search for something...

search for something you might like...

Chantal's Good With Wood Finding Britain's Best Woodworker

Chantal's Good With Wood

Finding Britain's Best Woodworker

by Lee Paul,
first published: October, 2021

approximate reading time: minutes

None of this would matter much if our designer-maker and excellent with wood friend Chantal wasn't sashaying across the field in a her Native American poncho during the opening sequence

Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker
C4 Thursdays 8.00pm

“I never feel so masculine as when I have my circular saw in my hand.” Ancient Champion told me recently. What, not when you’re playing power chords on the Gretsch Beast? That exchange speaks to the high esteem we hold wooden artisans in, despite our diminished need for them. What do we need bespoke furniture for when something more flat packable will serve a similar purpose?

Of course I love the old stuff, but more often than not, the chest of drawers I recovered from Katherine Road or the sticky bookcase found outside a Mill Hill Broadway fire station are as likely to be any old birch ply as a solid chunk of elm or something. No one is getting Calamander on the street.

Beginning this week, Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker is going to set me straight for sure. In the now classic reality game show style contestants do their thing, and in this show their thing is wood, until everyone but one is chips. We’re excited. There’s significantly more to tell, but here's an old carpenter joke we should get out of the way first… A Carpenter came around the other day… They made an amazing entrance.

Pretty applicable to Britain's Best Woodworker, where super talented people who design in wood are locked in a beautiful barn facing exacting challenges and not allowed out as their numbers are whittled down, until there’s only one left holding the hammer and saw. Presented by Mel Giedroyc, in each episode the woodworkers participate in a ‘Big Build’ creating a large and imaginative wooden structure or object, as expert judges scrutinise their designs, techniques and skills.

The judges are Helen Welch, who has been working with wood and building furniture for over 35 years. In 2013 she founded The London School of Furniture in South Tottenham, running regular courses for amateur furniture makers; And Alex Di Rijke, an architect, timber architecture advocate, educationalist and architectural photographer, who co-founded the architecture practice, dRMM, in 1995. 

None of this would matter much if our designer-maker and excellent with wood friend Chantal wasn’t sashaying across the field in a native american, family heirloom poncho during the opening sequence of the Best Woodworker promo movie.

We are always amazed by Chantal’s work. So incredibly talented. Check out our interview with her here, the interview is one of the most popular OUTSIDELEFT features of all time.

Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker is a great show. And how does Chantal fare? Even if we knew we wouldn’t be telling. Tune in on Thursday to find out.

Oh… and what do you call an actor with three wooden heads? Edward Woodward.

field shot

Lee Paul

I like to look at things while listening to things I am not looking at. But doesn't everyone.
about Lee Paul »»

upcoming interviews begin with the Residents Feb 9th

RECENT STORIES

RANDOM READS

All About and Contributors

HELP OUTSIDELEFT

Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]

WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT

If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]

WRITERS thru' the Years

A.I. House-Painter, Agata Makiela, Alan Devey, Alan Rider, Alex V. Cook, Ancient Champion, Andy Allison, Annemiek, Archibald Stanton, Becca Kelly, Belle Plankton, Bruce Bailey, Caiomhin Millar, Cassie Thomas, Chantal, Cheiron Coelho, Chris Connolly, Christian Present, Damon Hayhurst, Dan Breen, Danny Rose, David Hackney, David O'Byrne, Denni Boyd, Dirty Lillie, DJ Fuzzyfelt, Dr. Rich, Dr. Richard Bennett, Duncan Jones, Erin, Erin Pipes, Erin Scott, Gracey Babs, Graham Baker, Guilaine Arts, H.xx, Hamilton High, Henderson Downing, Holly Martins, J. Charreaux, J.Lee, Jay Lewis, Jaycentee, Jennifer Lynn, Jenny McCann, Jeremy Gluck, Jez Collins, Joe Ambrose, John Robinson, Jonathan Thornton, Julie O, Karl Morgan, Katherine Pargeter, Kelsey Osgood, Kevin McHugh, Kiah Cranston, Kleo Kay, Lake, Lauren Frison, Lee Paul, Lilly Pemberton, Luke Skinner, Malcolm, Marek Pytel, Mark Piggott, Martin Devenney, Meave Haughey, Melanie Surfleet, Michelle Williams, Mickey, Mike Fox, mindy strouse, Neil Campbell, Neil Scott, Ogglypoogly, OL House Writer, Pam, Paul Burns, Paul Hawkins, Paul Mortimer, Paul Quigley, Peter Williams, Pixie McMowat, Pixievic, Rene Williams, Richard John Walker, Rick Casson, Rikki Stein, Ronan Crinion, Rowena Murphy, Ruby Lake, Ryan 'RJO' Stewart, Samantha Charles, Seth Sherwood, Shane O'Reilly, Sheridan Coyle, Sofia Ribeiro Willcox, Sophia Satchell-Baeza, Spanish Pantalones, Speedie John, Spencer Kansa, Steve McCarthy, The Conversation, Tim London, Tim Sparks, Tony Fletcher, Toon Traveller, Trevi, Urs Lerch, Wayne Dean-Richards, and founders, Alarcon & Lamontpaul

OUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE

Kerry Hardley-Pryce at the Bear Bookshop
OUTSIDELEFT Night Out
weekend

outsideleft content is not for everyone