The Repair Shop expert Jay Blades was emotional as he discussed one of the most powerful moments in the popular BBC One series. Furniture restorer Jay, the foreman on the long-running show which follows professional craftspeople who restore cherished items for people seeking their help, spoke about a heartbreaking mission to be screened in tomorrow night's episode (Wednesday, April 5).
Viewers will get to see just how much the team’s work means to people as ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay repairs a precious clay keepsake of a baby’s footprints. Tonight (Tuesday, April 4) a clip was shown on The One Show of Kirsten working on the footprints which had sadly cracked.
A voiceover on the show explained: "These tiny footprints represent the short life of a beautiful baby boy named David." Kirsten could be seen in the preview clip showing the finished work to Jay as he admired: "Wow, that is amazing."
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Viewers will see the finished result tomorrow night, and after watching the preview host Jermaine Jenas said gently: "This is exactly what I'm talking about. I'm talking about those emotional moments in the series when they're more than possessions aren't they Jay?"
Jay slowly shook his head and paused to take a breath as he answered: "I classify them as like family members because the memories wrapped up in these kind of precious items they've got, as soon as you give them back to them and they're repaired everybody resorts to remembering the family member or someone that they've lost."
He continued: "David's footprints there, that was very brave of the family to come in and speak about what happened and entrust Kirsten to work on them. It's a very powerful show. You guys see it but when you're there its unbeliveable."
On the show, which launched in 2017, viewers find out the emotional family stories and events behind the pieces. They can then watch and appreciate the technical skills used to bring the pieces back to their former glory.
Last year there was a special royal edition as King Charles III starred in an episode in which a piece of pottery made for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and an 18th-century clock were restored. The episode was part of BBC's 100 celebrations to mark its centenary.
The episode followed the team as they were invited to meet Charles, who was then Prince of Wales, and some of the students on The Prince’s Foundation’s building craft programme - a training initiative that teaches traditional skills such as blacksmithing, stonemasonry and wood carving. Once the students graduate from the course, they go on to forge careers in their chosen craft, using their much-needed talents out in the real world.
Preserving heritage craft skills and ensuring the training of a new generation is a passion both the prince and Jay share, and a skills swap ensued. Jay and the Repair Shop team of experts worked two pieces that Charles had selected: a bracket clock from the collection at The Prince's Foundation's Dumfries House headquarters, and a piece of Wemyss Ware made for Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. The Repair Shop will be screened tomorrow at 8pm on BBC One.
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