It’s the Bee’s knees

IT’S TIME to get the measure of our contestants one last time as the Bee hosts its grand final. Matt, Nicole and Clare are the remaining trio who have just three garments standing between themselves and the win.

“The gloves are off,” says Matt – although he is laughing. This is about the friendliest of battles you’ll ever see on telly.

“Well it could be me! What a twist!” says Joe Lycett, a host with the perfect amount of flair for this competition.

While many of us may not know a stitch about sewing an outfit, this still remains absorbing viewing as everyone stresses out about their needlework.

The pattern challenge is a real head scratcher. Judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young give them a mammoth set of instructions to make a boy’s kilt.

There’s lots of sighing and visible cogs turning as they try to match the pattern to the pleats. “Stupid tartan,”says Matt.

For the transformation challenge, they have 90 minutes to create a carnival costume from a swimsuit and a prom dress.

This prompts Esme to reveal an anecdote about going to the Notting Hill Carnival.

“I sat on a window ledge with David Bowie watching the Carnival.

But we weren’t wearing feathers.” Shame we can’t hear more on that.

Finally, the three finalists must make a red carpet dress, with a cut out element for extra glam points, made to measure for a friend or relative.

“They need to deliver something extraordinary today,” says Patrick. “It has to have incredible impact.” No pressure, then.

This is the friendliest final you are likely to see, and host Joe Lycett, left, certainly has the flair to keep us, and finalists Clare, Nicole and Matt, pictured top entertained