Catch up TV

Series 1: Episode 3

It is week three for the eight remaining designers. After two tough challenges, now the competition is hotting up, as this week Michelle tells them she will be saying goodbye to not one but two contestants.\n\nArriving at the design studio the designers are put into pairs, and asked to work together as they are each given a different shop brief to design. Before they head to the shops though, first they must meet the shop owner and take it in turns to pitch their design ideas. The twist for the designers is that only one shop brief for each pairing will be chosen, so whoever loses out on the pitch will have to act as an assistant to their fellow teammate.\n\nAs the designers head to Nottingham, they discover a high street with independent shops, very ready for a revamp. With shops ranging from vintage clothing to knitting, skate boarding to upmarket womenswear, the designers have their work cut out as they have two days to turn these average stores into destination shopping spaces.\n\nAs the task gets underway, in the vintage store they are daunted by the scale of the challenge, as they go right back to basics, and start stripping the very high walls and ceiling. Under pressure from being on the sofa last week, the lead designer in the vintage shop is feeling the pressure to impress the judges. But can she break away from her signature style and show the judges something different?\n\nIn the women’s clothing store, frustrations surface with last minute changes being made to the design plans. The pressure starts to show, as the team are up against it, pushing their working relationship to the limit. Meanwhile teamwork in the skate store is also under strain with one team leader very much in charge. But how well will they embrace the skate culture and how well will their design live up to expectations?\n\nIn the knit shop with a grand design plan under way, an early flaw is discovered that could stall their plans before they have even started. Eager to prove they can collaborate well as a team, the designers in the knit shop overcome their early setback and embrace the challenge of redesigning their chaotic craft shop.\n\nHelping Michelle this week is guest judge and retail expert, Queen of Shops Mary Portas. Widely recognized as the UK’s foremost authority on retail and brand communication, Mary has a multitude of expertise, and she knows more than most what makes a successful retail experience for the shop owner and for the customer.\n\nWith the shop makeovers complete, Michelle and Mary discover some innovative designs and some interesting style choices, but with Mary’s microscopic judgement, not all the teams have done enough to impress.\n\nChallenge over, the teams return to Michelle’s design studio to hear the verdict from Fearne. There is relief and celebrations for two of the teams, but for the other two shops, there is disappointment as they have to face Michelle and Mary and justify their design decisions.\n\nFinally Michelle tells two designers that their time has come to an end, leaving seven designers left to fight another day on the next design challenge.

Source: BBC 2