Paul Mescal to feature as celebrity sitter on Portrait Artist Of The Year

Following his guest star appearance in The Rolling Stones' video for 'Scarlet', Normal People star Paul Mescal has been announced as one of the celebrity sitters for the new series of Portrait Artist Of The Year – returning to Sky Arts in October.

The seven series of PAOTY will feature a new batch of amateur and professional artists, chosen from thousands of entries, competing to impress judges Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano and Kate Bryan.

24 writers, actors, musicians and TV personalities will sit for the portraits in this year's series – recorded within strict safety protocols at Battersea Arts Centres.

As well as Paul Mescal, celebrity sitters include: Pam Hogg, Ray BLK, James Nesbitt, Katie Piper, Robert Rinder, Don Letts, Fay Ripley, Ncuti Gatwa, Lady Glenconner, Mirren Mack, Trevor McDonald, The Vivienne, Sian Clifford, Eddie Marsan, Deborah James, Eamonn Walker, Melanie Sykes, David Haig, Jane Horrocks, Kwame Kwei Armah, Katherine Grainger, and Fred Sirieix.

Nine artists compete in each heat – with the winners of the heats going on to paint Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo in the semi-final. The three finalists will have a few days to paint a commission, and then compete to portray Eddie Izzard.

This year's winner will receive a £10,000 commission to paint renowned ballet dancer and Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet Carlos Acosta.

Portrait Artist Of The Year returns to Sky Arts on Wednesdays from October 14.