The Repair Shop

British television show

The Repair Shop

Genre| Factual
Directed by| Ben Borland
Creative director| Katy Thorogood
Starring|

* Jay Blades (2017–2024)
* Will Kirk
* Steve Fletcher
* Dominic Chinea
* Suzie Fletcher
* Sonnaz Nooranvary
* Amanda Middleditch
* Kirsten Ramsay
* Lucia Scalisi
* Tim Weeks
* Julie Tatchell
* Brenton West

Narrated by|

* Bill Paterson (Series 1, 5–present)
* Robert Pugh (Series 2–4)

Theme music composer| Ian Livingstone
Country of origin| United Kingdom
Original language| English
No. of series| 14
No. of episodes| 306
Production
Executive producers|

* Carla-Maria Lawson
* Emma Walsh
* Hannah Lamb

Producers|

* Helen Page
* Tanveer Bari
* Siân Bantock
* Alex Raw

Production location| Weald and Downland Living Museum[1]
Cinematography| Neil Kent
Editors|

* Hal Watmough
* Shelley Hamilton-Smith
* Tracey Ashcroft
* Clare Childs
* Ant Hayes

Camera setup| Multi-camera
Running time|

* 30 minutes (series 1)
* 45 minutes (series 2–5, 7, 9 and 11)
* 60 minutes (series 6, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 14)

Production company| Ricochet
Original release
Network|

* BBC Two
* BBC One

Release| 27 March 2017 (2017-03-27) –
present
Related

* Saved and Remade
* The Toy Hospital

The Repair Shop is a British daytime and primetime television show made by production company Ricochet that aired on BBC Two for series 1 to 3 and on BBC One for series 4 onwards, in which family heirlooms are restored for their owners by numerous experts with a broad range of specialisms. Furniture restorer Jay Blades acted as the foreman until 2024. Will Kirk and Dominic Chinea since 2024 act as co-foremen.

## Theme

[edit]

Each episode follows professional craftspeople from around the country who restore family heirlooms that have sentimental value for their owners.[2] The experts are found mostly through social media, and the heirlooms' owners are not charged for the restorations.[3] Some items require the attention of two experts. For example, a clock in a wooden case. Steve Fletcher repairs the clock whilst Will Kirk restores the wooden case.

## Episodes

[edit]

Series| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
1| 15| 27 March 2017| 16 December 2017
2| 15| 12 March 2018| 30 March 2018
3| 15| 13 August 2018| 19 September 2018
4| 30| 1 April 2019| 10 May 2019
5| 40| 18 November 2019| 2 October 2020
6| 14| 7 October 2020| 10 March 2021
7| 40| 15 March 2021| 26 November 2021
8| 14| 21 April 2021| 26 January 2022
9| 40| 29 December 2021[a]| 18 November 2022[a]
10| 14| 11 May 2022[b]| 5 October 2022[b]
11| 40| 2 January 2023| 20 October 2023[c]
12| 14| 22 March 2023[c]| 10 January 2024[c]
13| 25| 10 April 2024[d][4]| TBC in 2025
14| 14, 15 or 16| 8 January 2025| TBC in 2025

### Christmas specials

[edit]

Several Christmas-themed special episodes (with the exception of The Repair Shop at Christmas 2018) have been produced since the 2020s, they have been transmitted on Christmas Eve occurring every two years until 2023 and on Boxing Day occurring every two years until 2022. The earliest transmission date on record was five days before Christmas Eve 2017 and the latest transmission date on record was three days after Boxing Day 2019.

Year | Transmission date

|

2017 | 19 December 2017
2018 | Cancelled due to unfinished filming
2019 | 29 December 2019
2020 | 26 December 2020
2021 | 24 December 2021
2022 | 26 December 2022
2023 | 24 December 2023
2024 | 24 December 2024

### Charity specials

[edit]

The show has been included in Children in Need events, for example restoring a teddy in 2021,[5] and a carved wooden chair in 2022.[6] In 2022, the show's presenters were featured with French and Saunders and Judi Dench in a parody of the series for Comic Relief.[7]

### The Repair Shop Favourite Fixes

[edit]

Following Jay Blades' being charged with controlling and coercive behaviour, in September 2024, he stepped back from his television work, and The Repair Shop introduced a spin-off series, showcasing the best and favourite repairs from previous episodes of regular series, introduced by Bill Paterson.

