Tracked down the Sharon Schamber mention here:
http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog....ve_date/201301
And a note on the tone of the show - I would agree that the first couple of series were a bit....stilted as both Alex and Ricky became familiar with their new roles in that format -it was sometimes a bit too talk show-ish.
They definitely listened to feedback, and changed many things by Series 3.
Now I especially like the shows done outside the studio - in private homes and museums (playing to a studio audience constantly can be draining, and unnecessarily time consuming for the at-home viewer).
And I'm sure it's a better deal for them as well, not having the expense of the studio.
The whole concept is much more relaxed.
And I seriously under-reported the extra classes available -
http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/classes.php
Again, I'm not sure what all is behind the pay wall and what's available to Basic members.