BBC One Welcomes The Big Painting Challenge

A new show – The Big Painting Challenge – has been commissioned by BBC One.

The 6x60' series will see 10 amateur artists take part in an intensive, six-week, artistic bootcamp where they will refine their skills and compete to be crowned the winner. They will face various painting challenges in five different disciplines under the guidance of mentors Diana Ali and Pascal Anson. The mentors will run their own studios, by their own rules, with each choosing five contestants to guide through the challenges.

Each episode will see the contestants produce two pieces of work in a different discipline, from portraiture to landscape to still life and movement. They will visit different locations to inspire their masterpieces including the National Portrait Gallery, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, and Queen's House in Greenwich. At the end of each episode, the artists' work will be exhibited to invited members of the local public, before judges Dr David Dibosa, Lachlan Goudie and Daphne Todd OBE critique the paintings and decide which contestant will leave the competition.

The series will air on BBC One later this year and will be presented by Mariella Frostrup and The Reverend Richard Coles.

Mariella Frostrup said: "The Big Painting Challenge is a wonderful showcase for those many gifted artists who aspire to making a career of their painting, often receiving little or no recognition for their efforts along the way. It's a programme that demands confidence, talent and hard work from the contestants and I was delighted to join forces with The Reverend Richard Coles and watch this group of charismatic painters as they strove to fulfil their potential over the weeks. Being the daughter of an amateur artist myself I'm all too aware of the frustration and commitment required to keep going. It was fascinating to witness these ten amateur artists work their brushes into a frenzy and see their work develop impressively."

The Reverend Richard Coles added: "I am delighted to be presenting The Big Painting Challenge with Mariella, partly because I love watching talented people grow and develop, in the intense focus of TV cameras, as we put in front of them baby elephants, ballerinas, national treasures and historic monuments and partly in the hope it will encourage people at home to get painting."

Image: BBC Media Centre.

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre

(JP/MH)