

Fynn Allen, a tattoo artist from Cornwall, has become the winner of Channel 4's The Great Pottery Throw Down 2026. At 37 years old, Fynn took on 20 challenging tasks over 10 episodes, all filmed at the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent. He was selected to compete with 11 other talented potters in the show's ninth season and was eventually crowned Britain's Best Home Potter. Fynn described his victory as a 'big shock' and said it still hasn't fully sunk in, even after the final episode aired on Sunday night.

Because the show was filmed months before it was shown on TV, Fynn had to keep his win a secret. He said, 'It all got wrapped up in November so I've had to tell a lot of white lies about where I've been and what I've been up to. ' When the final episode was broadcast, Fynn watched it live with his family and friends at his tattoo studio in Redruth. He said the final challenge was tough but enjoyable, and he loved the experience of competing.

Fynn shared that in week five, he had to make a plate, which was only the third plate he had ever made. He explained that he usually doesn't make plates, but the competition pushed him to try new things. He said, 'You don't have time, a lot of it is on the fly and you have just got to be led by the initiative of how you work with clay. ' Fynn was happy to get a high five from Rich, one of the judges, and said that all feedback, whether good or bad, was valuable to him. Many of Fynn's animal designs for plates and mugs actually started as tattoo designs. He said the whole experience has been overwhelming and that his phone has been buzzing with messages since the final aired.

Sally Tully, a former contestant from Cornwall who was on the show in 2021, praised Fynn's talent on BBC Radio Cornwall. She said, 'I literally cheered, he's such a fantastic talent considering he's been doing it for such a short time. What a talent and his illustrative skills are second to none. ' Sally also talked about her own experience, saying that while making the pottery is important, it's the decoration that really impresses the judges. She said that just being chosen as one of the 12 contestants is a big achievement. Now, Fynn is part of a special group of potters who have been on the show, and they all share the unique experience of competing. Fynn is excited about his win and looks forward to making more pottery in the future.