The Repair Shop - The home of happy tears

On March 27th 2017 an unassuming new series began, showing beloved items belonging to members of the public being repaired. It featured a diverse “cast” of restoration experts who had mostly never been seen on TV before, all experts in their field. (Jay Blades being the exception, having previously fronted “Money For Nothing” for the BBC.) That show was “The Repair Shop”, the BBC’s sleeper surprise hit which has in its just over five years on air to date, become amongst the BBC’s most popular factual based shows that isn’t the news.

It began without great fanfare on BBC Two an early evening 6:30pm slot, airing fifteen daily episodes across a three week run. Possibly an early sign of the success it would go on to enjoy was that it earned a Christmas special later that year, which aired on December 19th 2017 at 7pm, albeit still on BBC Two. Indeed the show has been a runaway success, earning a move to primary channel BBC One for its December 29th 2019 Christmas special. The show’s success surprised the BBC bosses having proved tough to get commissioned.

If there’s a single person most directly responsible for the show’s existence it would have to be Carla-Marie Lawson, who is the BBC’s Head of Daytime and Early Peak television as well as live events. [1] A New Zealander who has worked in the U.K. for the BBC for over 25 years, she believed in it. She was sure it would work and was ready to stake her professional reputation on it. Why, it was contended, would anyone watch a show where there was no monetary reveal at the end, no competitive element and no drama? Well Carla-Marie knew in her heart that the emotional punch it packed along with the skills of experts was enough.

Before the show came to Carla-Marie’s attention, someone else is ultimately responsible for the show coming into being. That person is Creative Director for the show’s production company Ricochet, Katy Thorogood. [2] It happened that Katy’s mum had passed away sometime before, following which she decided to get the old armchair her mum always used to sit in re-upholstered, so that it could survive on and be used again. When she returned to the restorer to collect the armchair, she was so overwhelmed by the quality of the repair and how good it looked that she burst into tears. She felt sure she could not be the only person who would feel that way, and so she formed the core of the idea which would become The Repair Shop. That visceral reaction spontaneously experienced by so many owners, and the viewers along with them, form the very heart of the show to this day.

While on the surface The Repair Shop may appear reminiscent of countless other restoration and antique shows, it is truly unique in the field of factual TV. As Carla-Marie intended, the emotional value is what matters, nothing else. In TV parlance its U.S.P. (its unique selling point) is there is that there is not only no monetary reveal at the end, there is never talk of money or monetary value. It simply is not relevant. Possibly many of the items brought in by owners truly have little monetary value, if they happen to do so it’s as if by accident. The only value that matters is the sentimental value the item has to the owner and it’s familial historical importance.

“The Repair Shop of Dreams” has comparable emotional weight to it as the modern classic fantasy movie “Field of Dreams”. In that film Kevin Costner’s character hears a voice in his cornfield telling him “if you build it, he will come”. This leads him to plough in a large section of corn a build a baseball field, and play host to a real-seeming array of ghosts of deceased baseball players. He comes to realise by the end (go watch it if you haven’t!) “he will come” means his late estranged father, who he gets to share the simple joy of playing catch with, as he never did in his father’s lifetime. I defy anyone not to shed tears. The visiting owner to The Repair Shop barn may not literally see their lost loved ones again, but the emotional resonance of the restored items and the strength of the memories they hold for them packs a similar emotional punch. As well as their inherent emotional quality, items and owner’s stories often bring back personal memories to viewers, both of owning similar items themselves and relating to lost loved ones. There’s good reason many viewers watch with a box of tissues close by!

It’s worth addressing what the show ISN’T too. Despite the off-heard popular quote by show anchor and de facto presenter Jay Blades, it truly isn’t an “antidote to throwaway culture”. Certainly some viewers feel motivated by watching, to be inspired by watching the skills of the artisans being showcased enough to want to try repairing an item they might not have considered otherwise. It has also fabulously raised the profile of the restoration business overall; both drawing attention to the skills existing, and encouraging people to want to learn these handed down skills and keep them going for future generations. On the other hand it would be somewhat naive to imagine it is literally solving throw away culture and waste. Cheap poorly made products with built in life spans and obsolescence still continue to be made, fuelled by buyer demand for bargains. Sadly the days of years long apprenticeships and quality furniture built to last for decades, even centuries are probably largely a thing of the past. What the show is about, is valuing the past; keeping hold of it by preserving items of significance to their owners, and preserving the memories and history they symbolically contain. Is is about love. It is about memories, and it is about family.

