The Repair Shop - Season 8 / Year 2024

A 1960s record player and a flamboyant pair of 1970s boots are given a new lease of life. And a painting by artist Helene de Beauvoir, sister of French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, is also lovingly restored.

First into the barn is music lover Poppy, who is hoping bright spark Mark Stuckey can put the phonic funk back into a record player that once belonged to her late grandmother Catherine. The pair shared a love of music, and despite her millennial age group, Poppy is an avid collector of vinyl from the 60s. But with her nan's record player broken, she is unable to play the discs. Having recently moved into her own first home, Poppy is now keen for the turntable to spin again so that she can listen to the old tunes that remind her of her nan.

Next to arrive is barrister Colin, with a pair of boots harking back to his younger, more rebellious days. In the 1970s, Colin was an art student with only meagre funds. However, that didn't prevent him from splashing out an entire term's grant on the boots that have come to symbolise his first steps into adulthood. Bright red and yellow with wings on either side, the style was also rocked by Elton John in the same era. Now nearing retirement, Colin's hoping that cobbler Dean Westmoreland can get the boots groovy again so that he can relive the exciting days of his youth.

Next, Rachel is seeking the expert skills of Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch. Rachel has brought a teddy named Freddy that is looking rather worse for wear. He was purchased by Rachel's mum – a single mother - when she was a toddler as a replacement for another bear she had lost on a visit to the zoo. Freddy turned out to be a very welcome replacement, with Rachel holding him dear ever since. It's an interesting job for the teddy bear ladies, who need to replicate Freddy's original furry jacket, braces and bee-patterned underpants!

Next in the frame is art conservator Lucia Scalisi, who is tasked with a conservation of historical importance. Owner Jean-Robert and his daughter Natasha are from the same family as French artist Helene de Beauvoir and her older sister, the famous philosopher Simone. They have brought a painting that Helene created of her nephew Alain, Jean-Robert's dad. It's the only picture he has of his father as a boy and therefore holds great significance for him. It's a labour of love for Lucia to follow Helene's brush strokes to recreate the artwork.

The team restores four precious heirlooms, including a shattered ceramic poppy for a war veteran, which was created for the art installation at the Tower of London to commemorate the centenary of WW1, and a 1950s hot towel machine passed down a Cypriot family of barbers. Also on the job sheet is a portrait in pastels of a much-missed sister.

The first arrival is for ceramics conservator Kirsten Ramsay. Steph and her stepmother Alex are entrusting Kirsten with a shattered ceramic poppy that reminds the women of a loved father and husband. The red poppy was created for the momentous 2014 art installation at the Tower of London to commemorate the centenary of WW1. Each of the 888,246 poppies that filled the moat surrounding the Tower represented the lost lives of British soldiers. Thousands of visitors went to gaze at the dramatic sight, and among them were Steph and her late father, Pete. He was extremely proud of his daughter who served in the Royal Artillery, and he bought one of the poppies as a reminder of their day together. Tragically, Pete died of a rare blood disease in 2017 and, just a few months after, Alex decided to move it inside from her garden for safe keeping when it broke into pieces in her hands. Alex knows Pete would want his daughter to have it. That is, however, if Kirsten can piece it back together.

Barber Panos Adamou is the next to arrive, with a vintage tool of the trade for metal master Dom Chinea to spark back to life. The hot towel machine was bought in the 1950s by Panos' Cypriot father, Peter. He settled in the UK, along with many other Commonwealth citizens, to work hard and achieve his ambitions. He trained to be a barber and opened a successful shop where this machine was installed to produce hot towels and water for the wet shaves. Panos and his brother both followed in their father's footsteps and worked alongside him for years, with the hot towel machine loyally steaming away. Eventually, in the 1980s, the machine gave up and was banished to the basement. The Adamou brothers lost their dad recently, and Panos would love to get the machine back in service at his own barber shop in Peter's memory. Dom has a lot of limescale to contend with, which has clogged up all the fixings and has caused it to spring several leaks. Time to showcase his soldering skills.

Next, it's horologist Steve Fletcher's time to shine when Jasvinder comes to call with the clock that was her father, Darshan's, pride and joy. He bought the distinctive wall clock in the 1960s. These timepieces are known as 30 day clocks as they only need winding once a month, a task that Darshan took very seriously. Jasvinder and her brother clearly remember its resonating chime. It's a sound she dreams of hearing again, knowing it will remind her of her father who she lost when she was just eight years old. Steve tackles the enormous main springs which are gummed up with oil, and does his best to make Jasvinder's dream come true.

Lastly, sisters Tiffany and Sarah arrive with a precious reminder of their elder sister Tracy, who died as teenager. The sweet portrait of Tracy, done in pastels when she was 13 years old, is terribly stained, and they are banking on paper conservator Louise Drover being able to improve and preserve it. Louise uses various ingenious tricks of the trade to transform the picture and wow the sisters.

Stepping into the barn is a pair of tiny cowboy boots, treasured by the family of Elton John's former drummer, while queen of the invisible fix Kirsten faces her biggest challenge yet, as she must painstakingly piece together a shattered vintage glass lamp.

First through the barn doors is a pair of tiny but treasured cowboy boots. Belonging to Diane Wynell-Sutherland, the boots were bought for her son by her brother Roger Pope, a talented drummer and session musician. Diane shares the remarkable story of her brother's musical journey and his close bond with her son, from Roger's early days in local bands to his collaborations with superstars like Elton John and other iconic musicians in the USA, where the boots were bought. Tragically, Roger battled throat cancer before passing away in 2013, leaving behind a legacy of music and love. The boots serve as a tangible reminder of Roger's affection for his nephew and his enduring presence in Diane's life. However, the boots are showing signs of wear and tear, with brittle leather and split soles. Expert cobbler Dean works his magic, ensuring that the boots will be safe to wear once again and keeping alive the memory of a beloved brother and his extraordinary life.

The next visitors are Mehmet and his daughter Ozlem who bring in a treasured saz, a traditional Turkish instrument with a poignant history. Mehmet acquired the saz as a teenager, just before the eruption of tensions between the Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus in the 1960s. Despite the turmoil of the time, Mehmet found comfort in playing the saz, using its music to ease stress and provide moments of respite from the chaos of war. A constant companion throughout his life, the instrument followed Mehmet to his new life in England where it suffered damage, including a significant crack that threatens its integrity. Expert luthier Julyan Wallis takes on the task of repairing the saz, recognising the instrument's significance to Mehmet and his family. With meticulous care and skill, Julyan sets about mending the crack and addressing other issues, including a broken friction peg, ensuring that the saz will continue to serve as a cherished memento for generations to come.

