Great Pottery Throw Down’s trans kiln girl explains exit after three years: ‘Wasn’t worth it’

Rose Schmits, The Great Pottery Throw Down‘s trans kiln tech, has revealed her reason for leaving the show after three years.

Essentially a clay version of The Great British Bake Off, Channel 4’s pottery contest features hopefuls looking to impress a panel of judges and hosts (including Derry Girls‘ Siobhán McSweeney), and has been airing since 2015.

Schmits, a transgender Dutch kiln “witch”, has featured as the show’s kiln tech since its fourth season in 2021 – but ahead of the eighth season, has revealed why she won’t be returning.

“A massive thank you to [Rose] who is leaving the show after four series as our kiln tech,” the goodbye post read from the official Great Pottery Throw Down X account. “Rose has fired everything from jugs to loos and done her utmost to protect the potters from the kiln gods. We wish you and your bow ties the best for the future.”

Reacting to the send-off, Rose clarified that the split from the show was “fully” down to her, but that appearing on the show wasn’t “worth it”.

“This was fully my decision by the way,” Rose wrote on X (formerly Twitter), above the goodbye post. “They did want me back but it just wasn’t worth it for me anymore.”

She did not clarify what exactly “wasn’t worth it”.

This was fully my decision by the way they did want me back but it just wasn’t worth it for me anymore https://t.co/CMqoJzcJwH

— Rose Schmits (@rosekilnwitch) October 12, 2024

The Great Pottery Throw Down star then added: “So get [wrecked] all you transphobes you had absolutely nothing to do with it.”

Outside the show, Rose’s work, according to her website, is “a way to delve into my identity as a trans woman from Delft, the Netherlands.

“Using the Delftware pottery technique to create pieces that reflect my experiences as a trans person having altered my body and identity, allows me to gain ownership of the struggles of transitioning as well as [to] remember where I came from,” she said.

The Great Pottery Throw Down is available to stream on Channel 4.

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