The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn

The Repair Shop experts hit the road, leaving their workbenches behind to witness the results of their skill and dedication, visiting the people who have been reunited with cherished mementos and discovering how these once-broken objects are being put to use again. First into the barn is Steve Price with a remarkable homemade replica of Doctor Who's robotic companion K-9. Built as a GCSE project in the mid-1980s with help from his father Bert, the remote-controlled robot inspired Steve's lifelong interest in engineering. Decades later, K-9 is battered, unreliable and missing some of the features Steve always dreamed of adding. Since losing both of his parents in 2014, the model has taken on even greater significance, representing their encouragement and support. Electronics expert Mark Stuckey takes on the complex circuitry hidden inside the machine, determined to restore K-9's movement, improve its controls and finally complete the childhood project Steve never quite finished. Next to arrive are Christine and her grandson Shaun from Wales, carrying an attaché case that once belonged to Shaun's great-great-aunt Pauline, a cook who catered for Winston Churchill during the Second World War. Pauline worked at both Downing Street and Chequers, helping prepare meals for some of the most important figures of the era, including Churchill and Eisenhower. The bag accompanied her everywhere and still houses treasured mementos from her extraordinary wartime experiences. After decades of use, the case is dirty, worn and falling apart, with broken straps and damaged corners threatening its future. Leather expert Suzie Fletcher carefully restores the historic case, preserving a unique family connection to one of Britain's most iconic wartime leaders. Colin and Trish Dunmore bring in the shattered remains of a ukulele that belonged to their son Cameron, who tragically died in a motorcycle accident aged just 29. A gifted musician and teacher, Cameron carried the ukulele everywhere, including on his travels and teaching adventures in Thailand. After an accident left the instrument smashed and abandoned outdoors for months, it seemed beyond repair. Yet when Colin and Trish were clearing Cameron's belongings, a chance discovery in the undergrowth reunited them with the precious instrument. Luthier Julyan Wallis faces the enormous challenge of rebuilding the ukulele while preserving the marks and memories left by Cameron's hands, hoping to return a cherished reminder of their son to playing condition. Finally, John Cambridge arrives with a battered cowboy hat that played a small but fascinating role in music history. In 1970, John performed alongside David Bowie, Mick Ronson and Tony Visconti in The Hype, the short-lived group widely regarded as the first glam rock band. Worn on stage during their earliest performances, the hat is believed to be one of the last surviving costume pieces from that groundbreaking era. Decades spent crumpled in storage had left it misshapen and fragile, with damaged wiring and a deteriorating sweatband. Master hatter Jayesh Vaghela undertakes the delicate restoration, determined to bring this unique piece of rock ‘n' roll history back to life while preserving its authentic character and remarkable connection to the rise of David Bowie and glam rock.

Clockmaker Steve Fletcher travels to Stourbridge to see John and Bert, the animatronic cobbler who has stood in John's shop window for nearly 50 years. Once a childhood fascination and now a cherished part of John's business, Bert had suffered a broken wrist and worn-out mechanics. After strengthening the figure and rebuilding its movement, Steve visits the cobbler, which is back in action and continuing a tradition that has entertained generations. Electronics expert Mark Stuckey visits Ricardo Cogginotto and the treasured Brazilian radio inherited from his father. The radio had fallen silent after decades of use accompanying family fishing trips, football matches and treasured moments together. Following a careful restoration, Mark visits Ricardo, bringing him a device to listen to the Brazilian music he once listened to with his dad through the repaired radio, reigniting vivid memories of his childhood in South America. Meanwhile, luthier Julyan Wallis follows up on one of his most ambitious restorations: a badly damaged mandolin that travelled the world with Royal Navy veteran Tom Seddes and even entertained the royal family aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. Damaged by an accident at sea, the instrument seemed beyond repair. With its structure rebuilt and voice restored, Jules visits Cornwall to hear Tom playing once again, proving that this seafaring companion still has many songs left to sing.