While it's not a timepiece, the intricate parts of the next repair mean Steve Fletcher is well-placed to meet Caroline Caldwell from Castlewellan, Northern Ireland. She brings in a fascinating piece of industrial history – scales used in the linen industry to weigh threads of linen. Caroline's connection to the linen industry runs deep, with both she and her mother and having worked in this once-booming trade that defined Belfast in the early 1900s. Steve takes on the challenge of repairing the scales, aiming to restore both their functionality and their aesthetic appeal. Steve works to address missing pieces and stubbornly stuck drawers, ensuring that the scales will once again serve as a tangible link to Belfast's industrial past.

Left picking up the pieces, quite literally, of the last restoration is Kirsten Ramsay, who welcomes mother-and-daughter duo Mal and Jo McKenna. They bring a cherished but smashed Murano lamp to the barn. The story starts in the 1920s, when Mal's grandmother acquired it as a souvenir from Italy. Mal recounts how her grandmother initially broke the lamp, prompting repairs by her mother, and now, with the adhesive deteriorating, they fear further damage. Tasking Mark Stuckey with making the antiquated electrics safe, Kirsten sets about meticulously dismantling the lamp, cleaning away the old adhesive before delicately reassembling it, ensuring that every piece aligns perfectly. Thanks to the team's expertise, the Murano lamp, once on the brink of irreparable damage, is given a new lease of life.

First into the barn is Hannah Smart, with a moss-covered garden gate which is essentially just a pile of sticks. It comes from the cottage Hannah has just bought which is the former home of Roald Dahl's mother. When Dahl returned from fighting in the Second World War, he lived at the cottage with his mother, and the gate is even referenced in his autobiography when he describes the moment he came home from the war. Years of neglect had seen the gate disappear beneath the hedge until Hannah unwittingly unearthed it. 

As an important landmark in the village with a connection to Dahl fans the world over, wood specialist Will Kirk is tasked with the restoration. The gate is in a very bad state having had all its joints rot away, so the challenge for Will is to work out how to maintain as much of the original structure as possible. 

Next, David Burville has an appointment with Glaswegian Jon Keogh, who has a homemade model of a prawn trawler made by his dad, John. The model is a replica of a real boat owned by his father, who took up fishing after his career building boats in the Clyde shipyards came to an end. Having always yearned to make a living from the sea when Glasgow's shipbuilding industry declined, it was the perfect opportunity to make his dreams come true. Sadly, the fishing industry also declined, and John ended up selling his trawler, something that was hard to cope with at the time. To help him manage, he decided to build an exact replica of the boat he loved from memory. 

The model is in a bad way with broken lights, a deteriorating hull and snapped-off rigging. As David gets to work, he finds more problems than anticipated when he discovers the batteries have leaked. 

Next to arrive is Mayassa Reip with a piece of history, for the attention of silversmith Brenton West, that's played a part in generations of family weddings. It's an ornately decorated silver-framed mirror from Iraq dating back to the early 20th century which belonged to her grandmother who had an arranged marriage. On the day of the wedding, she sat in front of the mirror when her husband-to-be walked into the room – the first time they saw each other was through the reflection in the mirror, and once they met in this way the marriage could go ahead. The mirror has been passed down the female line ever since, and although they no longer have arranged marriages, it has been present at all the subsequent family weddings. 

Mayassa now wants to have it repaired so it can be enjoyed by future generations, including when her son gets married next year. The edges of the frame are sharp and coming away and it is heavily tarnished, but it also has major splits running through the silver decoration. 

Arriving last into the barn are mother and daughter Mona Roddy and Dearbhla Lennon from Dundalk in Ireland. The have a miniature Irish dancing dress that Dearbhla wore when she was two years old. It has the traditional lace collar and cuffs which had originally been made for mum Mona when she was a child learning to dance in the 1950s. 

It's tradition that the lace collar and cuffs are unpicked and re-sewn onto all the dancing costumes, and Mona wore them until she finished competitive dancing in her early 20s. When Dearbhla was learning as a child, the lace was added to her costume, and since then has been worn by Dearbhla's own children. Having had an internationally successful dance career in shows like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, Dearbhla and Mona have a close connection to the lace and the little dress where it all began. 

The dress is stained, but the 70-year-old lace is looking very tattered and is becoming undone. It is the job of textile conservator Rebecca Bissonnet to carefully bring the lace, and the dress, back to their former glory.

The barn welcomes Anthony from Norwich, who has brought in a very rare model car for the attention of Brenton West. The gold-plated model of the Lotus Esprit, the submarine car, was one of only ten made for the premiere of the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977, and was presented to his father Michael. For Anthony, the car represents his father's rise from humble apprentice to CEO of one of the most recognisable car brands in the world. Full of guilt for playing with the car as a child, wearing out the mechanics and ruining the gold plating, Anthony wants the car returned to its former glory to say thank you to his dad for all that he's done. 

Next to arrive is Rhona from Paisley with a set of military bagpipes that belonged to her dad Jim. Jim grew up in Port Glasgow and loved the sound of bagpipes. He joined the boy's brigade so he could learn the instrument and spent many years travelling and playing, most notably performing for the king of Norway. Sadly, Rhona's never heard these bagpipes being played, as when she was born, the family moved away from where the pipe band practised and her dad packed them away, never to be played again. Since her dad passed four years ago, it's been Rhona's dream to hear these pipes being played. Musical expert Pete Woods has a challenge on his hands to get these pipes that meant so much to her dad back in working order. 

Next, with a musical assignment for ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay, are Rachael and her mum Bev from Kent. They've brought a pair of jazz musician statues that belonged to Rachael's grandparents and were at the centre of many family parties and gatherings for many years. The jazz duo were gifted to Rachael by her grandma Claudette when she got married in 2010, but sadly, during a house move, the statues were damaged and the male figurine's leg was broken. A cherished reminder of beloved parents and grandparents, Kirsten sets to work to get these jazz musicians looking smart enough to take centre stage in Rachael's home. 

The final visitor to the barn is Harriet, with a precious memento from a very special day. A metal-detecting enthusiast, Harriet discovered the locket buried in a field during a day of metal detecting with her then boyfriend. Unbeknownst to her, her boyfriend had also buried an engagement ring in the field as a grand romantic gesture for her to find, and both the locket and the ring are reminders of one of the happiest days of her life. Harriet wore the locket on her wedding day, but having spent many years buried in the mud, it's very thin and fragile and cannot be worn as a pendant. Richard Talman sets to work.

