ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

Joe Lycett presents Life Drawing Live! - a groundbreaking TV event across ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two and ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four this September

Comedian, presenter and artist Joe Lycett will present Life Drawing Live! on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two and ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four in a ground-breaking, live event this September, bringing the nations together for the UK’s largest ever live, life drawing masterclass.

Published: 9:00 am, 24 August 2021
Updated: 4:30 pm, 23 August 2021
Joe Lycett - Photo credit Matt Crockett
Like many people I found great solace from making art during lockdown and am really excited to help get the nation creative through learning about life drawing. Any nudity is just an added bonus!”
— Joe Lycett

After the success of last year’s programmes, where viewers sent in 30,000 artworks from home, this new two-hour special produced by Avanti, is bigger and bolder: broadcasting live across two channels, from English Heritage’s Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, where life models will disrobe and assume poses inspired by great works of art.

Joe Lycett will anchor the event across both channels, with Josie d’Arby assessing and selecting the work of those drawing from home. Artists Daphne Todd and Lachlan Goudie will be on hand to guide some famous faces through the poses.

On ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two, viewers can watch the amateur artists create their works as the experts share their knowledge and techniques. Plus in short films throughout the programme, artist Adebanji Alade will be encouraging people who think drawing is not for them to have a go. If viewers want to join in and draw along at home, Josie and ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four will be at the heart of the class with ‘Pose Cam’ giving a fixed-camera view of each model’s pose. Audiences at home will be encouraged to upload their work during the show, some of which will be given feedback on air by Daphne and Lachlan. On ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four, artist Nicky Philipps will reveal more of the history behind the artworks that have inspired the models’ poses.

Joe Lycett says: “Like many people I found great solace from making art during lockdown and am really excited to help get the nation creative through learning about life drawing. Any nudity is just an added bonus!”

Josie d’Arby says: “I’m so looking forward to welcoming viewers who want to draw with us on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four and sharing what they have created on the show.”

Mark Bell, Commissioning Editor at ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Arts says: “Life Drawing Live! has been an incredible catalyst for the nation’s amateur artists on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four - where tens of thousands of viewers have taken the time to upload their life drawings. Now we are taking it to the next level. For the first time, it will take over the schedules across two channels, giving viewers the option of watching from the sofa on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two, or to go to ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four with paper in hand to participate in the class itself. We hope this unprecedented event will entertain and inspire, and hopefully give audiences the chance to up their skills with the charcoal.”

Sally Dixon, Executive Producer at Avanti said: “We’re delighted to be building on the success of Life Drawing Live! by bringing it to a wider audience and hope to inspire viewers to pick up a pencil and draw for the first time.”

Life Drawing Live! is a 1x120 Avanti production for ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Two and ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four. It was commissioned by Mark Bell and Stephen James-Yeoman for ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Arts. The Executive Producers are Emyr Afan and Sally Dixon.

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