The Great British Sewing Bee is approaching its final few weeks, with only five contestants left hoping to be crowned Britain’s best amateur sewer. Series 12 continues on Tuesday, 1 September with Episode 8, before the competition moves into its semi-final and final later this month.

When Is The Great British Sewing Bee 2026 Final?

There are 10 episodes in this year’s series, meaning just three remain. Based on the current BBC schedule, the Great British Sewing Bee 2026 final is set to air on Tuesday, 15 September, giving viewers only a few more weeks with Sophie Willan, Patrick Grant, Esme Young and this year’s remaining sewers.

The final has not yet been separately announced by the BBC, but the current 10-episode schedule places Episode 8 on 1 September, Episode 9 on 8 September and Episode 10 on 15 September. Unless there is a change to the BBC schedule, that makes 15 September the expected final date.

Episodes air on BBC One at 8pm on Tuesdays and are also available through BBC iPlayer.

What Is the Full Great British Sewing Bee 2026 Episode Schedule?

Series 12 began in July with 12 new sewers entering the sewing room, and the competition has now reached its final three episodes.

Tuesday, 14 July – Episode 1: British Summer
Tuesday, 21 July – Episode 2: Prints and Colours
Tuesday, 28 July – Episode 3: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Tuesday, 4 August – Episode 4: Mexico
Tuesday, 11 August – Episode 5: Sports
Tuesday, 18 August – Episode 6: Children
Tuesday, 25 August – Episode 7: Music
Tuesday, 1 September – Episode 8: Literary Icons
Tuesday, 8 September – Episode 9
Tuesday, 15 September – Episode 10, expected final

That means viewers have the quarter-final, semi-final and final still to come before the 2026 winner is crowned.

What Happens in Great British Sewing Bee Episode 8?

Episode 8 airs on Tuesday, 1 September at 8pm on BBC One and takes the remaining five sewers into Literary Icons Week. The Pattern Challenge sees them attempting one of literature’s most recognisable pieces of clothing, Sherlock Holmes’s deerstalker hat. For the Transformation Challenge, they are given second-hand school uniforms and asked to imagine what Roald Dahl’s Matilda might wear as an adult.

The Made-to-Measure challenge then takes inspiration from Jane Austen, with the contestants creating Regency outfits influenced by her work. At this stage of the competition, another elimination will decide who reaches the final four.

Who Is Left in The Great British Sewing Bee 2026?

Five contestants remain going into Episode 8: Anna, Beth, Emma, Heather and Rebecca.

Adele became the latest contestant to leave during Music Week, which saw the sewers tackle Madonna-inspired cone bras, turn bedroom furnishings into costumes for pop acts and create 1970s disco outfits. Anna won Garment of the Week with her Made-to-Measure look before Adele was eliminated.

The five remaining contestants will now compete for places in the semi-final, with another sewer expected to leave at the end of Tuesday’s episode.

Who Hosts The Great British Sewing Bee 2026?

Sophie Willan is hosting Series 12 after taking over from Sara Pascoe, joining returning judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young in the sewing room. Willan made her debut with the show, becoming the latest host in a line that has also included Pascoe, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Joe Lycett and Claudia Winkleman.

For CultureCues, we are very ready for the final few weeks of The Great British Sewing Bee. There are only five sewers left and the standard is getting ridiculously high, so choosing who goes home from here cannot be easy. Literary Icons Week also sounds like a brilliant theme, especially with Sherlock Holmes, Matilda and Jane Austen all making their way into the sewing room. We will be watching tomorrow night to see who stitches their way into the final four.

The Great British Sewing Bee continues on Tuesday, 1 September at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with the 2026 final expected on Tuesday, 15 September.