Arriving first is Claire from Manchester, who has brought with her a notebook that once belonged to her grandmother Jean during World War II. On first appearance, the notebook contains nothing more intriguing than some handwritten recipes for ginger cake and biscuits, but upon closer inspection, the notebook reveals its fascinating dual purpose. Claire explains that her grandmother was in the ‘Wrens' (The Women's Royal Naval Service) during the second world war and had a specific role as a telegraphist, communicating Japanese code to the Enigma team at Bletchley Park. Claire was stunned to discover the handwritten notes about morse code and diagrams of radio equipment alongside a Christmas cake recipe. Jean had remained tight-lipped about her service, having signed the official secrets act, and so much of her involvement in the vital codebreaking work remained a secret until 2009, when Jean finally revealed her part in the vital codebreaking work that helped to end the war. 

Claire is calling on the help of expert bookbinder Chris Shaw to reinvigorate the notebook, which has been battered and torn over the years, with its once vibrant cover now faded and peeling away. Chris has his work cut out to rescue the cover before tackling the tricky areas where the spine of the book has disintegrated. Skilfully restoring this precious piece of history, Chris is finally ready to reveal the recipe/codebreaking notebook to Claire. 

Mechanical mastermind Dominic Chinea has an appointment with Geoffrey from Suffolk, who has brought with him a sizeable fire pump. The contraption, which is over 250 years old, belongs to the parish of Worlingworth, where, from 1760 to 1927, the hand-powered pump was the village's first defence against fire. But aside from a remarkable history, Dom also needs to get his head around the malfunctioning pump. Decades of neglect have seen the valves deteriorate, woodworm devour the handles and the reservoir spring multiple leaks. Dom checks off each of these tasks on a mammoth repair job before applying the perfect finish to give the pump a new lease of life. But will it work when Geoffrey returns to the barn to try it out? 

Next to arrive is 85-year-old Zarina from London. She's hoping ceramics restorer Kirsten Ramsay can piece together what's left of an item of crockery that was gifted to her by a dear friend. The healing bowl is a large dish with beautiful Arabic text featured on the inside. The bowl was originally given to Zarina by the daughter of the Sultan, Princess Amal. Despite being the royal princess, they became close friends at school, a friendship that lasted all their lives. When Zarina left Zanzibar to pursue further education in the UK in 1961, Princess Amal gifted her the bowl as a farewell present and symbol of their deep friendship. Zarina has used it to drink from many times during illness, but her sister accidentally broke it whilst cleaning the house, and the bodged repair has left the bowl cracked and incomplete. Kirsten has a classic case of breaking down before building up, first removing the rough superglue fix before carefully recreating the bowl precisely as Zarina remembers it from her schooldays in Zanzibar. 

The last visitors are Dara and Anne from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, who have an equine challenge for willow weaver Sarah Hatton. They have brought a large woven horse's head, which would be worn during performances of ancient Irish folklore. The puppet head is of Macha, the horse goddess who dates back to the Iron Age, and Dara and Anne have dedicated themselves to keeping these performance traditions alive by taking the puppets to schools and public events. As an ancient tradition, these Celtic mythologies were something shared by both Protestant and Catholic children, and so Dara used this shared history to help bring divided groups together throughout the Troubles in Northern Ireland during the 1970s. 

But after many years of good service, Macha is no longer in fine fettle. Her ears are completely disconnected from her head, there's a large hole in the wicker of her skull and worn-down material across the mouthpiece. Sarah has a substantial restoration on her hands as she takes the reigns on this one-of-a-kind repair and brings the giant puppet head back to performance-worthy condition.

Getting to work first is upholsterer Sonnaz, who has an appointment with Leigh from London. Leigh has brought in a tatty leather armchair with a request that this once-luxurious seat can be transformed. Leigh has had the armchair since 1986, when he purchased it with the love of his life, Greg, who worked for the US Air Force. The pair met in Greece, where Leigh describes falling instantly for Greg, who then moved to the UK so the smitten couple could be together. Setting up home, the armchair was their first joint purchase and centrepiece of the living room. Whilst blissfully happy, the couple were soon rocked by the Aids crisis, losing friends from London's gay community. Tragically, Greg discovered he was HIV positive and, after a short battle with the illness, died in March 1989, less than a month before his 30th birthday. Leigh kept the chair as a poignant reminder of his true love, but now the chair is showing its 40 years of use. The leather is badly cracked and scuffed, the rich blue has faded and the seat cushion has been replaced by a plain fabric one. It's clear the armchair needs a lot of attention, so Sonnaz delves into her extensive fix kit to restore this precious piece of furniture back to its 80s glory. 

Next to arrive is Sian from Northampton, who's brought a very precious piece of jewellery given to her by her parents. The bangle, made from silver with a large piece of amber inlaid, was a gift for Sian when she graduated university in 1998. The piece is especially significant for Sian, as she struggled with dyslexia throughout her school life, all the way up to university, and credits her parent's support with helping her to deal with the learning disorder. Sian wore the bangle daily, but during a night out it fell under the wheels of a taxi and has become seemingly irreparably broken, with other jewellers refusing to look at it. Luckily, expert Richard Talman is made of sterner stuff and immediately formulates a plan to remove the fragile amber stone so that he can get the bangle back into perfect condition. 

Arriving for an appointment with skilled engineer David Burville is Jon from Swansea, who has brought along the broken remains of a carousel that belonged to his father, Stanley. With many ornate timber pieces on the table, it's clear David has his work cut out on this reconstruction and repair job. Jon explains that his father was a hard-working man who took four months to craft this carousel model from scratch, despite having no professional experience. Passionate about funfairs, Stanley would volunteer to help with the rides so that he could learn how they worked, gaining the knowledge he then applied to the creation of his model. The intricate mechanical carousel was so impressive when it was first made, it was put proudly in the window of a local tobacconists. However, aged just seven, Jon lost his dad, and this carousel was stored away for him as an important link to the father lost so young. The carousel is completely dismantled and in multiple pieces with a central motor that is no longer working. On top of that, some of the horses are in seriously bad shape, with Jon himself providing hand-carved versions as potential replacements should David decide to use them. David gets down to business creating new bushings for the drum motor to get the horses moving smoothly again whilst painstakingly combining Jon's newly carved horses for the missing spare parts. 

The last visitor to The Repair Shop is Catherine from Holywood in Northern Ireland, who hopes instrument expert Pete Woods can bring his considerable talents to the restoration of a bodhran drum that once belonged to her late brother Seamus. The drum, which Seamus built himself from his father's garden sieve, is a special reminder of a talented brother with a passion to entertain others. When Seamus passed away in 2016 due to cancer, the bodhran had been thought lost but was returned by some friends in its current dilapidated state. The hand-held drum is falling apart, with the skin completely torn and the original garden sieve ring tarnished and worn. Catherine wants the drum to be playable once again so that her father can reconnect with the musical memory of Seamus and even add some of their own new ones to the legacy of their much-missed brother and son.

