Wool, Wit and Warmth: Game of Wool Hits Our Screens
Olympic gold medallist Tom Daley is swapping the pool for the wool as he takes on his first major presenting role in Game of Wool, Channel 4’s new competitive knitting show. Airing Sunday 2 November at 8pm on the UK's Channel 4, the series promises to do for knitting what Bake Off did for sponge cake — bringing Britain’s knitters and purlers into the limelight.
Tom Daley at the Game of Wool studio in rural Scotland. Photo Credit: Channel 4 / Jamie Simpson
Set amid the rolling hills of rural Scotland, ten amateur knitters will compete in a series of challenges designed to test creativity, technique, and composure under pressure. From fashion and jewellery to furniture and sculpture, every piece must be made from wool. Contestants face two challenges per episode: a collaborative “group knit” and a solo project that showcases their personal flair.
Sheila Greenwell (left) and Di Gilpin, judges of Channel 4's Game of Wool. Photo: Channel 4 / Jamie Simpson
Guiding and judging them are two names well known to Selvedge readers — Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell, Scotland’s own knitting power duo. Together, they bring decades of design expertise and deep respect for the history of hand knitting. Their studio, Di Gilpin Ltd, is internationally recognised for its elegant and sustainable knitwear rooted in Scottish heritage, and their Gansey Knitting Sourcebook has become an essential reference for knitters worldwide.
The Gansey Knitting Sourcebook by Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell
Di and Sheila’s warmth and camaraderie are as much a part of their craft as their technical precision. Whether collaborating with fashion houses such as Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Paul Smith, or inspiring local knitters through community projects, they embody a generosity of spirit that is central to the knitting world. In Game of Wool, that same spirit shines through as they assess the contestants’ creativity and technique — equal parts encouragement, insight, and a keen eye for detail.
Contestants and judges featured in this year's Game of Wool. Photo: Channel 4 / Jamie Simpson.
As for Daley, his enthusiasm is infectious. Having discovered knitting during lockdown as a form of mindfulness and expression, he’s now a passionate advocate for its power to bring calm, focus, and joy. “To be in a room full of knitters and crocheters as passionate as I am was a dream come true,” he told the PA News Agency.
Game of Wool celebrates the skill, patience, and artistry behind every stitch in a joyful reminder that knitting is as much about connection as creation.
And if you’re as inspired as we are, don’t miss the chance to meet Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell in person at the Selvedge Winter Fair on 23 November. Come and say hello, share your knitting stories, and perhaps leave with a little woolly inspiration of your own.
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Further Information:
The Game of Wool airs on Channel 4 on Sunday 2 November at 8pm. Tune in from your sofa in the UK, or stream online worldwide.
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Image Credits:
Lead: (Left to Right) Di Gilpin, Tom Daley, Sheila Greenwell. Game of Wool. Photo: Channel 4 / Jamie Simpson
All further images as credited in photo captions.