portrait artist of the year 2026
JONATHAN is unveiled as one of the new judges on series 13 of sky arts’ number one tv show
For their 13th outing, Storyvault TV and Sky Arts have refreshed the format of their record breaking show and have introduced an entirely new lineup of of judges including Director of Frieze Eva Langret, art historian Katy Hessel, and Jonathan Yeo.
Portrait Artist of the Year is a celebration of creativity, passion and artistic talent as artists from across the UK compete for the prestigious 2026 title. Jonathan’s aim as a judge will be to give tips and insights to the amateur artists, assisting them to realise their vision in the high-pressure environment of the studio and the 4 hour time frame.
This year’s star-studded line up of portrait sitters brings together a mix of familiar faces from the worlds of entertainment, arts, broadcasting and beyond. Taking their place in the portrait spotlight are theatre director Jamie Lloyd, musician Alison Balsom and Opera Singer Danielle de Niese, alongside actors Vanessa Williams, Joanna Scanlan, Dexter Fletcher, Sheridan Smith, Arti Shah and Lennie James. From TV and broadcasting come Rylan Clark, Louis Theroux, Yalda Hakim and Grace Dent, joined by comedy favourites Grace Campbell, Munya Chawawa and Michelle de Swarte. The line-up also features Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden and restaurateur Jeremy King, financier and broadcaster Anthony Scaramucci, poet and playwright Nikita Gill, author Jung Chang, artist and musician Kojey Radical, drag superstar Danny Beard and athlete Matt Weston.
Bridgerton stars Daniel Francis and Ruth Gemmell take their place in the portrait spotlight for the semi-final, while culinary pioneer Heston Blumenthal sits for the hotly anticipated final.
Phil Edgar-Jones OBE, Executive Director, Unscripted at Sky UK said: “Portrait Artist of the Year continues to surprise and inspire us with the extraordinary range of talent on show, and we’re delighted to introduce our new panel of expert judges to put the artists through their paces. With another brilliant mix of sitters on the way, we can’t wait to put artists and their creativity centre stage as we celebrate the very best of the UK’s vibrant arts community.”
The winner of this year’s series will paint legendary British actor and musician Damian Lewis for the National Portrait Gallery.
You can watch Portrait Artist of the Year on Sky Arts and NOW TV with the first episode premiering on Wednesday October 7th 2026