The team repair a BMX bike and a famous frock. Elsewhere, there's a restoration on a piece of manufacturing equipment that helped the British army in the First World War. 

First up at the Barn, Tim Gunn has an appointment with Sharon from Swindon, who is entrusting him with a very special BMX that belongs to her husband, Dave. Sharon gifted the bike to Dave for Christmas in 1997, encouraging him to reconnect with his childhood passion of freestyle BMX, pulling stunts and soaring high above ramps! In his thirties when he received the bike, Dave passionately embraced his hobby once more despite having been diagnosed with Chiari malformation - a structural defect in the cerebellum that controls balance. Dave continued to ride for as long as he could whilst having treatment, but eventually the muscle weakness, headaches and fatigue forced him to quit riding altogether. 

The BMX is in a sorry state with a rusty chrome frame and buckled wheels. Tim has his work cut out as he attempts to bring the dull and dented frame back to the gleaming mirrored finish that Dave remembers from the late 90s, and it all starts with the careful dismantling of the iconic bicycle. 

Next to arrive are Barbara and Stefan from Holloway Fire Station, who are hoping that art restorer Lucia Scalisi can rejuvenate the painting that adorns the wall of their mental well-being garden. The painting, which depicts a fire in the background with three bold, yellow-helmeted firefighters in the foreground, was painted by a now retired firefighter called Colin Jones. The painting is the focal point of the garden, where the team come to decompress after tough days on the job. But the painting, which has always hung outdoors, is now weather-worn and seriously mouldy. 

Lucia's plan begins with removing the black mould, which obscures the yellow helmets before tackling the substantial tear in the canvas. So it's out into the sun, where the UV light will stop the mould before Lucia can vacuum the remnants away. Removing the milky old varnish from the painting is the penultimate step in this restoration as Lucia prepares to reunite the painting with Barbara and Stefan once more. 

The Barn's next guest is Ceri from Cardiff, who has a special challenge for textile conservator Rebecca Bissonet. He's brought with him an authentic gown that belonged to none other than Danny LaRue, the legendary entertainer and female impersonator. The flamboyant dress dates back to 1969 and was worn by Danny on stage. Ceri recalls seeing Danny for the first time on TV when he was just ten years old, and was partly inspired to go into theatre himself as a result. When Ceri was working as a drag artist in Soho in the mid-80s, he had the good fortune to meet Danny, and the pair became friends, with Danny bequeathing the gown to Ceri when he passed away in 2009. 

Rebecca has the job of repairing the dress's frayed train and reinforcing the stitching where the diamantes threaten to break away entirely! Her incredible work means that Ceri can proudly display the gown once again and continue to tell the story of this pioneering entertainer. 

Last to arrive are brothers Nick and Chris from Suffolk, who've brought with them a unique piece of machinery dating back to the early 1900s. The dynamometer has been in Nick and Chris's family for generations and was a key piece of equipment in the family business: a sack manufacturer. The job of the dynamometer was to measure the strength of the twine used to make coal bags and sandbags produced by the company, which dates to the 1700s. In the early part of the 20th century, the business was responsible for making hundreds of thousands of sandbags for the British army used in the trenches of the First World War. But the Dynamometer is in no condition to measure twine strength anymore, and the dial which indicates the robustness has seized up entirely. 

The repair immediately appeals to horologist Steve Fletcher, who wastes no time in coming up with a diagnosis to get it working. As Steve works on the mechanism's dial, wood restorer Will Kirk takes on the timber elements. With the dynamometer finally fixed, Nick and Chris are excited to finally test the instrument they last used as 18-year-olds on the factory floor.

The team repair an iconic toy that has given up the ghost. Elsewhere in the barn, there are restoration jobs on a dilapidated bench, which began life as a family bed, and a handmade guitar that links a son with his inspirational father. On Suzie Fletcher's list is the substantial repair of a taxi badge given to black cab drivers upon completing ‘The Knowledge' memory test of London's street routes. 

Arriving first are the Willis-Cox family from Northampton, who are hoping that woodworking maestro Will Kirk can repair the repurposed bench that began life as parents Andy and Madeleine's first bed 30 years ago. The bed held important memories for the couple as the place where they brought home premature son Ade and where their youngest daughter, Freya, was born! The creative couple couldn't let go of this sentimental item and so recycled it into a garden bench which has been much loved by the family but is now weather-worn and seriously unstable. 

Will's plan begins with dismantling the bench so he can assess which parts need to be replaced and remade, with the bench's legs needing extensive strengthening. So it's onto the lathe, where Will turns a whole set of new feet before turning his attention to the mortise and tenon joints that will keep the bench together for generations to come. 

Next to arrive are Andrew and Kirsty from Glasgow, who've brought with them a guitar that Andrew himself made at college inspired by his father, Del, the man who gave him a passion for both woodwork and music. But despite crafting a stunning guitar, Andrew made a crucial mistake, meaning the neck is attached crooked and unplayable. The repair is a tricky job which numerous restorers have already turned down, but luckily expert Julyan Wallis is made of sterner stuff! Julyan has the job of getting the guitar singing once again and wastes no time in coming up with a solution: a complete neck reset. But a job of this size and skill is a complex task. Julyan has to delicately remove the neck without damaging the body of the guitar, employing a jig for the careful procedure. With the guitar finally fixed, Andrew is excited to finally play the instrument he built in memory of his inspirational father. 

Horologist Steve Fletcher has an appointment with Gemma from Colwyn Bay, who is entrusting him with a very special sketchpad toy that her father Bill gave her when she was eight years old. The toy was given to Gemma when her parents divorced, and she would write secret messages to her beloved Dad using it, but now the limited-edition gold ‘Etch-a-Sketch' has stopped working entirely. Steve is in uncharted territory as he attempts to solve the mystery of how two small knobs magically create a drawing on the screen, and it all starts with the careful dismantling of the iconic toy. That's if he can figure out how to take it apart, of course. 

The barn's final guests are sisters Kelly and Dawn, who have a unique challenge for leather expert Suzie Fletcher. They've brought with them an official taxi badge that belonged to their father, John, a black cab driver for 38 years. The taxi badge was presented to black cab drivers once they passed the infamous ‘Knowledge' test of London's roads by memory alone. It's a proud reminder of the hard-working father that Kelly and Dawn remember as a dedicated cabbie. Suzie has the job of repairing the badge's cracked leather surface and reinforcing the stitching where the strap threatens to break away entirely. She enlists Brenton's help to revitalise the brass badge itself. Their teamwork means that Kelly and Dawn can proudly display their father's taxi badge once again.

