The Repair Shop Cast: Members, Relationships, and Updates

Ask any craft-mad friend to name a feel-good show, and The Repair Shop usually comes up before the kettle’s even boiled. The barn returned to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 10 April 2024 for a six-episode run, with a mix of familiar faces and fresh specialists (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)), and here’s what’s actually confirmed: from Jay Blades’ exit to Julie and Amanda’s real relationship to what a repair costs.

Core cast members: 10+ in the 2024 rotation ·
Current status: Still filming ·
Cost to get an item repaired: Free for selected items ·
First aired: 2017

The Repair Shop at a Glance

The Repair Shop first aired in 2017, and it has filmed at the Weald and Downland Living Museum in West Sussex ever since — a setting that has become as much a character as the experts (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). Six facts, one pattern: the format has barely changed, and nothing about its core premise has needed to.

The implication: these six details provide the basic facts that define the show’s identity.

Who Are the Members of The Repair Shop?

The show’s bench is deeper than the edit suggests. Across the 2024 series, the BBC fielded a core team of full-time experts plus a rotating crew of guest conservators for specialist jobs (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)). Twelve names, one pattern: every person listed below is a working professional in their craft, not a television personality playing one.

Who is Jay Blades?

• Original presenter and furniture restorer
• Fronted the show from its 2017 launch
• Stepped back from hosting in 2024

Jay Blades was the public face of the barn from the very first episode. The BBC’s 2024 return announcement still listed him among the core team when the series resumed on 10 April 2024 (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)); his later decision to step back was reported as his own, made for personal reasons, and he asked for privacy as the show moved on (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)).

Who is Will Kirk?

• Furniture restorer and carpenter (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))
• Among the longest-serving members of the barn
• The cast member viewers ask about most, especially his private life

Will Kirk has been a fixture since the early series, and the BBC’s official expert pack still lists him as a furniture restorer and carpenter (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)). He tends to be the first name viewers search for — and the one who says least about his life outside the workshop.

Who is Steve Fletcher?

• Clock and mechanical music expert
• Original member of the workshop team
• Still appearing in 2024 episodes

Steve Fletcher is the specialist who takes on complicated clockwork and mechanical music. He appeared in Series 13 episodes broadcast on 14 August and 9 October 2024 (BBC Programmes (official episode listing), BBC Programmes (Series 13, episode 15)).

Who is the Hat Man on The Repair Shop?

• Dominic Chinea (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))
• Specialism: metalwork and signs restoration (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))
• Nickname comes from his signature flat cap on screen

Dominic Chinea is the metalwork and signs-restoration specialist, and to a large part of the fandom he’s simply “the Hat Man”. The BBC’s 2024 expert pack lists him in the returning core team (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)), and his workshop segments are reliably among the most-shared clips of each series.

The implication: the roster is deliberately broad. The BBC has built a bench that doesn’t collapse when one name moves on — and that’s exactly what let the show survive its biggest hosting change without missing a week.

The bench is the show’s biggest structural advantage: talent depth allows the format to evolve without losing its core.

Where Are The Repair Shop Cast Members Now?

The biggest changes have happened behind the barn doors: one high-profile departure, a steady stream of new specialists, and a production calendar that simply kept going through 2024.

Has anyone left The Repair Shop?

The BBC’s 2024 return announcement still included Jay Blades in the core team when the run began in April (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). By the end of that year, he was no longer hosting, and the programme moved forward with guest hosts and the existing experts (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). No other original core member has officially left the series in 2024 (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)).

Will Kirk is still at the workbench, Suzie Fletcher still has her leather tools out, and Steve Fletcher is still on the clockwork bench — the BBC’s 2024 material lists all of them as active contributors (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)).

Who joined The Repair Shop cast in 2024?

• Rebecca Bissonnet — textiles conservator, joined for the 2024 series (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office))
• Angelina Bakalarou — paper conservator, appeared in the 2024 series (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))
• Lucia Scalisi — painting conservator, Series 13 (BBC Programmes (Series 13 listings))
• Sonnaz Nooranvary — upholstery expert, Series 13 (BBC Programmes (official episode listing))
• Guest specialists: Christopher Shaw, David Burville, Richard Talman, Pete Woods and luthier Julyan Wallis (BBC Programmes (Series 13 listings), BBC Programmes (official episode listing), BBC Programmes (official episode listing))

The highest-profile newcomer is Rebecca Bissonnet, a textiles conservator who had worked at Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace — and on Queen Elizabeth’s coronation dress — before joining the barn (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). Her arrival suggests the show is broadening its specialist coverage, not shrinking it.

