We can't get enough of Sky Portrait Artist of the Year. It's the most relaxing TV show ever known to man (it's official) and we're looking forward to more glorious portraiture and creativity in 2024.
Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year season 12 is back on our screens on Wednesday 1st October 2025 with much-loved host Stephen Mangan.
What to expect from season 12 of Sky Portrait Artist of the Year
Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of gouache, oil painting, etching, and sketching, as we recap the weekly highlights. A fresh collection of the UK and Ireland's artists will battle it out in the gentlest way possible to win the crown of Portrait Artist of the Year 2025.
There will be a whole host of celebrity sitters this year including Dame Mary Berry, Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh and British astronaut TIm Peake. This year’s winner will receive a £10,000 commission to create a portrait of mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry for The Royal Society.
As the brush strokes and pencil marks come together each week, we'll see the artists' portraits develop their skills throughout the hour's television. You’ll find yourself fighting the urge to run off and sign up instantly for your local college painting course!
Click on the links below to jump to a section:
- When is Sky Portrait Artist of the Year on TV?
- Where can I watch Sky Portrait Artist of the Year?
- Where is Sky Portrait Artist of the Year filmed?
- Sky Portrait Artist of the Year Christmas specials
- What to expect from the latest series
- Portrait Artist of the Year sitters
- Portrait Artist of the Year episode recaps
Images © Sky UK Limited
Everything you need to know about Portrait Artist of the Year 2025
When is Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year on TV?
Portrait Artist of the Year 2025 is back on our screens on Wednesday 1st October with much-loved host Stephen Mangan.
Portrait Artist of the Year airs weekly on Sky Arts, Freeview Channel 36 and NOW from 1st October.
Where can I watch Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year?
You can catch up on the past 11 seasons of the show over on Sky Arts. The show was originally Artist of the Year and has branched out with a spin-off series called Landscape Artist of the Year.
Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year is shown on Sky Arts, Freeview Channel 36 and NOW.
Where is Sky Portrait Artist of the Year filmed?
The show is filmed at Battersea Arts Centre, and each series the finals are filmed at the National Portrait Gallery.
Meet The Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2025 sitters
With a mega prize and one well worth competing for, we're always blown away by the talent, skill and flair that the contestants show on screen. Those self portraits! The skill and detail and flair for colour and composition!
Season 12 will celebrity sitters from the worlds of stage, screen, literature and the arts. The artists will compete to impress expert judges Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano and Kate Bryan in seven heats:
- Adjoa Andoh, actor best known for her role as Lady Danbury in Bridgerton
- Billy Porter, American actor and singer
- Kyla Harris, writer, actor and producer
- Reece Clarke, Royal Ballet star
- Yungblud, English singer-songwriter and actor
- Cat Burns, singer and songwriter
- Jacob Collier, singer and songwriter
- Shane Lynch, Boyzone singer
- Emily Atack, actor and comedian
- Max Beesley, actor and musician
- Melvin Odoom, radio DJ and TV presenter
- Gabby Logan, Welsh TV and radio presenter
- Beth Rigby, Sky News political editor
- Clara Amfo, radio DJ, broadcaster and podcaster
- Alex Jones, Welsh TV host
- Emma Barnett, broadcaster and journalist
- James May, presenter, author and journalist
- Si King, TV presenter and chef
- Jack Dee, comedian
- Jack Rook, comedian
- Fatiha El-Ghorri, comedian
- Tim Peake, British astronaut
- Dame Mary Berry, food writer, cook, presenter and former Great British Bake Off judge
- Joe Marler, rugby international
- Elif Shakaf, author
- Brian Cox, Succession actor
Find your next craft TV show
If you love Portrait Artist of the Year, you'll love the Great Pottery Throw Down! Watch talented potters make incredible ceramic creations this winter.
Who won Sky Portrait Artist of the Year in 2024?
Portrait Artist of the Year 2024 culminated with a show-stopping paint-off between the final three artists who made it to the final, with talented artist Brogan Bertie winning the £10,000 prize and the opportunity to paint a portrait of Lorraine Kelly for the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Who won Portrait Artist of the Year in 2023?
This year's winner is Wendy Barratt! Wendy won a commission to paint legendary conservationist Dr Jane Goodall and the finished portrait will hang in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Who won Portrait Artist of the Year in 2022?
2022's winner was London-based Morag Caister, who won the opportunity to paint a portrait of Sir Lenny Henry. Her finished commission will hang in the National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection.
Who won Sky Portrait Artist of the Year in 2021?
23-year-old Calum Stevenson scooped the 2021 prize with his beautiful portrait of Barry Humphries in the final. In earlier rounds he wowed the judges with his realistic portraits of Kelly Macdonald and Pink Floyd's Nick Mason.
His painting of Nicola Benedetti is displayed at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.
Get ready for Portrait Artist of the Year 2024
We're looking forward to seeing the work created by the contestants on this year's show – and who will win the coveted title of Sky Portrait Artist of the Year. Each week the contestants will push their artistic skills to the limit and produce a stunning likeness of a celebrity.
For more updates about the latest series, head to the show's official website: www.skyartsartistoftheyear.tv/portrait or search on social for the hashtags #portraitartistoftheyear and #PAOTY
How to become an incredible portrait artist
If you're feeling inspired by the latest series of Portrait Artist of the Year, painting a watercolour portrait can be a good place to begin.
It'll help you to get to grips with the basic skills that you'll need to create your own stunning portraits. You'll also develop your watercolour painting skills with the expert guidance of artist and illustrator Rhiannon Bull. Learn how to paint a watercolor portrait with Gathered.
