The Repair Shop champions talented craftspeople, from antique photography specialists to toy restorers, who breathe new life into sentimental treasures.
Upholsterer Jay Blades presents the series, which uncovers intriguing heirlooms discarded in people’s homes across the UK, with a team of Britain’s most skilled and dedicated craftspeople on hand to restore them to their former glory.
The team of craftspeople include: upholsterer Jay, metal worker Dominic Chinea, clock restorer Steve Fletcher, leather worker Suzie Fletcher, carpenter and cabinet-maker Will Kirk, toy restorers Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell, ceramics conservator Kirsten Ramsay, painting conservator Lucia Scalisi, and antique photography specialist Brenton West.
With the show currently airing on BBC One, we take a look at the indispensable cast members below…
Meet The Repair Shop cast
Jay Blades
Jay Blades MBE is an upholsterer who runs his own furniture restoring company, called Jay & Co. Before hosting The Repair Shop, he featured in BBC One’s Money for Nothing, which followed Jay and entrepreneur Sarah Moore as they saved items from being dumped and transformed them into valuable pieces.
Jay recently opened his own shop, Jay & Co in Poole, selling his restored furniture pieces. Jay and his team work with recycled, reclaimed and reused materials, accessories, furniture, and fabric, to create pieces that are as good as new, and help develop a more holistic approach to interiors.
Speaking recently about his future on the show, which he has hosted since 2017, Jay assured fans that he would love to grow old in the Repair Shop barn.
“I don’t see myself going anywhere,” the much-loved furniture restorer told The Guardian. “If they’ll have me, you might see me grow very old in that barn. I already shave my head but my eyebrows might go grey.”
Dominic Chinea
Dominic is the resident metal expert, and owner of Ranalah Wheeling Machines Limited. Dominic joined the show in series 2, and prior to The Repair Shop, he worked for Rankin Studios as a production designer.
READ MORE: Dom Chinea on why crafting is more important than ever
Steve Fletcher
Steve Fletcher is The Repair Shop‘s resident horologist, which means he restores clocks and watches. Clock restoration runs in the family, as Steve’s grandfather opened The Clock Workshop in Oxford back in 1910.
Dave Burville
Dave Burville is a professional organ builder, and in the show can be seen repairing a treasured harmonium belonging to the poet laureate Simon Armitage.
Pierro Pozella
Pierro Pozella is the newest expert to the barn. He is an expert in fixing cameras, and can be seen on the show repairing a twin-lens camera used in Elstree Studios in the 1970s and 80s.
Will Kirk
Will Kirk is the wood restoration expert on The Repair Shop, and he runs his own workshop in Wandsworth. He is also an Ambassador of the Heritage Crafts Association.
READ MORE: Will Kirk on why he puts his heart and soul into every project
Suzie Fletcher
Suzie Fletcher is a leather worker and a saddles expert, specialising in all things equestrian. She is a member of the Society of Master Saddlers and also specialises in the restoration of leather goods and solid leather furniture.
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Kirsten Ramsay
Kirsten Ramsay is The Repair Shop‘s ceramics conservator, specialising in the restoration and conservation of oriental and European ceramics, and a wide range of other related materials, such as earthenware, painted plaster, enamels and glass.
A Repair Shop original and fan favourite, Kirsten is often referred to as the “queen of the invisible fix”.
Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell
Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell are toy restorers, and are lovingly known as the Teddy Bear Ladies, thanks to their expertise of repairing vintage bears and soft toys.
Amanda and Julie have worked together and have run their own business, Bear It In Mind, since 2006.
Sonnaz Nooranvary
Sonnaz Nooranvary is the show’s upholsterer. The British-Iranian star left university where she was studying law to take on an apprenticeship in upholstery at Sunseeker yachts, a British luxury performance motor yacht brand.
Since 2011, Sonnaz owns her own company, Sonnaz Limited, which provides upholstery, furnishings, restoration and bespoke services for residential, yacht and commercial projects. According to their website, the company aims “to bring fabulousness and craftsmanship into every space we possibly can”.
The site adds: “Reupholstery and restoration will always be areas we remain deeply passionate about. For those who commission either of these services, the craftsmanship that goes into all aspects ultimately prevents treasured items ending their usefulness in landfill.”
Sonnaz has been on the series intermittently since 2017.
Jayesh Vaghela
Jayesh Vaghela is The Repair Shop‘s resident hat expert, who has returned to the show for series 12 after making his debut five years ago.
The hatter works as Assistant Manager in the world’s oldest hat shop, Lock & Co in London. Established in 1676, Lock & Co have created hats for some of Britain’s most historic and influential figures, including Lord Nelson, Winston Churchill and Oscar Wilde.
Angelina Bakalarou
Angelina, who commonly goes by Angie, is The Repair Shop’s expert paper conservator and has done this type of work for over nine years.
Working in both the private and public sectors, Angie made all her business completely private nearly two years ago which led her to the exciting spot on the BBC hit craft series.
Originally from Greece, she also experiments with different art forms like lino printing, embroidery, watercolour drawing and book binding.
Dean Westmoreland
As one of the newest experts on The Repair Shop, Dean brings everything you need to know about shoes as an expert cobbler.
Aged 32 and from Yorkshire, he has years of experience when it comes to fixing and restoring shoes with his career beginning as a footwear specialist at JJB sport. He then went on to become a shoemaker before opening his own business, Yorkshire Sole, in 2017.
Lucia Scalisi
Lucia Scalisi is The Repair Shop‘s painting conservator, who conserves and restores paintings around the world. Lucia held the position of Senior Conservator of Paintings at the V&A before setting up her own studio in London. She previously worked as the paintings conservator on BBC Two’s Restoration Roadshow in 2011.
Brenton West
Brenton West is a silversmith and antique photography specialist. He recently won Celebrity Mastermind 2022; his specialist subject was Formula One 1978-87. He’s also partial to a statement floral shirt.
The Repair Shop is currently airing on Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One and all episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.