Patrick Grant now has Sophie Willan alongside him on The Great British Sewing Bee after she was unveiled as the new host in September 2025. Willan succeeded Sara Pascoe, giving the series a visible presenting change just as it returns to a familiar format.
Willan's move matters because she arrives with a track record that stretches beyond one show. She shot to fame through Alma's Not Normal, which first aired on Two in 2020, and she wrote the series while taking the lead role. The second series launched in October 2024, keeping her profile high enough for a step into a more mainstream hosting slot.
Alma's Not Normal to Two
2020 is the starting point for understanding why this booking lands with weight. Alma's Not Normal first aired on Two then, and Willan used it to build a profile as both performer and writer rather than as a standard panel-show face. She has since won Best Female Comedy Performance, Best Writer: Comedy, and Best Scripted Comedy BAFTAs, which gives the presenting move a clearer industry rationale than a simple personality switch.
That range also explains why Two and the wider orbit have repeatedly used her across different formats. She has appeared in Ludwig, Time and Still Open All Hours, and on Taskmaster and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, so the Sewing Bee appointment fits a working pattern rather than a one-off casting gamble.
Carniel Francis Levy and privacy
March 2025 brought a more private note into public view when Carniel Francis Levy first appeared on Willan's social media. She later announced on Instagram that they were expecting their first child together, writing that their lives were about to change forever, in the most chaotic, joyful and magical way. By 30 November 2025, their son Elijah had arrived.
Willan typically keeps her personal life away from the spotlight, but she shared pregnancy updates and candid glimpses with followers. That makes the hosting job feel slightly more exposed than her usual public posture, because the is putting someone in a very visible role at the same time her life at home is moving quickly.
Sara Pascoe leaves the frame
Sara Pascoe has been succeeded, but the reason for the replacement is not explained. The practical change for viewers is straightforward: The Great British Sewing Bee now has a new presenter, and Willan's comic writing background suggests the show is choosing a host who can carry both warmth and pace without flattening the format.
For Patrick Grant, that means the on-screen dynamic changes around him rather than the programme's core identity. For everyone else, the useful takeaway is simple: the show's next chapter belongs to Willan, and the combination of her BAFTA-winning writing, her Two pedigree and her recent family news gives the new role real momentum rather than a cosmetic refresh.
