THE winner of The Great Pottery Throw Down has shared his pride in being the second person from Northern Ireland to win the hard-fought competition.
James Watson, from Belfast, was crowned the winner on March 9, after competing in 20 tough challenges over ten episodes in the annual competition.
During his time on the Channel 4 show, which is filmed at the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke on Trent, he was a three-time Potter of the Week before emerging as the winner of the Great Pottery Throw Down 2025 over the weekend.
James Watson has been crowned the winner of The Great Pottery Throw Down 2025“It’s an absolute dream come true to win - it seems like a fairy tale,” James said of his achievement.
“‘Belfast is home for me, and I’m so proud to bring the trophy back here,” he added, “especially as it’s the second year in a row for a Northern Ireland winner.”
The series was filmed last year, so James watched this month's screening of the final at home with his family, including his son Art.
“I watched the final at home with my sisters, Duane and my son, Art, and it was such a memorable night,” he said.
“I said on the show that it felt surreal to be in the final, and that still holds true,” he added.
“I’ve learned so much from this experience and seeing my family’s reaction to my win was incredibly special.”
James was up against fellow potters Natalie and Steven in the final of the competition.
"Walking into the final with Natalie and Steve was exciting,” he admits.
“We’d each been named Potter of the Week three times, so we all knew the competition was going to be tight, but by that stage, we were so close that any one of us winning would have felt right.
James will focus on working as a full-time potter after winning the competition“We have all stayed connected through our WhatsApp group,” he adds, “and I am planning to visit them throughout the year.”
Despite knowing the outcome of the competition for some time, James was unable to talk about it until the final show aired.
But he claims the response from the public has been “overwhelmingly supportive” throughout his time on the show and he is now excited to be able to display his trophy.
“The trophy – it’s been hidden away until now, but it will get pride of place. I just need to decide where,” he said.
‘The response from the public and on social media has been overwhelmingly positive, and the support for my work, especially from Belfast and Northern Ireland, has been heart-warming. I really felt like they were rooting for me,” he added.
James has now left his former job to concentrate on working as a fulltime potter and claims the support of the Great Pottery Throwdown judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller and host Siobhán McSweeney was been “amazing”
‘Rich and Keith were fantastic throughout the process,” he said.
“By the final, it felt like they truly understood me as an artist.
“Their passion for clay and their encouragement meant so much.
"Siobhán was also amazing – her humour and uplifting energy were so appreciated - she was always there for us, especially when things got stressful.”
He added: “‘2025 has been a whirlwind.
“I left my job in January to pursue pottery full-time, and I’m so excited for this new chapter.
“My time on the show taught me so much about technique, creativity, and resilience - and I’m excited to explore all of that on a deeper level.
“I want to keep pushing my boundaries, experiment with new ideas, and bring everything I’ve learned to my future work.
“This experience has been a launchpad, and I’m excited and ready to see where this journey as a full-time potter takes me."
See More: Great Pottery Throwdown, James Watson
