Community / Wishart expresses ‘extreme disappointment’ over Game of Wool to Channel 4 chief
SHETLAND’S MSP has written to the boss of Channel 4 to criticise the misrepresentation of Fair Isle knitting in its new show Game of Wool.
Beatrice Wishart has lodged a motion in Holyrood highlighting the locally controversial elements of the first episode of the knitting show.
Shetland News reported earlier this week that a local knitting group had accused the show, which aired on Sunday, of spreading “negative misconceptions of Fair Isle knitting techniques”.
Shetland Organisation of Knitters (SOK) also accused Game of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter of “appropriation” because of its incorrect references to Fair Isle knitting.
The SOK said it had been left “shocked and saddened” by the way Fair Isle knitting was presented in episode one of the show, adding it was “especially disheartening from a UK-based show meant to encourage more people to take up knitting.”
It came after contestant Gordon Cree was the first to be voted off the show, with his decision to “cut” his knitting given as a deciding factor in the judges’ decision.
The SOK said cutting was a “safe technique”, and that the show had “leaned into the misunderstandings about cutting your knitting, perpetuating negative misconceptions about Fair Isle knitting techniques”.
Shetland MSP Wishart highlighted those criticisms in her letter to Channel 4 interim chief executive Jonathan Allan.
She also decried the use of the phrase “the Shetlands” to incorrectly refer to the Shetland Islands, and a 2024 Channel 4 press release in which Fair Isle was called “Fair Aisle”.
The politician has asked for a public acknowledgement of these misrepresentations.
And Wishart said the show would be welcomed if it wished to come to Shetland and “seriously engage with the Shetland knitting community”.
“Fair Isle knitting has for too long been misrepresented the world over,” Wishart said.
“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.
“I would welcome a public acknowledgement of the misrepresentations in the show. I am sure that it would be greatly appreciated if the show came to Shetland to seriously engage with the skilled and creative Shetland knitting community.”
Local knitter Terri Leask told Shetland News earlier this week that two knitters had sent in videos to the Game of Wool production crew, and another answered their questions, after they were asked for advice.
These were all ignored, Leask added.
Wishart said it was with “extreme disappointment” that she read those claims.
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