The Great British Sewing Bee returns with New Year’s special on BBC One

The Great British Sewing Bee will return tonight with a brand new festive special.

New presenter Sara Pascoe will front the show for the first time with judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young.

In each of two special episodes, they will welcome four celebrities to face a number of sewing challenges.

In The Great British New Year Sewing Bee tonight (Thursday, 30 December), Sara celebrates the New Year on The Sewing Bee by inviting four more celebrities into the Sewing Room to try their hand at creating party clothes.

Winner of Drag Race UK Lawrence Chaney, comedian and writer Rose Matafeo, singer Claire Richards from Steps and journalist Kirsty Wark all get behind their sewing machine and give it a go.

Judges Patrick and Esme set them the challenge to rustle up a festive waistcoat, transform some old clothes into children’s party dresses and fit a food themed fancy dress outfit to a model. Finally they hit the dance floor with Claire performing an eighties disco classic.

The Great British New Year Sewing Bee airs Thursday, 30 December at 9PM.

Last week the The Great British Christmas Sewing Bee saw Sara welcome celebrity sewer Rev Kate Bottley, actors Antony Cotton and Kiell Smith-Bynoe, plus presenter Anneka Rice into the Sewing Room.

Under the watchful eye of Esme and Patrick, the four brave celebrities follow a pattern for a Christmas jumper, they transform a charity shop bundle into fancy dress outfit and create dresses from Christmas past.

Only one celebrity can be granted their Christmas wish to win the coveted Christmas Sewing Bee award before they gather around the piano for a sing-song.

You can catch up on past episodes on BBC iPlayer here.

Meanwhile a brand new series of The Great British Sewing Bee will come to BBC One in 2022.