Rick Steins Cornwall Series 2 Featured artist

A secret worth keeping ( just about) 

I’m not very good at keeping secrets, so staying quiet about this one for months was no small feat.

When Rick Stein himself suggested me for the programme, that alone felt like enough. But what followed—the filming, the people, and eventually seeing it all on screen—became something I’ll always treasure.

Filming took place at Porthcothan Bay on the most beautiful day. The whole crew were brilliant—kind, patient, and somehow calm amidst all the moving parts. To this day, I’m still not entirely sure how I managed to produce a painting under those conditions. I remember standing there, half-listening to questions, half-lost in the rhythm of the sea, trying to paint and talk at the same time. Not the easiest combination.

All the while, at the back of my mind, was the sea swim.

Being on national television in a swimsuit wouldn’t have been my first choice, but Rick is such a passionate sea swimmer that it felt important to embrace it. The surf wasn’t particularly wild, but the producer—clearly not accustomed to cold water—added a few light-hearted moments. “Invigorating” was definitely the word of the day.

We filmed in early June, just as we were emerging from that first long winter of the pandemic. Looking back now, it almost feels surreal—that tentative return to normality. At the end of the day, we headed to The Cornish Arms (Rick’s pub) for a celebratory pint. It was the very first day pubs were allowed to reopen, which made it all the more special. Sitting there, hearing stories from the crew about past filming adventures—including meeting the Dalai Lama—felt like being part of something much bigger.

When the programme finally aired, I happened to be away celebrating my brother’s 60th birthday. I remember my phone lighting up constantly—messages, emails, enquiries. At one point I opened my laptop and just stared. It was overwhelming in the loveliest way. The only thing I wished, in that moment, was that I’d had more original paintings ready. I could easily have sold them many times over.

Since then, the programme has been repeated and shown all over the world. My work has travelled further than I ever imagined—prints and paintings finding homes in places like Australia, Taiwan, Sweden and Denmark. That still feels quite extraordinary to say.

Without a doubt, it remains a real highlight of my career.

Thank you, Rick.

Porthcothan Blues,  the final painting finished back in the studio.