Series| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
1| 7| 30 October 2024| 30 December 2024
2| TBR| TBC in 2025| TBC in 2025

### The Repair Shop On The Road

[edit]

In 2025 following the success of The Repair Shop Favourite Fixes, another spin-off series of The Repair Shop was introduced and commissioned by Kirk and Chinea called The Repair Shop On The Road.

Series| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
1| 18| 3 February 2025| TBC in 2025
2| TBR| TBC in 2026| TBC in 2026

## Notable artists

[edit]

Episode 5 of series 1 featured a painted ceramic jug made by Picasso contemporary Jean Lurçat.[8][9]

Episode 12 of series 1 featured a painting by British landscape artist Frederick Appleyard. Brought in by Appleyard's descendant (his great-grand-nephew), the heavily damaged painting was restored by Lucia Scalisi.[10]

In episode 16 of the same series, Scalisi restored an oil portrait by Cyril James Frost, at the request of its owner, the sitter's son.[11]

In series 4, episode 22, a miniature by Sarah Biffin was restored, by Scalisi and paper conservator Louise Drover.[12]

## Notable guests

[edit]

In October 2022, King Charles III (still the Prince of Wales at the time of filming, however King at the time of airing) starred in an episode in which a piece of pottery made for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and an 18th-century clock were restored by the show's experts.[13] Jay Blades, Steve Fletcher, his son Fred, Kirsten Ramsay and Will Kirk were featured.[14][15]

## Filming

[edit]

Weald and Downland Living Museum in 2024

The Repair Shop is filmed at the Weald and Downland Living Museum in Singleton, West Sussex. The Court Barn is the principal setting, though some repairs are carried out in the Victorian smithy and nearby wagon shed.[1]

## Experts

[edit]

### Regular

[edit]

* Jay Blades, furniture restorer and foreman (2017–2024)
* Dominic Chinea, metal worker, signs restorer and foreman[16]
* Steven Fletcher, clock restorer[17] mechanical and toy restoration [18]
* Suzie Fletcher, leather worker, saddle maker[19][20]
* Will Kirk, carpenter, cabinet-maker, furniture restorer and foreman[21]
* Sonnaz Nooranvary, upholstery restorer[21]
* Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell, soft toy and doll restorers, known as the "Bear Ladies"[22][23]
* Kirsten Ramsay, Sussex-based ceramics conservator[17]
* Lucia Scalisi, painting conservator[17][24]
* Brenton West, silversmith[25] and antique photography specialist[26]

### Guest and semi-regular experts

[edit]

(in alphabetical order)

* Angelina Bakalarou, paper and paintings conservator
* Stuart Black, firefighting historian[27]
* George Blackman, antique typewriter restorer[28]
* Matthew Boultwood, blacksmith[22]
* David Burville, organ restorer, toy repairer
* Sara Dennis, embroidery specialist
* John Dilworth, violin restorer[29]
* Louise Drover, paper conservator[30]
* Neil Fairley, vintage electronics repairer[31]
* Catherine Guilder, butter churn restorer[32]
* Tim Gunn, bicycle restorer
* Geoff Harvey, pinball and arcade machine restorer[33]
* Sarah Hatton, willow artist
* Stephen Kember, music box specialist[34]
* David Kennett, luthier, guitar restorer[citation needed]
* Kouresh Kouchakpour, luthier[35]
* Blue MacMurchie and John MacMurchie, bagpipes restorers, known as the "MacMurchie Bagpipe Brothers"[36]
* Graham Mancha, furniture restorer[37]
* Matthew Nickels, stained-glass worker[16]
* Guillaume Pons, ceramics restorer[38]
* Pierro Pozella, camera restorer
* Laurence Richardson, jukebox restorer[39]
* Richard Rigby, antique projector specialist[40]
* Nigel Robinson, electronics engineer[41]
* Greg Rowland, wheelwright
* Joujou Saad and Walid Saad, antique typewriter restorers, known as "Mr & Mrs Vintage Typewriters"[42]
* Christopher Shaw, book-binder[43]
* Alastair Simms, master cooper[32]
* Kaviraj Singh, sitar restorer
* Rachael South, London-based furniture caner[44]
* Mark Stuckey, electronics, radio and electrical restorer
* Richard Talman, master goldsmith[34]
* Roger Thomas, accordion specialist[45]
* Jayesh Vaghela, hatter[46]
* Tim Weeks, gramophone specialist[21]
* Julyan Wallis, luthier[47]
* Dean Westmoreland, cobbler, shoe repairer
* Hannah Weston Smith, traditional upholsterer
* Pete Woods, percussion and musical instrument repairer

## Merchandise

[edit]

### Home media

[edit]

DVD releases of the series are released by Dazzler Media under license from Warner Bros.

