Wishart invites Tom Daley to Shetland after knitting controversy

Scottish Liberal Democrat and Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has invited Tom Daley and the Game of Wool team to Shetland after writing to Channel Four’s Interim Chief Executive, Jonathan Allan, highlighting the misrepresentation of Fair Isle knitting in the first episode of new show Game of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter which aired last Sunday.

Ms Wishart’s letter highlighted criticism over the coverage of decision by a contestant to ‘cut’ his knitting. The episode framed the choice as risky and a factor in the contestant’s failure to complete the challenge, despite this being a well-known Fair Isle knitting technique. The contestant had previously spent time in Shetland learning local techniques.

Ms Wishart also highlighted:

• Misuse of the Shetland word ‘peerie’ as ‘peeries’, rather than ‘peerie patterns’ to describe small Fair Isle patterns

• A blurring of the distinctive Fair Isle pattern with other types of colourwork

• Use of the phrase ‘the Shetlands’ to describe the Shetland Islands

• A Channel 4 press release announcing the show in 2024 writing Fair Isle as ‘Fair Aisle’

The MSP encouraged a public acknowledgement of these misrepresentations and indicated that the show would be welcomed if it wished to come to Shetland and seriously engage with the Shetland knitting community. She offered the support of her office to help facilitate any visit.

Ms Wishart has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament highlighting the locally controversial elements of the episode.

Ms Wishart said:

“It would be great to see Tom Daley and the Game of Wool Team come to Shetland to seriously engage with the skilled and creative Shetland knitting community. Wool and knitting have a long history and cultural significance in Shetland and it was a great shame that there were misrepresentations in the show. A public acknowledgement by the Game of Wool team I am sure will be welcomed locally, not least in Fair Isle where true Fair Isle is made.

“Fair Isle knitting has for too long been misrepresented the world over. It makes it especially frustrating that a TV programme for a UK audience made by a Scottish production company would fall into a similar pattern.

“Even simple things like misspelling the isle’s name shows a lack of attention to detail for a community far from Edinburgh, Glasgow and London.    

“Lots of people have a passion for knitting and there was a sense of excitement and optimism about this new show which was sadly dashed on its first outing.