The team repair a dictaphone which contains a recording unheard for 80 years, whilst a barber set and Hungarian fruit bowl are also on the jobs list. 

Arriving first is Sebastian from Edinburgh, who brought with him an item that once belonged to his godfather in the 1930s. The tabletop dictaphone is a remarkable piece of equipment that allowed Sebastian's godfather, author William Gerhardie, to dictate his writing to a secretary, who would type the words for print. Gerhardie, born in Russia in 1895, was a contemporary of writers including HG Wells and Graham Greene, and wrote several books inspired by his early life in Russia. 

The dictaphone worked by amplifying the speaker's voice, which in turn was translated through a needle onto wax cylinders. The grooves in these cylinders could then be played back to hear the voice on the recording. Sebastian still has a number of wax cylinders, along with his godfather's dictaphone. If audio expert Mark Stuckey can get it working, it will be the first time anybody has heard the contents of these recordings for over 80 years. 

Soft toy restorers Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell have an appointment with mother and daughter Lesley and Nicola from Belfast. They have brought with them a fluffy feline full of special memories. Jess the stuffed cat belongs to Lesley's foster son Colin, who the family began offering respite care to in 2012. Twelve-year-old Colin has Pierre Robin sequence, a rare birth defect characterised by an underdeveloped jaw. It results in breathing difficulties, no speech and being unable to chew, meaning Colin is now PEG fed. 

Jess has accompanied Colin through numerous hospital stays and operations, and is with him when he goes to sleep every night. But all that adoration has taken its toll on Jess, who is losing stuffing and has been patched up many times by Lesley. Colin is keen for Jess to retain the unique finger holes that mirror his own stomas, so Amanda and Julie hatch a plan to make Jess safe and secure without losing any of the important character that means so much to Colin and the whole family. 

The next visitor is Jannette from Northampton, who has a challenge for blade and scissor expert Jonathan Reid. In a bag, Jannette has her father Geoffrey's cut-throat razor and scissors - his tools as a traditional barber. After being called up for national service, Geoffrey was trained as the army's barber. After he left the army, he kept on with the job and eventually became the manager of a barber's shop, where Jannette also learned the trade. Jannette was just 14 when her father taught her how to use a cut-throat razor, the very one that she's brought to the barn today. When Jannette opened her own salon at the age of 19, her father was immensely proud of the achievement. 

Janette wants Jonathan to restore the barber set, now rusted and dulled by decades of disuse, back to the condition she remembers. As one of the last remaining scissor makers in the UK, Jonathan is exactly the right person to get these tools back to their best. 

Last into the barn are Christine and Sian from Newport in Wales. The sisters are hoping that ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay can repair a broken fruit bowl that Christine brought with her late husband Itsvan (known as Steve) on their first visit together to his home country of Hungary in 1985. 

The couple met in a pub in 1975, 20 years after Itsvan had arrived in the UK aged just 16. He had fled his home country in the wake of the Hungarian uprising - a movement against Soviet brutality. After ten years together, Christine convinced Itsvan to return to Hungary for the first time since fleeing as a teenager so that he could visit his mother. During this trip, Christine spotted the ornate bowl, and Itsvan bought it for her. Itsvan sadly passed away in 2000 after being involved in a crash with a drunk driver. It was 15 years later when Christine's sister Sian accidentally broke the stand of the bowl whilst cleaning, so now the sisters are here in the hope that Kirsten can repair it.

First in the barn are mother and daughter Halina and Lesley with a treasure from World War II in desperate need of jeweller Richard Talman's expertise. The broken, silver ring belonged to Halina's mother, Janina, who was born in Warsaw, orphaned at just 13 years old and taken in by a convent close to the Jewish ghetto in the city. She was given the ring as a thank you from a Jewish woman after she risked her life passing food through the fence to families imprisoned in the ghetto. The ring, Janina's most treasured possession, stayed with her throughout her life, and was given to her daughter, Halina, when she passed away. Now broken, and severely worn, it's Halina's wish that the ring be turned into a pendant, so she can keep her mum, who displayed remarkable courage in the face of great adversity, close to her heart. 

Next to arrive is Gordon Craik with his sons, James and Ross. They've brought two intriguing pieces of sporting history for the attention of silversmith Brenton West. The pair of heavy, outdoor curling stones, complete with their wicker baskets, originally belonged to Gordon's grandfather and were famously used by Gordon's father in his team's victory of the Grand Match of 1979 – a huge outdoor curling match held on the Lake of Menteith near Stirling. Having sat outside for many years, the stones are worn, their handles bent, and the wicker baskets aren't fit to hold their weight. It's Gordon's dream to hand the stones that hold so much sporting and family history to his sons, both of whom are champion curlers in their own right. Brenton sets to work, bringing in the skills of leather expert Suzie Fletcher and basket weaver Sarah Hatton to get these stones back to their best. 

Next, woodworker Will Kirk is given the task of repairing a cherished character from childhood. Tracey Emery has brought in a wooden chef figurine that's sadly been fire-damaged in an unfortunate accident at home. The wooden chef used to sit on the counter of her grandparents' pub - it reminds Tracey of her beloved grandad, Ralph, and a happy childhood full of family Sunday lunches gathered at the pub. Tracey's dad, knowing how much the figurine meant to Tracey, was full of guilt after the accident and tried to have the wooden chef repaired, but it was the one thing he was unable to do before he sadly passed away. Will sets to work, to see if he can complete the task Tracey's dad so desperately wanted to finish, restoring the wooden chef's place in Tracey's kitchen and preserving memories of her beloved grandad and dad. 

Last in the barn today is Sonam Batra, hoping paper conservator Angelina Bakalarou can give a piece of cinematic and family history the red-carpet treatment. Sonam has brought a vintage film poster of Bollywood film Sholay. It's a reminder of the Sundays Sonam happily spent with his dad and cousins at the local cinema in Leamington Spa, and it's also where he learned to speak Hindi and Punjabi, simply by listening to Bollywood actors on the silver screen. Now torn and faded, Sonam discovered the poster whilst clearing out his dad's house after he passed away. Angelina sets out to restore the film poster's star quality, reviving Sonam's memories of his dad and the many happy hours spent with his family in days gone by.

Lilian Russell from Newry in Northern Ireland brings in the first item. She has a harp for brand new experts Alex and Nigel Tree. A father and son pairing with over 50 years' combined experience in building and restoring harps, they are impressed to learn that this harp was built by Lilian's father, a complete novice, in his garage. As a child, Lilian had pined for a harp, but since times were tough, the family couldn't afford one. So, Lilian's dad, Jimmy, decided to build one himself, using a book from the library. It took him about six months, and he painstakingly fashioned every separate element - the workmanship for a complete amateur is astonishing. This was his first harp, and he went on to become a luthier, making harps and instruments for people all over the world.