Bookbinder Chris Shaw tackles a battered vintage steamer trunk belonging to Andre, the husband of the late Paul O'Grady. Originally owned by celebrated American performer Gypsy Rose Lee, the trunk was bought by Paul in the 1970s and later became a home for his most personal memories, including photographs and the invitation to the couple's wedding. Torn lining paper, broken wooden compartments and missing leather handles mean the ambitious repair requires help from leather expert Suzie Fletcher and woodworker Will Kirk. Once restored, Chris travels to Paul's hometown of Birkenhead, where the trunk is destined to take pride of place in an exhibition celebrating Paul's life and career. Ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay is presented with the shattered remains of Al Dog, a wolf statue treasured by Lisa Constantine and her daughter Katie. The statue is important to Lisa as a memorial to her son Alex, who died suddenly after collapsing at work. But an unlucky leap from the family cat broke it into many pieces. Kirsten painstakingly restores the shattered wolf, rebuilding its missing pieces and retouching the body paint. A small burgundy ribbon, inspired by Alex's favourite colour, provides a personal finishing touch before Al Dog returns home to Pontefract. Electronics expert Mark Stuckey takes on a sought-after 1960s valve amplifier that belonged to DJ Andre Joseph. Andre's sons, Marvin and Ryan, hope the silent equipment can once again bring music to their father, whose life changed after an aneurysm and stroke in 2021. Mark tests and replaces defective valves, repairs poor contacts and renews a failing component in the preamplifier before putting the system through its paces. Once working again, Mark visits the family, in the hope that the revived amp is helping recreate the music-filled gatherings Andre once hosted and allowing him to reconnect with a treasured part of his past. Finally, bicycle restorer Tim Gunn is challenged by an unusual tradesman's bike once used by London's gas lamplighters and now owned by gas engineer Paul. Its brakes do not work, the wheels are stiff and buckled, and the all-important flame-tipped pole has no secure mounting. Tim repairs the wheels, restores the mechanics and fabricates a sympathetic period-style bracket, adding vintage oil lamps to complete the transformation. Once repaired, Dom Chinea joins Paul in London to see the bicycle back in action and carrying the traditional equipment used to illuminate the capital's historic gas lamps.

Next to arrive is Ruth Dalton from Rochester, bringing her late grandfather Stan's well-worn garden secateurs. Stan was a devoted gardener, and Ruth spent her childhood learning from him among the flowers and archways of his garden. Now, she hopes the restored secateurs will help her son Samuel, who has Bainbridge Roper's syndrome, experience the joy and independence of gardening. Scissor restorer Jonathan Reid, one of the country's few scissor specialists, dismantles the rusted tool, removes years of corrosion, regrinds the worn blades and strips away the thick, flaking paint. After carefully repainting the handles, Jonathan adds a deeply personal finishing touch: adding Stan's name inside the handle using a laser engraver. Dom later visits Ruth and Samuel in their garden, where Samuel is using the secateurs, now transformed into a meaningful link between generations. The third repair belongs to Eve Morris from Windsor, who brings her extraordinary scrapbook documenting Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. Eve worked in Norman Hartnell's embroidery department in the early 1950s and contributed to the creation of the Queen's coronation gown. Her scrapbook contains rare fabric samples, personal photographs and handwritten accounts of her experience inside Westminster Abbey on Coronation Day. Years of sharing the scrapbook with schools and clubs left it torn, creased and held together with failing plastic sleeves and tape. Bookbinder Chris Shaw undertakes a complete rebuild, removing the fragile contents, selecting new textured paper and constructing a bespoke scrapbook large enough to properly display the Queen's embroidery sample. With help from textile conservator Rebecca, the creased fabric sample is gently relaxed, cleaned and stitched onto card. Chris sews the new scrapbook and mounts each item with care, before paying a visit to Eve, who is delighted to see her memories preserved for future generations. Finally, goldsmith Richard Talman's mission is to repair an 80-year-old ruby ring broken into three pieces. The ring, which belonged to Sandra Lafferty's great-aunt and survived World War II, was hidden beneath the floorboards of a Yugoslav farmhouse when her grandparents were taken to Dachau and Auschwitz. Sandra's grandfather later entrusted the broken ring to her, asking her to promise she would one day have it repaired. Richard tests the gold to confirm its 18-carat purity, then painstakingly recreates the missing bow motif and rebuilds the band. In a nerve-racking moment, he must solder near the ruby, risking temporary blackening as the stone withstands intense heat. Once cooled, the ruby's deep red returns, confirming its resilience. Richard completes the reconstruction, and Will Kirk visits Sandra in Scotland to see her finally wearing the heirloom with pride, and surprise her with a little extra gift courtesy of the experts.

