CRAFTY devil
JIM MOIR, aka Vic Reeves, hosts a series dedicated to heritage crafts
The Prince’s Master Crafters: The Next Generation
Wednesday, 8pm, Sky Arts
As well as being one half of iconic comedy double act Reeves and Mortimer, the multi-talented Jim Moir – aka Vic Reeves – is also a gifted artist who has published art books, staged his own exhibitions, and even created illuminations for York’s historic buildings.
For his latest project, he’s presiding over a new series in which top amateur craftspeople try their hand at a range of traditional crafting challenges such as blacksmithing and weaving. We caught up with Moir, 63, to find out more…
WHO’S TAKING PART IN THE SHOW? There are six young ‘students’ who are all experts in their own particular heritage crafts – iron work, plastering, woodcarving stonemasonry, stained glass painting and weaving – and they all try their hand at each craft.
DID YOU ENJOY WATCHING THEM IN ACTION? I got engrossed in what they were doing. There used to be a BBC interlude called The Potter’s Wheel, which was essentially a man who sat there making a pot. It’s that kind of thing – watching someone doing something well.
YOU VISITED SOME HERITAGE SITES DURING THE SERIES. WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS? We did weaving in Edinburgh, where I met one of the last remaining women who handstitch kilts. I got one made in the Moir tartan, and it weighs a ton!
WHY ISN’T THERE A WINNER AT THE END OF THE SERIES? Everything is a competition nowadays, and I’m glad that this isn’t. But there was some friendly rivalry, and we did award a special prize every week.
WHY ARE HERITAGE CRAFTS WORTH NURTURING? If there’s no one to teach someone else how to do them, they will completely vanish. I think everyone would rather have something that is handmade, like handmade crockery. And if you’ve made it yourself, that’s even better!