A muddy and sometimes explosive reality show is coming to Canadian TV this week as 10 contestants vie to become the country91裸聊视频檚top amateur potter.

Their creations are delicate, but the potters are tough,saysJennifer Robertson, host of 91裸聊视频淭he Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down91裸聊视频� premiering Thursday on CBC and streaming on CBC Gem.

91裸聊视频淭here aren91裸聊视频檛 a lot of art forms that if you have one slight misstep, your entire piece can just explode,91裸聊视频� says the actorwho is best known for her role as Jocelyn Schitt in the broadcaster91裸聊视频檚 award-winning comedyshow 91裸聊视频淪chitt91裸聊视频檚 Creek.91裸聊视频�

The potters are accustomed to navigating the emotional ups and downs of making ceramics, she says, but they still pray to the 91裸聊视频渒iln gods91裸聊视频� to spare their work.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 tears,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淭hey put a lot of themselves into a lot of these pieces.91裸聊视频�

The eight-episode series, shot on Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 Granville Island, follows potters from across the country as they transform mounds of clay into sculptural artworks and functional wares, making everything from table lamps to fountains to dinnerware for a nine-course tasting menu.

Viewers who aren91裸聊视频檛 familiar with ceramics will be drawn to watching the 91裸聊视频渞aw creativity91裸聊视频� of the potters in action, says Brendan Tang, one of two expert judges and an instructor at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver.

Toronto-based ceramic artist and educator Natalie Waddell also joins as an expert judge, while another potter with roots in Vancouver makes an appearance.

Seth Rogen is a guest judge and executive producer for the show, which emulates the 91裸聊视频淕reat Pottery Throw Down91裸聊视频� that originated in the United Kingdom in 2015.

In the opening episode, Rogen shows the potters how to recreate the first piece he ever threw on the wheel 91裸聊视频� an ashtray 91裸聊视频� and asks them to put their own spin on the shape in a 30-minute challenge related to the actor91裸聊视频檚 other pot-related pastime.

While Tang was initially 91裸聊视频渟tar struck91裸聊视频� meeting Rogen, he says they quickly became 91裸聊视频渢wo clay nerds91裸聊视频� talking about the many facets of ceramics explored in the show.

That includes raku firing, a technique in which pieces are removed from the kiln glowing red hot, then placed in a fiery container of combustible materials to create a variety of colours and effects.

91裸聊视频淚 saw how dedicated he is,91裸聊视频� Tang says of Rogen. 91裸聊视频淚 really enjoyed that.91裸聊视频�

Robertson jokes that any qualms about a 91裸聊视频淗ollywood guy91裸聊视频� stealing the show were quickly dispelled as it became clear that Rogen takes pottery 91裸聊视频渧ery seriously.91裸聊视频�

The Canadian Press asked CBC for an interview with Rogen, but he wasn91裸聊视频檛 available.

Robertson isn91裸聊视频檛 herself a potter, although she has built a collection over the years. It now proudly includes a wonky little pot that one of the judges helped her make while they were filming last summer, she says.

The 91裸聊视频淕inny & Georgia91裸聊视频� star says watching the potters and seeing the results of their skill and dedication has given her a new appreciation for the art form.

91裸聊视频淣ow, I can look at a piece and I know what91裸聊视频檚 gone into it, the energy and effort.91裸聊视频�

Tang says his jaw 91裸聊视频渉it the ground91裸聊视频� when he saw the quality of the 91裸聊视频淭hrow Down91裸聊视频� potters91裸聊视频� work and 91裸聊视频渉ow high they were shooting91裸聊视频� with their creations.

91裸聊视频淚 thought I knew who was going to win from the get-go, and there are so many twists and turns in this show, it91裸聊视频檚 great,91裸聊视频� Tang says.

The contestants complete two challenges each week, sometimes exploring shapes, materials and techniques they have never tried before. The judges select one person to be named potter of the week, while another is sent home 91裸聊视频� and not without tears from some of their fellow contestants as they say goodbye.

It91裸聊视频檚 a reality competition show, but Robertson says there are no 91裸聊视频渧illains.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e have the kiln, that91裸聊视频檚 bad enough sometimes,91裸聊视频� she adds.

Tang says he91裸聊视频檚 noticed a surge of people, like Rogen, catching the pottery bug in recent years. The pandemic further spurred the trend as many people sought new ways to reconnect with themselves, he says, and ceramics is the perfect fit.

91裸聊视频淚t almost becomes like a meditation in motion or a flow-state practice, and I think people really enjoy that, where the world just disappears,91裸聊视频� Tang says.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e talking about a medium that has a 32,000-year history with our species, so we91裸聊视频檝e been playing with clay since, like, the beginning, almost,91裸聊视频� he adds.

The show is a 91裸聊视频渢hrow down,91裸聊视频� but Tang says it captures a studio filled with 91裸聊视频渃amaraderie91裸聊视频� as the potters cheer each other on to create deeply personal work.

91裸聊视频淚 think we see the tough parts of the human spirit every day on the news, and this is like the positive part of being human.91裸聊视频�

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