Dame Joan Bakewell reassured Portrait Artist of the Year fans after saying she was “abandoned” from the show.
The Sky Arts competition, which seeks to find the best painters in the country, will return soon.
While promotional articles listed Bakewell as a return host, the journalist and broadcaster suggested her Twitter followers on Tuesday (July 4) that this is not the actor.
“The public says I will judge Portrait Artist of the Year!!” she writes. “Alas, no! Sadly, I was eliminated!
However, in a follow-up tweet, Bakewell, 90, said her original post was a “mistake”.
“Because of the carelessness and mistakes of old age, I was able to say that I was giving up portrait artist and continue on my path!!” she writes
“Not so!! I’ve been here for a while… working with my friends. I’m just predicting the future with regrets about what’s bound to end!!!”
Bakewell, who currently appears on the show alongside Stephen Mangan, has been part of the series since 2013.
Her fans and viewers of the show are breathing a sigh of relief after her clear explanation.
Joan Bakewell reassures ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ viewers after confusion
(Twitter)
In response to the original tweet, writer and actor Mark Gatiss replied, “What the hell is this???” Meanwhile, What’s on the stage? Drama critic Sarah Crompton wrote: “Noooooooo! That is terrible news.”
independence Have reached out to Sky Arts for comment.
In January 2023, Bakewell revealed that she had been diagnosed with colon cancer and that she had to have surgery. She then received chemotherapy, which she describes as a “cleanup surgery”.
The winner of Portrait Artist of the Year, the final of which takes place at the National Portrait Gallery, receives a £10,000 commission for painting a famous character or landmark.
This artwork later became part of a national collection.