On 25 June 2018, a DVD release of The Complete Series 1 and 2017 Christmas Special was released on a two-disc DVD set. A DVD release of Series Two was released on 7 October 2019. A DVD of Series 3 was released in March 2020, Series 4 was released as a two-disc set in March 2021, and Series 5 was released as a two-disc set in November 2021.

### Books

[edit]

On 25 July 2019, a do-it-yourself hardback book was released, entitled The Repair Shop: A Make Do and Mend Handbook, published by BBC Books.[48]

The Repair Shop: Tales from the Workshop of Dreams was published by BBC Books on 5 November 2020.[49]

## Reception

[edit]

In 2019, The Repair Shop received a nomination for a Rose d'Or in the Reality and Factual Entertainment category.[50] After moving to prime time for Series 6 in March 2020, it was watched by 6.7 million people.[51]

In 2023, the show won a National Television Award in the daytime programme category.[52]

## International versions

[edit]

An Australian version of the show, The Repair Shop Australia, debuted on Lifestyle on 3 May 2022. It is hosted by Dean Ipaviz, a builder and carpenter, and features six repairers.[53]

A Dutch version of the show, The Repair Shop, debuted on RTL 4 on September 2, 2019.[54][55][56] It was hosted by Humberto Tan, a radio and TV presenter, sports journalist and writer, and lasted one season.[57]

