A guest on The Repair Shop was left ‘speechless and blown away’ as their restoration took a very dramatic turn in a BBC first.
The Repair Shop On The Road, a spin-off from the original beloved heirloom restoration show, returned to our screens for a new episode on Wednesday.
The BBC series, which began in January, sees the experts leave the workshop to tour the UK, using their skills to keep people’s sentimental items in mint condition.
Presenters and experts Dominic Chinea and Will Kirk were joined by painting specialist Lucia Scalisi in Glasgow for last night’s episode.
They met with Kaming, a member of the Scottish city’s Hakka Chinese community, who wanted help to restore a Chinese unicorn head to its former glory.
The mask, made from fragile bamboo and paper, is used to perform a traditional dance at celebrations like Chinese New Year or weddings.
A guest on The Repair Shop was left ‘speechless and blown away’ as their restoration took a very dramatic turn in a BBC first
They experts met with Kaming (pictured), a member of the Scottish city’s Hakka Chinese community, who wanted help to restore a Chinese unicorn head to its former glory
The mask, made from fragile bamboo and paper, is used to perform a traditional dance at celebrations like Chinese New Year or weddings
But around 25 years of heavy use had left it looking worse for wear, with the horn in particular needing urgent attention.
Kaming explained that to his knowledge, he is the last person in the community who knows how to perform the dance and wants to teach it to generations to come.
This made it especially important to get the mask restoration right – so the important cultural tradition it is associated with is not lost forever.
Lucia did not let him down, using her specialist skills to bring the mask back to life.
Just before unveiling it, she asked: ‘Are you looking forward to seeing it?’
Kaming could not wait – and when she removed the cloth covering it, he was astonished at what he saw.
Gasping and covering his mouth in shock, he said: ‘Just speechless! Speechless. It’s amazing.
‘It’s a very big difference especially the actual front here. Looking shiny.’
Around 25 years of heavy use had left it looking worse for wear, with the horn in particular needing urgent attention. Pictured: The mask before restoration
Kaming explained that to his knowledge, he is the last person in the community who knows how to perform the dance and wants to teach it to generations to come
Lucia (pictured) did not let him down, using her specialist skills to bring the mask back to life
The expert was delighted at his reaction – and expressed her own love for the object too: ‘Everything about it is exquisitely beautiful. The symbolism on it is incredible.
‘And I think that it will do a very good job for your community centre for years to come. And now I think it’s your turn to keep your side of the deal!’
It was then a new BBC first occurred as the show quite literally took a dramatic turn.
It came as The Repair Shop saw its first ever dance routine performed on-screen in the show’s eight-year history.
Lucia was invited to the Hakka Chinese community centre to watch Kaming perform with the newly restored mask.
She exclaimed: ‘I actually don’t know what to say, I am truly blown away to have that lovely unicorn do the unicorn dance.
‘It was energetic, it was very powerful. It was wonderful!
The guest offered her some final words of thanks to close the episode: ‘It means a lot to the Chinese community to have it fixed because it represents a whole lot to them.’
Kaming could not wait to see the results – and when she removed the cloth covering it, he was astonished at what he saw
Lucia was invited to the Hakka Chinese community centre to watch Kaming perform (pictured) with the newly restored mask
It comes after another recent episode of The Repair Shop offered up an equally emotional story.
The instalment saw presenter Will head to Oldham, Greater Manchester, to collect a vintage fruit machine from guest John Geraghty.
He explained his father bought it as a birthday and housewarming gift for his mother nearly five decades ago.
But his father sadly died not long after in a car crash – having headed out on a mere ten-minute trip, saying the heartbreaking three words: ‘I’ll be back.’
John recounted the awful day to Will, which started with his father receiving a phone call from a close friend, saying he had broken down: ‘Me and my dad always wanted to help somebody out.
‘We both jumped in the van, reversed off the drive and as we did, a friend of mine appeared.
‘My dad said, “Why don’t you jump out of the van? You stay here with Neil – I’ll be ten minutes, I’ll be back.’
Getting out of the van was a split decision that saved John’s life: ‘A car came out of a junction without stopping.
A guest on The Repair Shop (pictured) fought back tears recounting the death of his ‘soulmate’ dad – revealing his heart-wrenching last three words
Last night’s episode saw Will (pictured) head to Oldham, Greater Manchester, to collect a vintage fruit machine from guest John Geraghty
‘By the time the fire brigade got there, unfortunately it was too late.’
Will was moved by the tragic story, saying: ‘Must’ve been tough.’
John gave a touching reply: ‘Yeah because my dad was my soulmate. You know, I’m an only child and me and my dad did everything together.
‘I think about it every year and on that day, June 28, and on his birthday. We were so close and it still hurts now.’
Asked to describe his father’s character, he said fondly: ‘He was the life and soul of the party.’
The tragic story makes the fruit machine all the more special: ‘It’s the one big thing we’ve still got that I can walk past everyday and it reminds me of my dad and it reminds me of my mum.
‘It’ll be lovely to see it restored and working again.’
The Repair Shop team had a mountain to climb when it came to fixing the item – it had a stuck mechanism and damaged paintwork, and John had never seen the lights work.
But arcade expert Geoff Harvey rose to the challenge, fully restoring the fruit machine to its former glory over several days – to John’s absolute delight.
The Repair Shop On The Road is available to watch on BBC One and to stream on iPlayer.