The Repair Shop is in some ways misnamed, in that it isn’t technically a ‘shop’ at all, that is not in the popular retail sense of the word. Some viewers are inclined to assume it is an entity in and of itself, which they might be able to just happen upon, stroll into and partake of their services. The reality is it doesn’t exist outside the filming of the show, it is essentially a filming set. Visiting owners are selected from tens of thousands of applicants, for their story at least as much as the item to be restored. The experts all have their own private businesses and generally work alone, or amongst their own small teams. They were recruited by the production team and are brought together as needed. (For the barn isn’t remotely big enough to be home to them all at once). Indeed the experts have spoken about the joy they get from working together, sharing their skills as well as their company, and learning from each other. There is a secondary sense of the word 'shop' to mean a place where things a made and repaired, a workshop, and that indeed it very much is.

The show also isn’t an in-depth blow by blow account of each restoration. That’s something it can never be nor has ever been intended to be. Restorations doubtless take widely varying amounts of time and effort to complete, and episodes can never be more than a glimpse of highlights at best. There is often references to other people being involved who are not seen, as there isn’t time to feature them. Expert repairs are of course fascinating to watch, and on occasion leaving you wanting more. Ultimately however it’s an entertainment show and the owner’s stories always need to remain at the core of it.

The Repair Shop truly is the home of happy tears. There is no drama to be found, no swearing or shouting. There is never a nasty surprise to be had. The skills of the experts and their ability to work veritable miracles are, despite their expressed uncertainty themselves here and there, never in doubt. In the unlikely event something went wrong, it’s highly unlikely ever to be shown. Even in when some of the gloomiest stories are told, and the show certainly touches upon some of the darkest parts of human history within its owners stories, it is always ultimately uplifting. Jay as the show’s primary presenter is the master of empathy, getting the best out of their visitors and getting them to open up and tell their own story. One is inclined to feel that this ability has rubbed off on his colleagues over time. Several of the regularly appearing experts, including some of the more frequently appearing guest experts, have come to be more comfortable on camera and now greet guests themselves. As spokesperson for the show in the media and world at large, as well as his own concerns, indeed Jay is doubtless a busy man. There’s an underlying kindness in everything seen and done, and the experts often go the extra mile to add a special unexpected touch such as a custom made box to go with their item, or something else hand made to go with it.

As already mentioned the show doesn’t shy away from history, while not lingering on it either. Many of the owners stories tell of having been forced from their homeland due to political unrest endangering their lives, or their families being victims of racism and other forms of human intolerance and subjugation. The show is not making a political tract nor standing on a soap box, merely presenting the reality of history for what it is. The owners are treated sympathetically, with natural reactions of shock from the experts at horrors being told of by owners. The show is also focus on the death of the lost loved ones, which the items often hold memories of. Hard times, suffering and loss are accepted as facts of life and treated appropriately. The true miracle of the show is that is always remains ultimately joyous and uplifting throughout.

A key element of the show, which is effectively another ‘character’ in and of itself, is the barn in and around which it is mostly filmed. The Weald and Downland Living Museum is home to the series, their historic Court Barn being used for most of the interior and exterior filming. Located in the rural West Sussex, in the village of Singleton near Chichester, the museum is a registered charitable foundation. It cover forty acres (sixteen hectares) and has over fifty historic buildings which date from 950AD to the 19th century. It is also has gardens, farm animals, walks and a mill pond, and these are often featured on the show in insert shots between repairs and owner greets. The setting of the show captures gives it a countryside feel, and contributes much to peaceful relaxing atmosphere.

Then of course there are the experts themselves, who have grown from a cast of regulars to include numerous guest experts, who now appear almost as frequently and are as popular. Viewers are endlessly fascinated by the experts skills and in awe of their skills. To the show’s regular viewers, the experts have become a like group of old friends, whose skills and personalities are very familiar. Upon seeing old neglected items on other shows which look like they could use some TLC, one can’t help but ponder “that looks like a job for Brenton”. Or Suzie. Or Dom... or whoever fits the bill, whose ‘unique set of skills’ would be just the thing to work some magic upon it!

​Ultimately The Repair Shop is comfort television, like wrapping yourself up in a comfy blanket. It’s a peaceful escape from the rude world and suitable for all ages. An oasis of peace and calm from the trouble and strife which is far too evident in the world. It feels how life should be all time, but definitely isn’t. Perhaps viewing sets of episodes should be prescribed as a treatment for stress!

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Ian Edwards serves as admin for the Facebook fan group 'The Repair Shop - Friendly Fans' and is also the creator and co-writer for the fan run reference site 'The Repair Shop Guide'

References

[1] nzherald.co.nz July 4th, 2021

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/tvnzs-most-popular-shows-wouldnt-have-made-it-to-air-without-a-new-zealander/QRLVPLJQKWDGHWFFXSCJSEMLAM/

[2] broadcastnow.co.uk February 5th, 2021

Winners - Best Daytime Programme - The Repair Shop

Also: Jay Blades - Making It, page 237

Released in hardback May 31st, 2021 by Bluebird, an imprint of Pan Macmillan