First into the barn are siblings Paul Murray and Josette Sellings with a fountain pen that played a remarkable role in their parents' wartime love story. Their father, Frank Murray, bought the pen in Singapore before becoming a prisoner of war following the Japanese capture of the city. Over 42 months in captivity, Frank used the pen to write a secret diary in the form of love letters to his sweetheart Eileen, the woman he would later marry on his return from the war. Decades later, the pen is damaged, incomplete and no longer functional. Making his debut in the barn, pen restoration expert Ray Walters undertakes the delicate task of returning this powerful symbol of devotion back to full working order. Next to arrive is Doug Thwaites with an unusual stuffed Scottish terrier gifted to him by Princess Elizabeth before she became Queen. Doug's father worked for Lord Mountbatten and drove Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip during their time in Malta. As a thank you, the future Queen sent Doug the toy dog, which has remained in the family ever since. Years of storage, family handling and the loss of key features have left the treasured keepsake looking tired and fragile. Teddy bear experts Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, with help from leather specialist Suzie Fletcher, set out to restore the royal gift and ensure it can continue its journey through future generations of Doug's family. Jackie and Steve from Stratford-upon-Avon bring in their late father Chas's first guitar, purchased in Liverpool during the 1950s. Chas played in local bands at the dawn of the Merseybeat era and even shared stages with a fledgling Beatles, before pursuing a career in chemistry. Discovered broken and neglected in a loft after his death, the guitar is now in pieces, with a detached neck, damaged frets and missing components. Luthier Julyan Wallis takes on the challenge of restoring the instrument before visiting the family at a recording studio to witness how the next generation are benefiting from Chas's beautifully restored guitar. Finally, Brenton West restores the Donald Melville Trophy, awarded each year at the World Stone Skimming Championships on the Scottish island of Easdale. Organiser Kyle Matthews is custodian of the battered silverware, which has become worn and overcrowded after decades of competition. The quirky event attracts competitors from around the world, all hoping to claim the title in the home of stone skimming. Brenton, assisted by master engraver Sam Marsden, redesigns and expands the trophy while preserving its history, creating a showpiece worthy of one of Britain's most unusual sporting contests.

