ALISON KING JOINS THE CELEBRITY GREAT POTTERY THROWDOWN

Alison King has signed up for a second series of The Celebrity Great Pottery Throwdown on Channel 4, an unnamed television insider indicated. King plays Carla Connor in the ITV soap Coronation Street, where her character runs the Underworld knicker factory. The insider described King as someone who rarely takes part in challenge programmes alongside her acting work. Discussing her participation in the pottery competition, the insider said: “She clearly just wants to have a crack at the craft.”

The Celebrity Great Pottery Throwdown follows a format whose original version has run since 2015. Love Productions makes the celebrity spin-off and also produces The Great British Bake Off. Liza Tarbuck hosted the first celebrity series, which aired earlier in the year. Its contestants included comedian Lucy Beaumont, author Faitha El-Ghorri and comedian and podcaster Richard Herring.

Former footballer Paul Merson, performer Layton Williams and presenter Denise Van Outen also competed in the first celebrity series. Channel 4 has yet to confirm the remaining contestants for the second series. The broadcaster has also yet to confirm an air date for the programme’s return. The insider offered no explanation of where King’s interest in ceramics began, saying: “Where it comes from is uncertain.”