Lilian was devastated when the harp her dad made was dropped during a house move, causing cracks in the case and making it no longer steady on its feet. Alex and Nigel have their work cut out to return it to Lilian in the state she remembers, so she can hear it played for the first time in decades.

Next, lifelong friends Mac Greenwood and Pete Hemmings arrive with a delicate item for paper conservator Angelina Bakalarou. It is a ‘returning birthday card' in the shape of an airline sick bag that Pete's mum bought for him to give to his friend Mac on his 16th birthday. The idea was that Mac would keep the card and send it back to his friend with a new message for his birthday the following year. So started a tradition that has lasted all their lives, right up to the present day, despite Pete moving 12,000 miles away to Australia 28 years ago.

For the friends, it signifies a constant in an ever-changing world and became all the more poignant when Pete was involved in a terrible car accident that left him with voids in his memory. The card has helped fill in some of the blanks. It is a delicate task for Angelina, who must work out a way to conserve the paper but also keep it viable as a card that can continue to be written on and sent halfway around the world for years to come.

The next visitors are sisters Fiona and Kirsten with a treasured family heirloom: their father's potter's wheel. The wheel belonged to their father, Syd Walker, a renowned potter and artist known for his exceptional work in Scotland during the 60s and 70s. Syd's pottery was celebrated internationally, with exhibitions across America, Holland and France, and even featured in the Royal Family Collection. As Fiona and Kirsten reminisce about their childhood spent in their father's pottery studio, they fondly recall the sights, sounds and smells that surrounded them. The potter's wheel was not just a tool, but a symbol of their father's passion for art and creativity. Despite its impracticality, they held onto the wheel as a tangible connection to their beloved father and his legacy. Now, Kirsten dreams of following in her father's footsteps and creating pottery on his wheel. However, the wheel is in need of extensive restoration. Dominic Chinea, the resident expert, is entrusted with the task of bringing the wheel back to life.

The barn's final guest is Maria from Dublin, who brings in her mother's retirement clock. Maria's mother received the clock as a gift from her colleagues upon her marriage in 1962. The clock holds significant historical importance, as it symbolises the challenges women faced in the workplace due to the marriage bar in Ireland during the 1960s. Maria recounts her mother's experiences of having to give up her job upon marriage. Despite this, Maria's mother cherished the clock as a symbol of her career and independence. However, the clock stopped working around ten years ago, and Maria seeks the expertise of resident horologist Steve Fletcher to restore it to its former glory. As Steve examines the clock, he discovers worn bearings and realises the extent of the repair work required. Despite the challenges, Steve is determined to bring the clock back to life for Maria, who hopes to place it back on her father's mantlepiece where it belongs.

First in the barn is Abid Shah, with a challenge for one of the newest experts, textile and clothing specialist Rebecca Bissonnet. He's brought in a handmade, embroidered ceremonial coat from 19th-century India, worn by his great-grandfather, Sultan Mohammad Shah, at official occasions. The coat was passed to his grandparents and came into Abid's mother's possession after the partition of India in 1948, when he and his parents made the perilous journey to Pakistan while his grandparents stayed in India. For Abid, it represents a simpler time in India, before partition. His longed-for wish is to return the coat to its best, preserving his connection with his great-grandfather and ensuring its survival for future generations. 

Next, with a treasured reminder of a childhood lived in the fast lane, are siblings Becky Roberts and Al Richards. They're hoping vintage bike enthusiast Dominic Chinea will be able to rebuild and restore their homemade children's motorbike, made from scratch by their dad, Derek, in 1965. An avid motocross rider, Derek built the bike for Al when he turned five, and it began a lifelong love of motocross for all the family. It ultimately led to Becky meeting her husband, Tommy, who sadly passed away two years ago. Becky would like the bike restored to its former glory as a fitting tribute to their dad, her late husband, and as a thank you to her brother Al for being by her side throughout it all. 

Next to arrive is Charlotte Bray, with a vintage suede handbag for the attention of leather expert Suzie Fletcher. The bag was bought on a trip of a lifetime holiday to New York that Charlotte and her two brothers were taken on by their mum, Jane. It reminds Charlotte of the hard work and determination of her single mum, who worked very hard to save the money for the trip and put her three children's needs ahead of her own. 

A well-loved accessory, the bag accompanied Charlotte on many nights out in her teens but got damaged one night and has since been gathering dust in a box. Charlotte would like the vintage handbag revived as a tribute to her mum, who sadly passed away from a brain tumour last year at home, with her three children surrounding her. 

Next is Ron Martin from Dorset with a box of tricks for woodwork wizard Will Kirk. Ron's magic box is a ‘sliding die' trick. It was made by his dad, Edward, ‘Teddy', in the early 1960s when Ron began to show interest in magic as a young boy. The trick box ignited a passion for magic in Ron, who went on to become a redcoat at Butlin's and enjoyed a successful career in the entertainment industry. Now scratched and broken, Ron's been unable to use the magic box trick for years. Will sets to work to make the box as good as new again, becoming a fitting tribute to Ron's father, who kick-started Ron's love for magic, all those years ago.

A farming family's butter churn and a fire-damaged teddy bear are given new life, and a guitar amp at the centre of Derry's punk scene in the 1970s is ready to roar again. 

First in the barn is Christian Skelton with a 1975 film projector, an ode to the halcyon days of cinema and the forgotten art of the film projectionist. The 250kg broken behemoth was given to Christian by his friend, a retired projectionist, and the plan is to get it working again and give the projector pride of place in a charity restoration project for a 110-year-old cinema, the Selsey Pavilion. The projector presents vintage electronics expert and cinephile Mark Stuckey with his dream challenge. He sets to work to see if he can breathe new life into this golden oldie. 

Next, with a challenge for jeweller Richard Talman, is Charlotte Wakely. The lightning-bolt earrings are a precious memento of her much-missed mum Barbara and encapsulate everything that reminds Charlotte of her – fun-loving, rock n' roll, caring and generous. When Charlotte discovered the earrings amongst her mum's possessions after she sadly passed away from ovarian cancer, they had seen better days and she resolved to make them sparkle again. With a 9-carat gold surround and a black plastic 3D interior, the earrings present a particular challenge for Richard, who must come up with a creative solution to make these precious mementos of a fun-loving mum wearable again. 