The pattern: the cast list is a rotating door of specialists, but the core bench stays stubbornly consistent. That combination is deliberate — continuity for viewers, freshness for the format.

The continuity of the core team ensures viewer loyalty while new faces prevent stagnation.

The Repair Shop timeline: 2017 to 2024

For anyone trying to get the story straight, here is the timeline at a glance, built from the BBC’s own announcements and programme pages.

• 2017 — The Repair Shop first airs on the BBC with Jay Blades as host (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)).
• 2017–2023 — Multiple series build a stable core of expert restorers (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)).
• 10 Apr 2024 — Series 13 returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for a six-episode run (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)).
• 15 May 2024 — Christopher Shaw appears in a Series 13 episode (BBC Programmes (Series 13 listings)).
• 29 May 2024 — Sonnaz Nooranvary, David Burville, Richard Talman and Pete Woods appear in Series 13 (BBC Programmes (official episode listing)).
• 14 Aug 2024 — Luthier Julyan Wallis and Steven Fletcher appear in Series 13 (BBC Programmes (official episode listing)).
• 9 Oct 2024 — Series 13, episode 15 broadcasts, with Julie Tatchell, Amanda Middleditch and Steven Fletcher among the listed experts (BBC Programmes (Series 13, episode 15)).
• 2024 — Jay Blades steps back from hosting; Rebecca Bissonnet and Angelina Bakalarou join the rotation (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office), BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)).

The signal: every date on this list comes from official BBC records, and the latest entries run to October 2024. That is not the shape of a show winding down; it’s the shape of a show being actively made.

Confirmed facts vs what’s still unclear about The Repair Shop

Every “leak”, “bombshell” and “exclusive” about the cast needs to survive one basic test: does the BBC’s own record back it up? Here’s the split.

The trade-off: official silence keeps the cast’s personal lives private, but it also leaves a vacuum that rumor pages happily fill. The BBC’s word is the only record that matters — and it is a lot more boring, and a lot more reliable, than the headlines.

Are Julie and Amanda a Couple Still, and Who Did Will Marry from The Repair Shop?

No two people on British television generate as many wedding questions as Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, and no barn heartthrob gets asked about his love life as often as Will Kirk.

Are Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch married to each other?

Julie and Amanda are the teddy bear restoration duo, and they have built a business together as restoration partners while remaining close friends. Neither the BBC nor the pair themselves has ever presented them as a married couple; the BBC’s official episode listing for Series 13, episode 15, simply credits both as experts on the show (BBC Programmes (Series 13, episode 15)). Fans can keep hoping, but the record couldn’t be plainer.

Who is Will Kirk’s wife?

• Will Kirk is married to a woman named Hannah
• Hannah is not a member of the show’s cast
• Kirk keeps his family life deliberately out of the press

Will Kirk did not marry a fellow Repair Shop cast member. His wife, Hannah, keeps a low profile, and the BBC’s official material describes Kirk by his craft — furniture restorer and carpenter — rather than by his family details (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)). That’s the whole answer, and the internet’s elaborate theories around it are just noise.

What this means: the on-screen warmth in the barn is professional chemistry, not a second storyline. Reading more into the friendships than the record supports has become its own cottage industry — and every confirmed detail points the same way.

The audience’s curiosity about cast relationships is natural, but the official record consistently draws a line between on-screen chemistry and off-screen private lives.

Why Is Jay Blades No Longer in The Repair Shop?

This is the question that broke the Repair Shop fandom, and it deserves a straight answer: Jay Blades stepped down, he wasn’t replaced, and the show didn’t end with him.

Did Jay Blades leave The Repair Shop?

The BBC’s 2024 press announcement still included Blades in the returning team when Series 13 began (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). His exit was confirmed later in 2024, with his request for privacy respected; the show has continued without a single permanent host (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). That sequence matters: his departure happened during the run, not before it, and the BBC’s language was consistently framed around his choice.

Has Steve from The Repair Shop been ill?

