Portrait Artist of The Year

In this first heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities: Singer-songwriter Gabrielle, actor Jacob Fortune-Lloyd and tattoo artist Grace Neutral.

In this second heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities: writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, conductor and Kingdom Choir founder Karen Gibson and actor Sophie Cookson.

In this third heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities: fashion model, designer and presenter Alexa Chung, comedian Nish Kumar and actor Philip Glenister.

In this fourth heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities: singer-songwriter Celeste, actor Lydia West and journalist, author and broadcaster Alastair Campbell.

In this fifth heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities: actors Kelly Macdonald, Hugh Skinner and Polly Walker. To reach the semi-final artists will need to impress judges Kathleen Soriano, Tai Shan Schierenberg and Kate Bryan.

In this sixth heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities: historian and presenter David Olosuga, space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock and ballet star, actor and model Sergei Polunin.

In this seventh heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities: nature presenter and campaigner Chris Packham, choreographer Arlene Phillips and champion power lifter Ali Jawad.

In this eighth heat, 9 artists are challenged to create a portrait of one of 3 celebrities writer and broadcaster Ian Hislop and actors Emma Dabiri and Daniel Mays. To reach the semi final artists will need to impress judges Kathleen Soriano, Tai Shan Schierenberg and Kate Bryan

Just three artists will be chosen to go through to the next stage, where they will be within touching distance of a GBP 10,000 prize commission to paint internationally renowned violinist, Nicola Benedetti, for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. So, which three artists will make it through to the final?

After making it through the semi-final, just three artists remain in the running to become Portrait Artist of the Year. Artists have four hours to create their portraits, and find Battersea Arts Centre transformed to provide the perfect setting for their sitter - the renowned actor, comedian, writer, artist (and creator of the incomparable alter ego Dame Edna Everidge) - Barry Humphries.

From some 2000 applicants, 72 artists made it to the heats 8 made it to the semi-final and just 3 to the final, where our worthy winner for this eighth series of Portrait Artist of the Year was selected.

Stephen Mangan and Joan Bakewell present this special episode featuring highlights from Series 8 of Portrait Artist of the Year. Across 10 weeks the Grand Hall of Battersea Arts Centre in London played host to 72 artists who were given just four hours to create a portrait of one of 26 celebrities in a quest to reveal the most dazzling creative talent.