The next restoration falls to Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, also known as The Bear Ladies. Pip Martin from Northampton arrives with a 1930s doll called Annabelle that belonged to her great aunt Eileen. Annabelle was originally Eileen's doll when she was a child but, as an adult, great aunt Eileen was first a nanny and then went on to foster over 50 babies and young children. All the children in Eileen's care would play with the doll that would also stay in the cot, watching over the very youngest of her charges. After Eileen died, the doll came to Pip but was damaged during a house move. Annabelle's head is completely detached from her body, her neck is in pieces, and she has no hair. Amanda and Julie set to work to bring Annabelle back to her original condition, with her head intact. They also make a new set of clothes that are in keeping with what she would have worn back when Eileen was first given the doll as a toddler. 

Last in the barn is Tony Jhalli with a musical instrument of personal, cultural, and religious significance. Tony's dhol drum was given to him by his father, a popular bhangra musician, at the age of 15. Once Tony had mastered the skill of playing, he made a career out of music by performing and teaching others how to play. Over the years, this original dhol drum has been damaged through use by younger members of the family and can no longer be played. It's over to musical maestro Pete Woods, to see if he can return the rhythm to this traditional Indian family treasure.

Silversmith Brenton West is first in the frame when Rio Goldhammer arrives with an antique silver tray with a close connection to his family. Dating back to 19th-century Vienna, it was bought by Rio's great-great-grandfather and is believed to be a Pidyon Haben tray. These are used in a traditional Jewish ceremony where the first-born male child is symbolically taken into the family from the synagogue. The tray not only connects Rio to his ancestors but is also a miraculous survivor of the mid-20th-century atrocities faced by Europe's Jewish population. Brenton has the difficult task of forging a new, ornately decorated handle and must employ an unusual technique using silver-filled clay to replicate the missing relief on the rim. 

Next to arrive are Diane and Mark from Kirkcaldy, who've brought with them a painted canvas featuring the insignia of their beloved amateur dramatics club. The canvas, originally painted in the 1950s, displays the logo for the Leslie Amateur Drama Club, established in 1904 and thought to be the longest running am-dram group in Scotland. The canvas was found during a clear-out in the early 2000s and kept as Mark and Diane believed it was salvageable. For the couple, the drama club holds a special place in their hearts, as it was upon that very stage that they met and fell in love. Now, after years of having no permanent home, the club is moving back into Leslie Town Hall, where it all began, and Mark and Diane wish to place the canvas at the centre of the proscenium arch where it proudly hung before. But the picture is showing its age. There are large areas of paint flaking away, and the timber framework needs investigating too. The couple are entrusting art conservator Lucia Scalisi with the fine detail work required to get this community emblem looking fit for the spotlight once again. 

Next in is Anjali Prasad from Manchester, who is hoping that expert bookbinder Chris Shaw can revitalise a copy of the Ramayana, an important Hindu scripture, created by her great-great-uncle in 1914. The paper booklet was written and printed in India in a dialect specific to where Anjali's great-great-uncle Munshi Ram lived. As a self-educated man, Munshi Ram took it upon himself to help improve the lives of his community and set about writing an accessible copy of the Ramayana, meant for mass consumption. Over 100 years have taken their toll, and the front page of the Ramayana is torn in two, with disintegrating binding and badly frayed edges throughout. With dexterity and skill, Chris injects some vitality back into the sacred text that means so much to Anjali. 

The final restoration falls to metal maestro Dominic Chinea who's faced with disassembling and repairing a large model helicopter brought in by Sally from Norfolk. Sally explains that the helicopter was built by her father Alec, who placed it proudly atop the charity shop he opened in 1999 to support the East Anglian Air Ambulance. The bright yellow helicopter operated as a weathervane and local landmark, helping to draw people to the shop and in turn raise over £2 million for local charities. For Sally, the helicopter is a physical memento of her creative and generous father, who sadly passed away in 2010. Now Dom has the challenging task of getting this helicopter, which no longer spins and has wonky propellors, back in working order, so that Sally and customers of the shop can once again enjoy the sight of her father's helicopter high upon the rooftop.

First in the barn is Sarah Ruffle and her son James. She's hoping toy restorers Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch can work wonders on her childhood bear Teddy Greeves. Born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, Sarah has been in and out of hospital her whole life, and Teddy Greeves has been with her every step of the way, even accompanying her into the operating theatre. Now showing many signs of wear and tear, including a bandage across his tummy where he has no fur and the loss of his entire face, Julie and Amanda set to work to breathe new life into 53-year-old Teddy, ensuring he can stay by Sarah's side for many years to come. 

Next to arrive are friends from Yorkshire, both called John, who've brought a commemorative serviette of one of Britain's worst mining disasters. The pair, both ex-miners themselves, have a dishevelled serviette marking the West Stanley pit disaster of 1909 in which 168 people lost their lives. The duo have a collection of mining memorabilia which they use when talking to schoolchildren about the history and heritage of the industry. The serviette is typical of the items made available to buy at benefits after such disasters in the early 1900s, this being the only way to raise funds for the families who lost loved ones. Tragically, children as young as 13 lost their lives whilst working underground during the accident. 

The delicate crepe paper serviette has been partly eaten away by insects, and what remains is incredibly delicate. Both ex-miners would like to it be made robust enough to survive so that its important history can go on - and be displayed back in West Stanley. Paper conservator Angelina Bakalarou has the job of getting the serviette in one piece once again. 

Next is Angela Douglas from the Black Isle in Scotland, with a family heirloom for the attention of horologist Steve Fletcher. The Dutch clock, believed to date back to the 17th century, was a treasured possession of her late father, Peter, a larger-than-life character who sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of 89. His fascination with the clock and its link to their family history has passed onto Angela and her three siblings, and their research into the clock and family tree has brought them all together, despite living across the globe. Steve sets to work to see if he can get the clock ticking again, keeping Peter's memory alive for future generations. 

Finally, violin maker and restorer Becky Houghton has returned to the barn to help 13-year-old Savanna and her mum, Adelajda, save a musical monument to their family's war-torn past. The violin was originally owned by Savanna's great-grandfather's sister Maria, who lived in Poland before she had to abandon the instrument and her home. 

In early September 1939, at the outbreak of WW2, Maria and her family had to flee the Germans. Maria had to leave this violin at home, as she could only take the essentials. Sadly, she did not survive that war, and Savanna's great-grandfather Josef kept it as a keepsake of his sister. He gave it to his daughter, who gave it to her daughter, and then to Savanna. To get the violin back in working order, Becky must repair the fingerboard which has become completely adrift after decades of wear, before she must then tackle the strings and tailpiece

First through the barn doors is broadcaster Sally Magnusson, who is hoping furniture restorer Sonnaz Nooranvary can help safe a precious memento from her late father – the original Mastermind chair that was featured in every programme for Mastermind's first 25 years under the chairmanship of her father Magnus Magnusson. It was given to him in 1997 when he retired from hosting the icon quiz show. It's lived in Sally's house since her dad's death in 2007 and is looking the worse for wear. For Sally, it's much more than a telly prop – it reminds her of an era when she was growing up, her dad was making the programme and he suddenly became a celebrity. 

