TV cook Dame Mary Berry is set to appear as a subject in the forthcoming series of Portrait Artist Of The Year. The former Great British Bake Off judge will be among several well-known personalities to be immortalised by emerging artists competing for the 2025 title and cash prize.
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Other notable sitters include Succession actor Brian Cox, Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh, former Boyzone singer Shane Lynch, and astronaut Tim Peake, alongside broadcasters Gabby Logan and Clara Amfo. The line-up will also feature Rivals star Emily Atack, The Gentleman actor Max Beesley, TV presenters Alex Jones and James May, and comedian Jack Dee. The series will be broadcast on Sky Arts and streaming service Now from 1 October, with Stephen Mangan returning as host.
Competing artists will aim to impress judges Tai-Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano and Kate Bryan. The series winner will have the opportunity to paint mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry, who was awarded the Royal Society’s David Attenborough Award and Lecture 2024. Phil Edgar-Jones, director of Sky Arts, praised the line-up, saying the show continues to celebrate exceptional artistic talent across the UK.
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Professor Sheila Rowan, vice president of the Royal Society, emphasised the importance of female role models in science. She noted: “Hannah Fry is an exceptional role model. That’s why we are so pleased to commission her portrait for Portrait Artist Of The Year, highlighting the achievements of women in science and mathematics.”
