20 Years of Shed of the Year: The time we were all Amazing Spaces

It’s hard to believe that two decades have passed since Uncle Wilco (Andrew Wilcox, ME!) first had the bright idea to celebrate the humble garden shed on the internet. What started as a quirky online community for “sheddies”, with an incorrectly spelt domain name, to share their havens of solitude has grown into a national institution. But if we are looking back at the timeline of this glorious competition, there is one era that stands out as the time the shed truly went mainstream.

I’m talking, of course, about the wonderful years when Shed of the Year was the star attraction on Channel 4, broadcasting the eccentric genius of British shed-building into millions of living rooms under the banner of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. Unfortunately, the Shed of the Year shows never stayed on the channel4 player (it’s repeated in New Zealand, South Africa and sometimes Apple TV).

Between 2014 and 2017, the competition wasn’t just a web vote; it was a primetime event. It was a time of road trips, camper vans, arguments over what constitutes a “shed,” and George Clarke exclaiming “WOW” more times than anyone thought humanly possible.

As we raise a glass (perhaps in a pub shed) to 20 years of SOTY, let’s take a nostalgic walk down the garden path to revisit the “Amazing Spaces” era.

The George Clarke Effect (2014)

By 2014, Shed of the Year was already a cult hit online, but the arrival of TV cameras changed the game. The format was simple but addictive: the competition was split into categories—Eco, Unique, Pub, Workshop, and so on—and a team of judges would travel the length and breadth of the UK to inspect the finalists in person.

It wasn’t just George; it was a veritable Avengers Assemble of design. We had the master craftsman William Hardie, whose eye for detail was unmatched; the architect Laura Clark, who championed clever spatial design; and the industrial designer Max McMurdo, who loved anything upcycled. And, of course, the man himself, Uncle Wilco, representing the grassroots sheddies and ensuring the competition didn’t lose its eccentric soul.

The debut TV series in 2014 set a high bar. It was the year that proved sheds could be sustainable art. The winner was Joel Bird with his Allotment Roof Shed.

Joel’s creation was a masterpiece of green living. From the outside, it looked like a lovely timber structure, but the genius was on top—a fully functioning vegetable patch growing on the roof. It wasn’t just a gimmick; it was a statement about reclaiming green space in the concrete jungle of London. Joel’s win sent a message: a shed isn’t just a place to dump a lawnmower; it can be a part of the ecosystem. It was a worthy winner to kick off the TV era.

2015: Gin, Tonic, and Controversy

If 2014 was about eco-friendliness, 2015 was about the party. This was the year the “Pub Shed” category really flexed its muscles, but the overall winner came from a blend of categories that could only be described as “Highland Gothic.”

Walter Micklethwait took the crown with the Inshriach Distillery. Located in the Scottish Highlands, this wasn’t just a shed; it was a sprawling, ramshackle, beautiful complex of timber buildings that included a farm shop, a saloon bar, and a fully functioning gin distillery.

The build captured the imagination of the public because it was so undeniably cool. It had that “Wild West” vibe, constructed with reclaimed materials and an abundance of charm. However, it also sparked the first of many “Is that really a shed?” debates that would become a hallmark of the TV years. It was huge. It was commercial. It was magnificent. Walter accepting his prize—a giant golden crown—remains one of the iconic images of the show.

2016: The Rise of the Super-Shed

By season three, the secret was out. People knew that if they built something spectacular, George Clarke might turn up at their door. The standard of entries skyrocketed. We started seeing sheds that were better built than most actual houses.

The 2016 title went to Kevin Herbert for the West Wing.

Located in Berkshire, this shed was a marvel of deception. From one angle, it looked like a cozy, timber-clad cabin. But inside, it was a TARDIS of functionality. It featured a hidden room concealed behind a secret bookcase (every sheddie’s dream), a loft for sleeping, and a dedicated workshop.

What made West Wings special was that it was made from 90% recycled materials. Kevin had spent eight years perfecting it. It bridged the gap between the “make-do-and-mend” spirit of the early days and the high-end architectural design that the TV show attracted. It proved that you didn’t need an unlimited budget to win; you just needed time, passion, and a lot of reclaimed wood.

This year also gave us some unforgettable runners-up, including the “Rotating Shed” that turned 360 degrees to follow the sun, and the “Hooting Owl,” a pub shed with an interior so detailed it looked like it had been there for a century.

2017: The Final TV Chapter

The 2017 series—the final dedicated run on Channel 4—felt like a celebration of pure whimsy. By this point, the categories had evolved, and we even saw the introduction of a “#NotAShed” category to house the creations that defied all classification.

The winner was a fairytale come to life: The Mushroom Shed by Ben Swanborough. Built for his then 12-year-old daughter, this structure was exactly what it sounded like—a giant wooden mushroom at the bottom of the garden. It featured a trapdoor, a glass floor overlooking a stream, and a stained-glass window. It was magical. It wasn’t a workshop or a pub; it was a place for imagination.

However, 2017 might be best remembered for the runner-up in the “#NotAShed” category: Colin Furze. The YouTube inventor and mad genius entered his Underground Bunker. Hidden beneath a stack of unassuming boxes in his garden was a fully livable, apocalypse-proof man cave. It technically wasn’t a shed (it was a hole in the ground), but it perfectly encapsulated the “Amazing Spaces” ethos.

The Legacy of the TV Years

Looking back at those four years, it’s clear that the TV show did something important. It validated the hobby. Before the show, telling someone you were “into sheds” might have earned you a funny look. After the show, it was a badge of honour.

The TV production values allowed us to see these spaces in a way photos never could. We saw the drone shots sweeping over allotment roofs; we heard the acoustics of the music studios; we saw the judges testing out the homemade bars. It humanised the builders. We met the retirees, the artists, the fathers building forts for their daughters, and the inventors hiding from the world.

It also highlighted the role of Uncle Wilco. While George and the other judges brought the TV polish, Wilco was the anchor to the real world. He reminded everyone that at its heart, a shed is about the owner’s personality, not just architectural perfection.

20 Years and Counting

The TV cameras may have moved on, but the spirit of Shed of the Year hasn’t dimmed. In fact, in the years since leaving Channel 4, the competition has returned to its grassroots origins on readersheds.co.uk, where it thrives today. The entries are just as wild, the community just as passionate, and the competition just as fierce.

The “Amazing Spaces” era was a golden flashbulb moment—a multi-year party where the nation stopped to appreciate the creativity found at the bottom of the garden. It gave us household names in the shed world and proved that British eccentricity is alive and well.

Here’s to the last 20 years, to George and the team for the memories, and most importantly, to Uncle Wilco for keeping the door open. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a shed to paint (or maybe will just sit a while with a cuppa).

Do you have a favourite memory from the TV years? Was it the Titanic shed? The Zombie Fort? Or perhaps the simple joy of a well-stocked Pub Shed? Let us know in the comments!

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