The Great British Sewing Bee fans amused by Esme's macabre hobby

The Great British Sewing Bee 2023 is here, and fashion designer Esme Young has once again had fans calling her an "icon" after admitting she collects something unusual.

As the 2023 competition series kicked off, judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant were back to cast their judgments on some sewing projects, with a new group of contestants hoping to be crowned the winner. 

In the first episode, we saw the return of the three key tasks: Pattern Challenge, Transformation Challenge, and Made to Measure, where the sewers were put through their paces.

They were required to make a top with a twist at its center, their own take on the classic pencil skirt and blouse and finally, they had to make a cut-out dress tailored to their models.

But while the contestants worked hard to impress, it was judge Esme who had everyone talking, particularly when it came down to her rather candid admission about collecting skulls. 

In the clip, which was later shared on social media, Esme and Patrick were looking over a skull pattern, which Esme was a huge fan of. 

Then she admitted: "I've got a bull's head, a sheep's head, a goat's head", and fellow presenter Patrick joked that she collected "humans, mostly". 

Esme's casual admission had fans on Twitter going wild, with people admitting they weren't surprised she had such a unique collection, and some even branding her an "icon" due to the fact she continues to be unapologetically herself.

Unfortunately for Senior Games Designer Catherine, she was the first to leave the competition after Esme and Patrick deliberated over who should stay and who should go.

They decided that despite her unique vision, she hadn't fully been able to work in the allocated timings and had ultimately crumbled under pressure which had allowed for some mistakes, so her time on Sewing Bee was short-lived.

Meanwhile, Garment of the Week was awarded to Tony for his cut-out dress, which had a floral print and a perfectly fitted gap in the middle, which really impressed the judges. 

Next week, the theme is Holidays and the sewers will be tasked with creating garments that are perfect for some fun in the sun, including a swimsuit and a bag. 

The Great British Sewing Bee continues on BBC One on Wednesday, May 31 at 9 pm. Episodes are also available on iPlayer.