Podcaster, TV host and sometime singer Rosie Ramsey, 35, is co-host of the hit relationship podcast Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed. with her stand-up comedian husband, Chris Ramsey. It won Best Comedy Podcast at the The National Comedy Awards 2022 and the spin-off book was a No.1 bestseller. The couple also host BBC1 chat show The Chris and Rosie Ramsey Show. Rosie co-hosted Capital Radio’s Drivetime in the North-East. She lives in Northumberland with Chris and their sons: Robin, seven, and Rafe, one.

Were you a fan of Sewing Bee?
I’d seen a couple of Christmas specials. When I chatted to everybody I know about the show and told them I was doing it, I realised it has a huge fan base. I left a trail of excited people in my wake. A lot of my mam's friends just couldn't believe I was doing it.

I imagine they were excited you were in the same room as Patrick. And Esme is such a fashion icon with her outfits and necklaces…
LAUGHS Yeah. Patrick’s a bit of a heart-throb, isn't he? And Esme is so snazzy. She looks suitably glam for the Christmas special.

How would you describe your sewing ability beforehand?
Pretty non-existent. I used to use hemming tape for taking things up or I’d take them to my Nana's. Terribly, I let her do it because she knew what she was doing. She sews a lot – she makes clothes and everything. I had a little lesson with my mam before the show. I wasn't too good… let’s put it that way.

So, your mum’s got a sewing machine?
I've got a machine! I bought one in lockdown because I wanted to make hairbands, but I was terrified of using it, so never did. It was silly because, now I've done it, I'm not scared. I love it… to the point I'm going to take up some trousers this afternoon. They might look terrible, but they’ll not be trailing the ground.

Were you nervous?
I was really, really nervous – doing something you don't know much about always is nerve-racking. I’m one of those people who always wants to do well, so I put pressure on myself.

Are you crafty in other ways?
I think so. My husband, to this day, takes the mick out of me, but I once stuck pastel-coloured buttons all over some shoes with glue and wore them to a wedding. They were a nude heel. They looked fantastic, but –throughout the night – all the buttons pinged off. There were buttons all over the place. I love interiors, so now I’ve done Sewing Bee, I’d love to make cushions. I'm going to try and do more things like that.

You start with the pattern challenge. How was that for you?
We made a festive apron and it was really daunting. Unfortunately, I picked the wrong fabric. My mam said to choose thin fabrics because they're easier to sew on the machine. I didn't realise, being an apron, you need it to be a bit thicker if you've got splatters of oil and things on you. But it looked like an apron and functioned as an apron. I was happy with it.

What about the transformation challenge…
I found it really hard because you've got to fend for yourself. I'm quite a creative person with the job I do. We're always thinking of new ideas. It was tricky, though, when it’s something you’re not hugely confident with and you're on the spot. The time goes so quickly. If I'm at home with the kids on my own and you tell me: ‘You've got 90 minutes…’ That'll be the longest 90 minutes of my life. Here, it felt like 30 seconds.

How was the made-to-measure?
I enjoyed that. Don’t get me wrong, it was a bit stressful – four hours went in the click of a finger – but I was really chuffed with the dress I made. I actually made a dress and somebody wore the dress I made. It was a really good feeling. It was meant to be for a pop star you admire, so I did something for Dolly Parton. I'm dreading seeing the footage, though. You know when you stick your tongue out when you’re concentrating? I said to Chris: ‘I'm gonna be drooling over the sewing machine with my tongue out.’ Why didn't I choose somebody who wore a cape? It would’ve been easier.

Your sewing’s improved though?
Absolutely. I mean, we'll see how my trousers turn out this afternoon. Well, it’s a black and white silky jumpsuit. Everything I buy is at least six inches too long. I don’t know who they’re making these clothes for… giants. I always have to get them taken up, but this afternoon, I'm going to do it. Fingers crossed. I’ve definitely been inspired to sew more. Once you're pressing the pedal, there’s something really satisfying about it. It would be better if there weren’t five camera crews hovering…

Tell me about your rivals…
There was Natalie Cassidy, Penny Lancaster and Johannes Radebe from Strictly and, oh, what a gorgeous group. It made the experience so much nicer. I don't think we were a competitive bunch. Maybe they were and they didn't let on, but we were all really supportive to everyone.

Which judge scared you most: Esme or Patrick?
Esme. She’s a bit more critical. Patrick was more forgiving, bearing in mind we weren't professional sewers, but Esme was still very much like, ‘Well, you’ve done this wrong, you’ve done that wrong…’ LAUGHS At the same time, she gave me some really good advice. They were really helpful.

Was host Sara Pascoe a help or hindrance?
Sara was great. She didn’t distract me too much. It was nice whenever anyone came round to chat. I was like, ‘Oh, I can have a little break here.’ I made sure I didn't do anything too complicated then.

What lessons have you learned from the show?
The biggest lesson was just how to use the machine and getting confidence. That was the main reason I never used mine – I was terrified of it. I kept thinking: ‘I'm not gonna be able to do that. It's gonna be terrible.’ And I never gave it a go. I really should have just tried. Now, I've got the confidence to do it.

What did you love most about the experience?
The sense of accomplishment – I was quite proud of myself. When I saw the model in my Dolly Parton outfit, I couldn't believe I'd made it. It was a surreal feeling. I’m looking forward to my Mam and my Nana watching the show. I don't think Nana’s gonna believe it. I sing a little song at the end of the show, too. I’m the entertainment. I sang 9 to 5, but I wasn’t dressed like Dolly, I had this sparkly jumpsuit. Sara, Esme and Patrick were dressed up, though. The audience is going to really enjoy that.

If you were an item of clothing, what would you be?
A really good supportive bra. In life, I try to be a supportive person. I like to think people can come to me if they've got worries. I'm a bit of a fixer.

Do you have a favourite festive outfit?
Oh, I love Christmas and I love dressing for Autumn/Winter. I love tights, dresses, big chunky jumpers, boots and coats. I’ve got so many coats. Cosy warm clothes. And I love a sequined jumper.

What are your festive traditions?
Christmas Day is quite quiet, but on Boxing Day my whole family goes to my Nana’s – we have done since I was a little girl. She’s got a two-bed semi and, I swear to God, there’s about 45 of us in there. The kids put on a little show. It's fantastic.

What's your New Year's resolution?
It's just trying to make every year better than the last. I made one last year. Me and my two best friends made a resolution to see each other more and we've stuck to it. We try to see each other at least once a fortnight – even if it’s just for a half-an-hour cuppa. It's so easy to put friendships on the back-burner when you've got young children. It's important to try to remain a grown-up with a social life as much as you can.

Will you be resolving to make some outfits for Robin and Rafe?
That’d be amazing, wouldn’t it? They’d love that. Robin would love a turn on the sewing machine. I'd have to hover over him massively, but I might start him off with some Christmas napkins – presents for the teachers at school. We used to do that when I was a kid… we’d make the teachers mint bonbons.

If you liked this, you might also like...

Meet all the celebrity contestents in the 2022 Christmas Sewing Bee

When is the 2022 Festive Special of Sewing Bee on TV?

Get into sewing with our FREE Sewing Bee magazine download