Watercolour Challenge
Watercolour Challenge was a daytime television lifestyle game show that was broadcast on Channel 4 from 15 June 1998 to 23 November 2001. It was presented by Hannah Gordon.
| Watercolour Challenge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Lifestyle Game show |
| Presented by | Hannah Gordon Cherie Lunghi (Stand-in, 1 episode, 1999) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 210 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes (inc. adverts) |
| Production company(s) | Planet 24 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Channel 4 |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Original release | 15 June 1998 – 23 November 2001 |
In the programme, three amateur artists were given four hours to paint, in watercolour, the same scene or landscape, often with widely different interpretations. At the end of the four hours, the guest professional artist for the week judged the paintings and selected the winner, who would then appear in a regional final, and if successful would compete in the end of series final.
The guest artist also had a segment where they provided tips for the viewers to improve their painting technique.
The locations of each landscape painted changed in each episode, with various regions of both Great Britain and Ireland being visited, as well as a special show from Provence. The 2001 final was held in Tuscany.
Expert art judges included the artists Jason Bowyer, Mike Chaplin, Dorothy Dunnett, Annette Kane, Hazel Soan, and Jenny Wheatley. In 1999, Timmy Mallett was a regional judge for one episode of the show. A celebrity edition was produced, including Bill Oddie and Phillip Franks. The show was briefly presented by Cherie Lunghi when Hannah Gordon was unable to do so due to illness.
In 2001, the programme won a Royal Television Society (RTS) award in the category of Best Features - Daytime.
There have been two books written related to the television programme, "Watercolour Challenge": A Complete Guide to Watercolour Painting by Diana Vowles and "Watercolour Challenge": Practical Painting Course from Channel 4 Books.
Transmissions
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 June 1998 | 4 September 1998 | 49 |
| 2 | 2 June 1999 | 29 October 1999 | 60 |
| 3 | 16 October 2000 | 22 December 2000 | 50 |
| 4 | 3 September 2001 | 23 November 2001 | 51 |