A Dutch version of the show in Belgium, De Repair Shop, debuted on Eén on September 4, 2022. It is hosted by Danira Boukhriss Terkessidis, a newscaster and TV Presenter, and had its second season in 2023.[58]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b An episode billed as "Series 9, Episode 1" aired as a one-off on 29 December 2021. However, Series 9 did not officially start until 14 March 2022 with a different Episode 1, and the previously aired episode is scheduled to repeat in this run as Episodes 6 or 20.
2. ^ a b Series 10 officially started 11 May 2022 half way through Series 9 and had ended 5 October 2022 before 20 more episodes were commissioned for Series 9.
3. ^ a b c Series 12 officially started 22 March 2023 half way through Series 11 despite 20 more episodes were commissioned. However "Series 11, Episodes 21 to 30" aired from 21 August to 1 September 2023 before commissioning 10 more episodes running between 9 and 20 October 2023, then "Series 12, Episodes 9 to 11" aired on 13, 20 and 27 September 2023 before commissioning 3 more episodes. Series 12 does not officially end until 10 January 2024.
4. ^ Series 13 originally was going to commission 40 episodes but the number of episodes for Series 13 had been decreased to 25 episodes instead due to overlapping transmissions between series 7 and series 12 and due to the trial of Jay Blades.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Crosbie, Eve (5 October 2023). "Where is The Repair Shop filmed and can you visit?". Hello!. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
2. ^ "Last night's TV: 'The Repair Shop' (BBC2)". The Independent. London. 28 March 2017. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
3. ^ "Does The Repair Shop actually exist?". Radio Times. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
4. ^ "The Repair Shop returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer" (Press release). BBC. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
5. ^ O'Boyle, Claire; Heath, Jacob (18 November 2021). "Boy with rare condition starring in BBC Children in Need's The Repair Shop in Chichester". Sussex Live.
6. ^ Carter, Hana (18 November 2022). "Children In Need fans sob as Repair Shop restore chair made in memory of mum's late son". Daily Mirror. London.
7. ^ "French & Saunders visit The Repair Shop". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
8. ^ Wylie, Alice; Walsh, Emma; Vernon, George (31 March 2017), Episode #1.5, The Repair Shop, retrieved 24 January 2022
9. ^ "BBC One – The Repair Shop, Series 1, Episode 5". BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
10. ^ "Episode 12". The Repair Shop. Series 1. Episode 12. 25 September 2019. BBC Television. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
11. ^ "Episode 16". The Repair Shop. Series 4. Episode 16. 21 August 2019. BBC Television. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
12. ^ "Episode 22". The Repair Shop. Series 4. Episode 22. 3 September 2019. BBC Television. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
13. ^ "King Charles to star in The Repair Shop for BBC's centenary". BBC News. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
14. ^ Barr, Sabrina (27 October 2022). "The Repair Shops' Jay Blades defends 'breaking royal protocol' with King Charles". Metro. London.
15. ^ Daly, Charlotte (27 October 2022). "Social media goes wild for King Charles III's presenting skills on The Repair Shop". Country Living.
16. ^ a b "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 2, Episode 8)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
17. ^ a b c "BBC Media Centre – The Repair Shop". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
18. ^ "The Repair Shop's Steve Fletcher stunned by rusty toy car's surprise feature". 6 April 2022.
19. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 13)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
20. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 4)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
21. ^ a b c "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 2, Episode 11)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
22. ^ a b "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 2, Episode 10)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
23. ^ Smith, Sandra (25 August 2020). "Meet Julie Tatchel and Amanda Middleditch, the Bear Ladies from BBC's T..." Great British Life.
24. ^ "Lucia Scalisi – Conservator of Easel Paintings". Retrieved 7 September 2019.
25. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 14)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
26. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 12)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
27. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 1, Episode 4)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
28. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 11)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
29. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 2, Episode 1)". 5 March 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
30. ^ "BBC Repair Shop Series 7 Episode 7". Retrieved 8 April 2021.
31. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 1, Episode 3)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
32. ^ a b "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 1)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
33. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 1, Episode 14)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
34. ^ a b "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 3)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
35. ^ "The Repair Shop, Series 8, Episode 10". Retrieved 1 July 2022.
36. ^ The Repair Shop: LIFE IN THE BARN: The Inside Stories from the Experts
37. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 3, Episode 10)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
38. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 1, Episode 10)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
39. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 1, Episode 8)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
40. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 1, Episode 2)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
41. ^ "The Repair shop, Series 10, Episode 11". Retrieved 7 September 2022.
42. ^ "BBC One – The Repair Shop, Series 4, Episode 14". BBC.
43. ^ Brown, Nancy (21 January 2021). "The Repair Shop: BBC viewers weep over 'hero' who died saving another's life". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
44. ^ Tobin, Emily. "Behind closed doors". House & Garden. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
45. ^ "BBC Two – The Repair Shop (Series 1, Episode 1)". Retrieved 23 September 2018.
46. ^ "The Repair Shop, Series 7, Episode 18". Retrieved 7 April 2021.
47. ^ "The Repair Shop, Series 5, Episode 33". Retrieved 8 May 2021.
48. ^ Farrington, Karen (25 July 2019). The Repair Shop: A Make Do and Mend Handbook. BBC Books. ISBN 978-1-78594-460-4.
49. ^ Farrington, Karen (5 November 2020). The Repair Shop: Tales from the Workshop of Dreams. BBC Books. ISBN 978-1-78594-652-3.
50. ^ Knox, David (7 November 2019). "Rose D'Or Awards 2019: nominees". TV Tonight. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
51. ^ Youngs, Ian (1 April 2020). "Jay Blades: From repairing lives to hosting TV hit The Repair Shop". BBC News. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
52. ^ "Happy Valley: Sarah Lancashire wins big at National Television Awards". BBC News. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
53. ^ "The Repair Shop Australia to launch May 3rd on Foxtel". Mediaweek. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
54. ^ The Repair Shop • Geef je op voor The Repair Shop (in Dutch), 6 May 2019, retrieved 29 December 2022
55. ^ "RTL 4 Netherlands to Open Up "The Repair Shop"" (Press release). Warner Bros. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
56. ^ "RTL | Verhalen en vakmanschap in 'The Repair Shop'". www.rtl.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 December 2022.
57. ^ The Repair Shop | RTL4 | Leader, 5 September 2019, retrieved 29 December 2022
58. ^ "Nieuw seizoen 'De repair shop': waardevolle voorwerpen met bijzondere verhalen krijgen een tweede leven" [New season 'The repair shop': valuables with special stories get a second life]. VRT (in Dutch). 10 October 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* The Repair Shop at BBC Online
* The Repair Shop at IMDb

*[No.]: Number