repair shop jay blades

The Repair Shop viewers 'in tears' following touching tribute to guest in 'special' episode 

Fans called it "the most emotional episode"

TV and film writer
January 6, 2022

Viewers of The Repair Shop were left "emotional" and in "tears" following the latest episode of the much-loved BBC programme. 

MORE: Jay Blades makes surprising revelation about The Repair Shop applicants

Wednesday night's instalment of the heartwarming heirloom-fixing show saw guests Hayley Fellows and her mother Wendy bring in a pair of racing boots belonging to Wendy's husband Mike, who they recently lost to cancer. 

WATCH: The Repair Shop leaves guest in tears after Will Kirk's impressive repair

Before the unveiling of the newly restored racing boots, Wendy told the viewers: "I think it will help me get through these next few weeks or few months and possibly a few years." Both guests were overcome with emotion following the reveal of the boots, which meant so much to them as restoring the item was on Mike's bucket list before he died. 

Fans of the show were touched by the heart-warming episode, with one person taking to Twitter to express their reaction, writing: "The tears. The connections to things seem not material but how it keeps the memory alive of the ones you’ve lost! #therepairshop," while another added: "Oh my goodness, another emotional episode - those boots were amazing and so sad he didn’t manage to see them restored."

MORE: Will Kirk reveals handmade Secret Santa present to The Repair Shop co-star, and it's amazing

MORE: Jay Blades announces engagement – and celebrity friends react

A third person wrote: "Wow that was the most emotional episode of #TheRepairShop," while another added: "Well you did warn us Jay but [expletive] that was [crying face emoji] tonight but as always just brilliant TV," referring to Jay Blades' Instagram post that he shared before the show. 

Guests Hayley and Wendy were overwhelmed by the repair

Warning the viewers, Jay shared the following post to his social media before the emotional episode: "Warning Alert. Tonight on @bbcone 8pm @therepairshop.tv is on and this show is Very Special. Tissues needed, you have been warned. Enjoy."

The episode also saw Steve Fletcher and Will Kirk team up to work on a grandfather clock while organ restorer David Burville took on a 1960s electric organ. Viewers also watched as expert bookbinder Chris Shaw restored an old diary that documented the life of a political activist between 1936 and 1989.

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