Peak District film-maker and crafter competes in TV's design challenge with host Sandi Toksvig

Bexie Bush, 31, is among ten amateur crafters testing their skills in The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge which launches this Sunday on the More4 channel.

The crafters must transform a derelict mini mansion into the ultimate fantasy house, with each room having to be fully furnished in keeping with a design theme from history including Regency and Art Deco.

From tiny tables, toilets, curtains and food, all of the contents made for the house must be shrunk down to a twelfth of their usual size.

Bexie, who has a masters in animation direction from the National Film and Television School and lives in London, said: “I learned how to make miniatures on the job when creating sets for a film I have been making in Matlock.

"It’s an extremely ambitious stop frame animated short film about climate change. When the pandemic happened it disrupted the production of my film so it is on hold for the time being. We are waiting on raising finance before we resume work on the production.”

Meanwhile, Bexie who lived in Matlock for four years until 2020, jumped at the chance of competing in The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge.

She said: "I love watching craft shows and was excited for the challenge. It was wonderful to get the opportunity to meet lots of genuinely lovely people who I can now call my crafting family and learn lots of new model-making skills.”

Competitors on the show are judged by world record-holding micro-sculptor Dr Willard Wigan and interior design guru Laura Jackson.

The crafters also visit some of the fanciest homes in Britain.

Sandi Toksvig said: “I am possibly the world’s smallest presenter and therefore I felt this one entirely fitted me. I don’t think people know about my secret crafting life, I have been making things always, I weave, I embroider, I knit, I do woodwork, I make things out of paper. I spend my life creating things so to be allowed to do it and in miniature seemed absolutely perfect.”

The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge launches on March 27 at 9pm on More4.