A reality TV show about knitting and crocheting? That sounds absolutely wonderful. As a fan of The Great British Sewing Bee and Bake Off, I was immediately intrigued when I heard about Game of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter, a new UK reality competition where contestants take on weekly creative knitting (and sometimes crocheting) challenges, all under the watchful eye of celebrity host Tom Daley.
Seeing Tom Daley as host didn’t come as much of a surprise. He’s young, famous, and known for embracing what’s often considered a “granny craft.” Whether we like it or not, he’s become the public face of knitting and crocheting in the UK, despite there being many far more skilled makers out there. Like Marmite, people either love him or hate him. With Tom at the helm, a diverse group of contestants, and a couple of older knitters as co-hosts (which, I’ll admit, left me slightly disappointed), I was curious to see what this show would bring. So here’s my honest, as-unbiased-as-possible review.
Before the Show Even Aired…
Before the first episode even began, one major red flag had me scratching my head: crochet was being lumped in with knitting. Despite plenty of crocheted items appearing in the promos, even Tom himself said, “whether you knit with two needles or one…” and that was it for me.
Now, I’m not being precious, but accuracy matters. Calling crochet “knitting” is a huge mistake. The two are entirely different crafts, using different tools and techniques. It’s like calling diving “synchronised swimming” just because both happen in water. I doubt even Tom Daley would approve of that logic!
This kind of confusion is nothing new to yarn crafters, especially in the UK. People use “wool” as a catch-all term for yarn and mix up crochet and knitting constantly. It’s become a bit of a running joke online, but seeing it happen on national television was frustrating. I wanted Game of Wool to promote yarn crafts to a new generation in a fun and accurate way. This wasn’t a great start.
Episode One: The Good, the Bad, and the Baffling
Once the first episode aired, I’ll admit, I enjoyed it. It was definitely entertaining, though maybe not always for the right reasons.
Tom and the judges have faced a lot of online criticism, but I didn’t find them that bad. Tom brought a lighthearted energy, and while his fashion choices weren’t quite my taste, that’s purely subjective. What did disappoint me, though, was the lack of in-depth critique. I was hoping for proper technical feedback, discussions about knitting techniques, tension, and finishing, rather than vague comments like “It’s good overall” or “I like the colours.” The Sewing Bee does this so much better.
The contestants, however, were fantastic, a wonderfully diverse mix of ages, backgrounds, and genders. It was great to see so many male knitters represented. Their skill levels varied, but under the pressure, they all did impressively well.
Where Things Fell Apart
Here’s where I started to struggle with the show. One contestant described it as “an extreme knitting show.” That’s exactly the problem.
Knitting is not an extreme sport, and it shouldn’t be. Watching a contestant shake with stress because they had only 12 hours to complete a project made me deeply uncomfortable. Knitting is supposed to be slow, mindful, and meditative, something that supports mental health, not destroys it. Seeing it turned into a source of anxiety felt wrong.
Physically, it didn’t look great either. The contestants were forced to use super-chunky yarn and massive needles to meet the tight deadlines. The yarn was beautiful (and I loved that they showcased British wool), but anyone who’s worked with such heavy materials knows it’s hard on your hands, shoulders, and neck, especially for 12 hours straight.
As one contestant, Holger, a fashion designer, put it.. “
To tell me that I have to express myself using a super-chunky yarn is like asking a vegetarian to express themselves through the medium of steak.”
Well said.
Cultural Missteps
Even the knitting history and terminology took some hits. After the episode aired, Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart raised concerns about the show’s misuse of the term “Fair Isle.”
The show confused traditional Fair Isle knitting with other types of colourwork, misused the word “peerie,” referred to Shetland as “the Shetlands,” and even once called Fair Isle “Fair Aisle.” Ouch.
Adding insult to injury, one contestant, Gordon, was criticised for “recklessly” cutting his knitting, which is actually a legitimate Fair Isle technique called steeking! He’d even spent time in Shetland learning the method.
MSP Wishart has since lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament, encouraging Channel 4 to acknowledge these misrepresentations and inviting the production team to properly engage with Shetland’s knitting community.
As she put it, “
Fair Isle knitting has for too long been misrepresented the world over. It’s especially frustrating that a UK programme, made by a Scottish production company, would fall into the same trap.”
Final Thoughts
It’s clear the production team didn’t put in the research this show deserved, and that’s a real shame. This could have been such a powerful opportunity to celebrate and educate viewers about the artistry of knitting and crochet.
That said, I still found it inspiring to see yarn crafts on TV. The challenges were creative, and some of the final pieces, especially Holger’s sofa cover and Ailsa’s design, were stunning. The yarns were gorgeous (even if not always the right fit for the project), the setting was lovely, and the contestants’ personalities made it enjoyable to watch.
The wrong person may have gone home, but the show has potential. I just hope future episodes treat knitting and crochet with the care, accuracy, and respect they deserve.
Knitting and crocheting should be joyful, not stressful, and I’d hate for anyone new to yarn crafts to be put off by the chaos on screen.
So, what did you think of Game of Wool? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear your take,
and if you would love to learn how to knit yourself, then head to my knitting channel, which is dedicated to absolute beginners! Maybe just don't start with super chunky yarn, huge broom handle needles and a deadline short enough to drive you bonkers!
https://www.youtube.com/@happyberryknitting
