Boy in a China Shop : Life, Clay and Everything

‘During downtime on the pottery throwdown Keith made my hair curl with some of his tales – he’s a great raconteur and recounts his story in this book as he does in real life – with joy, charm & mischief.’ – Sara Cox’

Ballet dancer. Front man in an almost famous band. Judge on The Great Pottery Throwdown.

How did all that happen?By accident mostly. But I always say we make our own luck. What if an art teacher hadn’t given me a lump of clay? What if the band had been really successful? What if I hadn’t taken a photograph of a bowl to the buyer at Heals in London? What if she’d hated it? Or hadn’t seen it…

What if I hadn’t agreed to dress up as Adele to make a crazy YouTube video? Every chapter of my book is based around an object (usually a pot) that’s been significant in my life. It’s just a trigger to let me go off in a lot of different directions and tell a few stories. A lot of stories.

Dyslexia. The art teacher who changed my life. My Mother.

My Father. A life-changing job interview with a man who lay under his car throughout. That video.

Sifting through half-forgotten memories, trying to pick out the golden nuggets from the stuff that is definitely dross has been a curious, and at times hilarious, sometimes sad, but definitely enlightening process. So here it is – my pottery life with some very loud music and some pretty good dancing. And a lot of throwing, fettling and firing.

Oh …and a good dose of anxiety.