As Sonnaz gets to work on the iconic prop, she discovers the areas that need immediate attention are on the arms. The leather has slowly worn over time. And at the base, there's some really heavy creasing where nervous contestants once sat. She needs to line the leather to give it some extra strength. Over the years, the padding on the inside has really compressed down, and that needs to be brought back to life again. Unexpected structural damage in the arms means she also needs to call in the help of Dom Chinea. 

Conducting the next repair is Pete Woods, who tackles an out-of-tune and worn-out glockenspiel that holds deep sentimental value for sisters Mandy Fletcher and Tina Kay from Leeds. The glockenspiel, once belonging to their father Ken Newton, holds a special place in their hearts, as it reminds them of their father's days as a talented percussionist and drummer at the renowned Batley Variety Club. As part of the house band, their father played alongside some of the biggest musical stars of the day, including Louis Armstrong, Jay Orbison and Shirley Bassey. But the years of touring and performing have left the glockenspiel past its peak. So, while Pete focuses on restoring its tone and functionality, colleague Suzie Fletcher lends a hand on the battered case. Together, the talented duo transform the tired instrument into a playable treasure, symbolising the enduring bond between the sisters and their beloved father. 

Next in the barn is Jennie Jewitt-Harris from Surrey with a storybook that has its own extraordinary tale to tell. A children's book given to her dad Tony in 1943 on his eighth birthday, which still has the inscription inside the cover wishing him a happy birthday. Just 12 months later, as World War II raged on, the book that entertained him would also save his life. In 1944, Jennie's dad was lying in bed in his home in Chingford when German planes launched a bombing campaign to try and hit the local reservoirs. One bomb ripped the front and the roof off Tony's family house, and he was found lying with the book on his chest and a big shard of glass sticking out the back of the book. With such an incredible story behind the book, Chris Shaw must proceed cautiously with his repair. There's no spine, and the pages need re-sewing. But since the damage is also part of the book's story, it's important that he keeps the age and provenance of where the glass pierced it. 

Last to arrive are Peter and Laura from Smethwick. The grandfather and granddaughter are hoping that expert woodworker Will Kirk can repair a precious toy that's been in their family for generations. The wooden toucan mobile was originally given to Laura as a baby and stayed with her until she left home at 18. When Laura gave birth to her own son, Rory, it was immediately decided that the toucan, affectionately known as ‘Mr Toucs', should go into baby Rory's room. However, an accident during transport saw Mr Toucs lost on a farm and part of him run over on a nearby A road! Laura and her grandfather Peter can't bear to be without their beloved mobile and want Will to make a new wing and the cloud that used to hang above the bird to take pride of place in baby Rory's bedroom. With new component parts to make, Will can see how the bird should go together. But it's the flapping mechanism that he wants to demonstrate to Peter and Laura when they return to the barn.

First getting to work first is expert Will Kirk, who has an appointment with an 1890s knife-sharpening barrow and its custodian, Emilio. He has brought the barrow with a request that this important piece of family history can be transformed from the now broken and rusted condition. The barrow originally belonged to Emilio's great-grandfather, also called Emilio, who took up the trade of knife sharpening in a small village in the Dolomite Mountains before setting off to seek his fortune, with the sharpening barrow his only means of supporting himself. Emilio Sr pushed the barrow all the way across Austria and into France before settling in Deptford, London. But now the barrow has a collapsed side panel, an overstretched belt and a broken spindle leg, meaning Emilio has never seen it working. Will has to keep his nose to the grindstone to complete the substantial repair job required to get this unique machine working once again. 

Next, soft toy restorers Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell have an appointment with Jamie from Hampshire, who has brought with him a cuddly canine full of special memories. The stuffed husky was given to Jamie when he was just six years old and accompanied him through many hospital visits as he was treated for complex regional pain syndrome, a condition where damaged nerve pathways cause extreme pain. Eventually, in 2016, Jamie made the decision to have an amputation and began a new stage in his life, learning to walk again and taking on many physical challenges like climbing Mount Snowden and travelling abroad – all of which Po has accompanied him on. Jamie now competes internationally in obstacle races and wants to continue to take mascot Po along for the ride but is scared to do so due to his delicate state. Po's stitching is loose around the neck, and his head threatens to fall off, whilst the body has tears and worn-away patches throughout. But Jamie's keen that Po retains the character of a well-loved and well-travelled companion, so Amanda and Julie hatch a plan to make this husky a very special onesie to protect him from whatever the next stage of his adventures should throw at him. 

Arriving for an appointment with both luthier Julyan Wallis and painting conservator Lucia Scalisi is Danielle from London, who has brought along a one-of-a-kind guitar that belonged to her father, Colin. Danielle explains that her dad was a keen amateur artist and musician, so he combined his passions by painting the front of this guitar in his trademark abstract pattern. Tragically, after Danielle's grandmother died, Colin's mental health was badly affected, and he died not long after when Danielle was just 11. The guitar is a poignant reminder of the beloved father that brought Danielle so much joy – but now its paintwork is dull and badly worn, and the neck is misaligned, meaning it can't be played. Julyan tackles phase one of the restoration, realigning the guitar neck and polishing up the picks. Lucia takes on phase two, as she painstakingly removes the remaining patches of original varnish before retouching with acrylic paints to precisely match the colours Colin used all those years ago. 

The final restoration falls to husband-and-wife team Walid and Joujou, experts in the field of typewriter restoration. The couple are faced with dissecting and reassembling a truly unique example of mid-century technology brought in by mother and daughter Lynda and Jemma. Lynda explains that she has owned the braille typewriter since the age of seven as a girl in a school for the blind. The typewriters were the first of their kind to be mass produced and played an important part in helping blind people to be equally as literate as their sighted peers. When Lynda had daughter Jemma, also born partially sighted, the typewriter took on a new domestic function as a labeller for children's books and images. Sadly, Jemma's sight continues to deteriorate, and so she is learning the more advanced Grade 2 braille and requires the family's trusty typewriter to help her with the task. Walid and Joujou have a complex challenge ahead to get the machine working again. The internal mechanism gets permanently jammed, paper won't stay inside, and the case is in tatters. The married experts set to work so that Jemma and Lynda can once again use the device that has been of such vital assistance to them throughout their lives.