Season 1
15 episodes · 2020
1Childhood Toys
A rocking horse, a teddy and a bike help reveal the story of our toys.
2Home Front - WWII
Three unique items help tell the story of how Brits kept the home fires burning during the Second World War.
3Mid-Century Furniture
Jay Blades reveals how mid-century furniture has influenced modern style.
4Immigration
Jay Blades looks back at three repairs that help show how immigration has shaped the UK: a pump organ from the Caribbean, a barber’s pole with Cypriot links and an Iraqi samovar.
5Rural Life
Jay Blades uses three repairs – a butter churn, spinning wheel and a set of ploughing trophies – and some fascinating archive to trace the changing face of rural life in the UK.
6Espionage
Jay Blades investigates the UK’s espionage history through eye-opening archive and three items restored in the barn, including a teapot linked to undercover operatives.
7Maritime History
Jay Blades delves into the UK’s maritime history through eye-opening archive and three memorable items from the Repair Shop: a ditty box, a teddy and a book of cuttings about Captain Scott.
8Clockwork
Jay Blades uses archive and three repairs – a centuries-old clock, a toy and a clocking on machine – to explore how the invention of clockwork continues to influence modern life.
9Musical Instruments
Jay Blades investigates the place of musical instruments in modern life by revisiting three barn repairs, including a bass owned by a member of Hot Chocolate.
10WWI Restorations
Jay Blades explores the legacy of the First World War in the UK by delving deeper into three restorations: some bagpipes, a soldier’s wire cutters and two RAF mascots.
11Film & Video
With the help of archive, Jay Blades reveals how three inventions restored in the barn – a magic lantern, a projector and a mutoscope – influenced modern TV and film technology.
12Modern Music
Jay Blades revisits three repairs – a polyphon, a gramophone and a transistor radio – to show how modern music has been influenced by vintage music players.
13Episode 13
Jay Blades revisits three repairs - a watch, a swagger stick and a belt - that tell heroic stories from the Second World War that still resonate today.
14Episode 14
Jay Blades revisits three repairs – a cash register, a camera and a calculator - to show how they helped shape the modern digital world we enjoy today.
15Episode 15finale
Jay Blades examines the evolution of modern transport through archive footage and three Repair Shop restorations: a penny-farthing bicycle, a tram seat and a speedometer.
