Portrait Artist of the Year returns to Sky Arts with a dazzling line-up of celebrity sitters on 1 October

UK artists capture icons of stage and screen, including Dame Mary Berry, Yungblud, Billy Porter, Adjoa Andoh, and Brian Cox

Brushes in hand and easels at the ready! Sky Arts and streaming service NOW welcome the return of Portrait Artist of the Year to our screens on 1 October. With returning host Stephen Mangan, the twelfth series promises to be another exhilarating celebration of artistic talent, as emerging artists from across the UK compete for the prestigious 2025 title.

This year’s sitters bring together an impressive mix of household names and cultural icons from television, stage, music, comedy and beyond. Flying the flag for stage and performance are Adjoa Andoh, Billy Porter, Kyla Harris, Royal Ballet star Reece Clarke, and musicians Yungblud, Cat Burns, Jacob Collier and Boyzone’s very own Shane Lynch. From the worlds of TV and broadcasting are Emily Atack, Max Beesley, Melvin Odoom, Gabby Logan, Beth Rigby, Clara Amfo, Alex Jones, Emma Barnett, James May and Si King, alongside comedy favourites Jack Dee, Jack Rooke and Fatiha El-Ghorri. Completing the line-up are British astronaut Tim Peake, rugby international Joe Marler and acclaimed author Elif Shafak.

Broadcaster and author, Dame Mary Berry, sits for the semi-final, and Succession star Brian Cox for the final. Competing artists will showcase their creativity, technique, and vision, aiming to impress returning judges, Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano, and Kate Bryan.

The winner will paint mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry, who was awarded the Royal Society's David Attenborough Award and Lecture 2024 in recognition of her significant work in public engagement with science and for her prolific role in popularising mathematics. This year’s winning commission is from The Royal Society – the world’s oldest continuously operating scientific academy and home to leading scientists.

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, said: "Our flagship arts competition, Portrait Artist of the Year, returns for its twelfth series, continuing to celebrate the remarkable talent of artists from across the UK. Even after twelve series, we are continually inspired by the extraordinary skill on display. With a compelling line-up of sitters, from celebrated national treasures to leading cultural voices - and the chance to secure a prestigious Royal Society commission - this series continues to fly the flag for the arts and celebrate creativity at its best." 

Portrait Artist of the Year is produced by Storyvault Films. The Series Editor is Nelda Sale, the Series Director is Southan Morris and the Series Director of Production is David Buckley. Executive producers are Danielle Graham, Samantha Richards and Stuart Prebble. Commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, Executive Director, Unscripted at Sky, and the Commissioning Editor for Sky Arts is Benedetta Pinelli.

Portrait Artist of the Year airs weekly on Sky Arts, Freeview Channel 36 and NOW from 1st October.

For more information on Portrait Artist of the Year:

poppy.alexander@premiercomms.com  / mike.thomas@premiercomms.com 

Images available on PXL