Lego Masters
Contents |
Host
Melvin Odoom (2017-8)
Nish Kumar (2022)
Co-hosts
Matthew Ashton (judge)
Fran Scott (judge, 2018)
Amy Corbett (judge, 2022)
Broadcast
Tuesday's Child East for Channel 4, 24 August 2017 to 11 December 2018 (9 episodes in 2 series + 1 special)
Tuesdays Child East for Channel 4, 24 December 2022 (special, as Celebrity Lego Masters at Christmas)
Synopsis
Children of all ages build magnificent creations out of Lego bricks.
Pairs of Lego builders are given a weekend in the build room. In that time, they are to design and build Lego constructions that meet a brief. The first episode called for some sort of banquet, and a throne that would support the weight of a fully-grown man.
Testing the chair: host Melvin Odoom.
Matthew Ashton from the Lego company, and one or more guest judges, will examine the constructions. The worst performers leave the contest, everyone else returns for the next round.
After the opening round, each contest included an "unplanned build". While the teams could plan for and rehearse the main task, this was a surprise, sprung on them. Hybrid vehicles, animals made from a handful of bricks, interpreting the dreams of children.
Richard Osman inspects a fairground.
It was always clear what the judges wanted from the round: technical excellence, a build that looks realistic on first glance, and a playful wow-factor. These values fit with the Lego company's advertising.
The show chose to emphasise the relationships between the contestant pairs. It wasn't a design show, like Scrapheap Challenge, and there were few tips for aspiring builders. It was a show to sit back and marvel.
Champions
2017 Nate Dias and Steve Guinness
2018 Paul and Lewis
Nate and Steve (centre) with their trophy, flanked by judge Matthew Ashton and host Melvin Odoom.
Title music
Helen Greenham and John Greenham, credited as "Composers" for their playful score.
Trivia
Matthew Ashton is a senior manager for the Lego group.
Episodes featured a guest judge - in the first series, these were structural engineer Roma Agrawal, mechanical engineer Dr Shini Somara, Richard Osman, Bill Bailey, professional Lego artist Sean Kenney and Dara Ó Briain.
Amy Corbett, who judged from the 2022 Christmas special, was familiar to the E4 audience, as she judged the Yankee version.
Web links
Channel 4 site (Celebrity Christmas special)