First into the barn are cousins Dave and Dom with an extraordinary handmade model fairground created by their grandfather, James Manley. Built from memory over many years using salvaged materials, the intricate miniature recreates the travelling fairground life James left behind after choosing to marry outside his fairground family and being disowned as a result. Decades of storage have left rides damaged, wiring unsafe and key components missing. Mechanical expert David Burville and electronics specialist Mark Stuckey join forces to rebuild the treasured attraction, determined to preserve a remarkable piece of family history and make a heartfelt tribute to a man who never forgot his roots. Next to arrive is Anne Thomas with a 150-year-old portrait of her great-great-grandfather, John Durdin. Family research revealed that Durdin was the central figure in a notorious Victorian banking fraud that ultimately brought down the institution he worked for. Over the years, the painting has suffered damage, amateur restoration attempts and extensive overpainting that has obscured both the artist's work and the sitter's true appearance. Art conservator Lucia Scalisi embarks on a fascinating investigation, uncovering hidden details beneath layers of paint while restoring a striking portrait connected to the dramatic family scandal. Horologist Steve Fletcher takes on a mantel clock brought in by Colin from Glasgow. The clock has been passed down through generations of Colin's family and was once a constant presence in the home of his beloved grandmother, Linda. As a child, Linda saved his life during a tragic accident, and her support continued throughout his life, including his career as drag performer Bella Houston. When the treasured clock stopped working shortly after Colin inherited it, it became a painful reminder of her loss. Steve must diagnose a complex mechanical fault and carefully restore the century-old timepiece so that its familiar tick can once again fill Colin's home. Finally, Dominic Chinea tackles a heavily battle-scarred rugby wheelchair belonging to army veteran Jules. Following a spinal injury sustained during military service, Jules struggled with both his physical and mental health before discovering wheelchair rugby through the Invictus Games. The sport transformed his life and inspired him to establish Somerset's first wheelchair rugby club, helping others find the same sense of purpose and community. One of the club's earliest donated chairs is now damaged, buckled and unusable after years of intense competition. With help from bicycle restorer Tim Gunn and upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary, Dom sets out to return the chair to fighting form, before visiting Jules and his team to see how it is being used by new players of the high-octane sport.

First into the barn are Mira Karavadra and her husband Suraj, who bring a 1970s portable record player, radio and tape deck once owned by Mira's father. Purchased in Uganda in 1972, the device became a lifeline for Mira's family as they fled Idi Amin's expulsion of South Asians. Unable to take valuables or money, Mira's father disguised his remaining cash by buying the music system, which later became central to the family's gatherings as they rebuilt their lives in Yorkshire. Now silent, corroded and broken, the treasured player is entrusted to electronics expert Mark Stuckey, who must tackle battery corrosion, a missing mains lead, a broken tone arm and a failed transformer to bring the beloved machine back to life. Next to arrive is Joe Riley from Kent, carrying his grandfather Tom's signet ring. Originally crafted in 1932 as a wedding gift for Tom's father, the ring bears the initials 'MC' for Mary Cummings, Joe's great-grandmother. Tom wore the ring every day, becoming a father figure to Joe after his parents divorced. Now wafer-thin, cracked and too small to wear, the ring has been rejected by jewellers unwilling to risk repairing its hollow construction. Goldsmith Richard Talman takes on the challenge, reinforcing the fragile structure with a custom-made internal shim, carefully soldering and laser-welding the cracked top plate, and finally passing the ring to engraver Sam Marsden, who delicately restores Mary's original initials before Richard has a chance to visit Joe and pass on some valuable tips on polishing such a precious item. The third repair belongs to Rachel Twumasi-Corson, who brings her cherished Ghanaian djembe drum. Rachel spent her childhood travelling between London and Accra, where her grandfather, an influential political figure, encouraged her education. The drum, adorned with hand-carved patterns, a lion motif and traditional kente cloth, was bought during a meaningful visit to Elmina Castle. Over years of family use, church events and children's play, the drum suffered marker-pen scribbles and a severe split in its wooden base. Musical instrument expert Pete Woods must navigate the tension within the dried timber, carefully remove the drum head and craft a precise wooden fillet to stabilise the crack without causing further damage. His repair aims to restore the drum's sound and significance so that Rachel's children can grow up with the same musical connection she cherished. Finally, camera expert Pierro Pozella investigates a 1950s Rolleiflex camera owned by John Cownley's uncle, royal photographer Jack Barker. Jack, born in 1914, was the photographer responsible for the iconic image of the royal family on a picnic blanket at Balmoral, and the camera reflects the care and pride he took in his craft. The unique top-view design allows photographers to engage naturally with their subjects, but a crucial component has broken away, leaving the camera unusable. Pierro must restore precision placement and structural integrity to ensure the camera can once again capture images as Jack intended.

Chris rescues a treasured 1869 copy of Dante's Divine Comedy, Kirsten rebuilds a shattered Pride of Birmingham award, and Geoff brings a vintage one-armed bandit back to life.