Viewers of BBC‘s latest talent show All That Glitters were left cold by the opening episode last night, with many taking to Twitter to brand its judges ‘wooden and dull’.

The show – similar to the format of Bake Off, but with jewellery instead of cakes – sees eight talented jewellers battle it out in two tasks over the course of six weeks.

It’s hosted by Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan, while the contestants are competing to impress judges Solange Azagury-Partridge and Shaun Leane.

But while many viewers were impressed by the skills and craftsmanship on show, many claimed the programme lacked the warmth of fellow talent shows The Great British Sewing Bee and The Great Pottery Showdown.

One tweeted: ‘So #AllThatGlitters has the dullest judges ever. Good thing shiny pretty things will hold my attention, for now…’

Another commented: ‘I wonder what the BBC have on the judges on #AllThatGlitters They have obviously been forced to film this. They don’t even seem to enjoy insulting the contestants. It’s like watching two moody teenagers forced to go on a family holiday to a caravan in the rain with no WiFi.’

And one remarked: ‘Really wanted to like this but the judges are so dry.’

The opening task required the contestants to make three silver bangles in three hours, with the goal being commercial appeal.

This was followed by the bespoke challenge which saw them produce handcrafted pieces for a real client – Ben, who wants a pendant necklace for his mother to wear to Buckingham Palace when she collects her MBE.

Jewellery maker to the stars Shaun Leane, who designed Princess Beatrice’s  engagement ring and wedding band, says he wants to find the ‘new fearless, driven, ambitious jeweller of our generation’, while Solange Azagury-Partridge, whose pieces are displayed in museums around the world including the V&A, warns she doesn’t have a ‘poker face’.

‘If I don’t like something, I’m afraid it will be very apparent,’ she said in the opening montage, before later telling a contestant his piece is ‘not very original’. 

The show is also littered with witty, sarcastic quips from Ryan, who reveals she has a ‘spiritual connection to eight inches’ when using a phallic-shaped tool to measure a contestant’s bangle diameter, and encourages a nervous jeweller to ‘think like a white man’ to boost her confidence.

But while many viewers enjoyed the concept, they failed to be charmed by its leading personalities.

‘There’s something a little cold about #AllThatGlitters,’ wrote one on Twitter. ‘It might be having to have such a big room because of all the equipment. The judges are also not very warm.’

Another said they ‘love’ the contestants, but claimed the presenter and judges ‘have to go’. They went on: ‘The judges didn’t smile, didn’t seem to want to be there and quite dull. The presenter’s comment re “think like a white man” not required.’

And one shared a meme, writing: ‘Still trying to find some charisma in these judges.’

But not all viewers were put off, with one tweeting: ‘Whoever cast @Kathbum as the host of #AllThatGlitters needs a pay rise!! What an icon!!’ 

And one urged viewers to stick with it, arguing: ‘For those complaining about the judges. This is episode one. 

‘They’re probably extremely nervous. Must be weird for them all really as this was filmed Feb/March last year pre-pandemic!’

All That Glitters continues next Tuesday at 8pm on BBC Two.