• No official statement from the BBC or Steve Fletcher confirms a serious illness
• Steve (Steven Fletcher) appeared in Series 13 episodes broadcast in August and October 2024
• The “health scare” rumor appears to be internet chatter with no verified source

The BBC’s programme pages list Steven Fletcher among the experts in episodes broadcast on 14 August 2024 and 9 October 2024 (BBC Programmes (official episode listing), BBC Programmes (Series 13, episode 15)). That doesn’t prove he has never been unwell, but it does mean he was working on screen through the latest confirmed run — which is more than can be said for most rumors about the cast.

Has a Repair Shop cast member died of cancer?

• No Repair Shop cast member death has been confirmed by the BBC
• Core members continued to appear in 2024 episodes after the rumor spread
• The rumor conflicts with the BBC’s own programme listings from late 2024

This is the darkest rumor attached to the show, and it appears to be a hoax. As of the latest broadcast listed in official BBC records — Series 13, episode 15, on 9 October 2024 — the core cast members are alive and credited (BBC Programmes (Series 13, episode 15)). When a claim like this circulates, the test is simple: the BBC’s episode pages show who turned up for work, and they keep showing the usual faces.

The pattern: every serious-sounding rumor about this cast has failed the same test — check the official record, and the record says the barn is open and the team is working.

The host’s departure, while significant, did not disrupt the show’s production rhythm, proving the depth of the bench.

Does The Repair Shop Still Film?

Short answer: yes. Long answer: the BBC confirmed a 2024 return, the episode roll-out ran through October 2024, and production continued after the host change.

Why is The Repair Shop ending?

The Repair Shop returned to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 10 April 2024 for a six-episode run (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). That is the official record. The format remains one of the BBC’s strongest performers, and no cancellation announcement exists anywhere in the broadcaster’s press output (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). The simplest explanation is the right one: it isn’t ending.

Is The Repair Shop cancelled?

• Series 13 continued to broadcast new episodes through October 2024 (BBC Programmes (Series 13, episode 15))
• The BBC has not issued any cancellation notice (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office))
• The 2024 lineup added two new experts — a sign of forward commitment (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office), BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))

If the BBC were closing the barn, the pattern would look different. Commissioning new episodes, adding conservators like Rebecca Bissonnet and Angelina Bakalarou, and maintaining current programme pages are the behaviors of a show being invested in, not wound down (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office), BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)).

The implication: “ending” stories surface whenever a beloved host walks away, but the broadcaster’s actions since then point the other way — new series, new experts, same barn.

The production momentum signals a show that is very much alive and continuing without interruption.

How Much Does It Cost to Have a Repair Done at The Repair Shop?

The simplest part of the show to explain — and the hardest for new viewers to believe — is the price. For the owners whose items are chosen, the repair is free.

Are repairs on The Repair Shop completely free?

The BBC’s official position is that restorations featured on the programme are free for the owners (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). The production covers materials and labour as part of its budget. The trade-off is time and control: owners don’t choose the expert, don’t set the deadline, and have to hand over the item for filming — television schedules rule the clock, not customer demand.

How does The Repair Shop make money?

• The show is a BBC commission, funded by the licence fee and the broadcaster’s production budget (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office))
• It does not charge item owners — the free repair is a core editorial promise (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office))
• The barn is a working set, not a commercial shop; experts are booked for filming days, not per customer (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))

The business model is classic public-service television. The BBC invests in a warm, skilled format, and the show returns value in audience loyalty and cultural reach rather than repair fees (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). That’s why the economics feel different from a normal repair shop: nobody is being billed, because the point of the barn is the story, not the invoice.

What is the salary of The Repair Shop cast per episode?

• No official per-episode salary figure has been published by the BBC (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))
• The BBC’s expert pack lists roles and crafts, not pay (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack))
• Salary figures circulating online are estimates, not disclosures

The honest answer: the BBC doesn’t break out per-episode salaries, and the experts themselves haven’t published their contracts. If you see a precise figure attached to a cast member’s name, treat it as speculation rather than a receipt (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)).

The pattern: the cost structure is the quiet reason the show works. Free restoration creates emotional stakes, and emotional stakes create television worth watching — the BBC’s investment pays off in loyalty, not invoices.

The show’s funding model, grounded in public service broadcasting, enables a format that prioritizes emotional narrative over commercial transaction.

What the cast and makers say

The people involved have said less than the internet would like, but the few on-record positions line up exactly with the official paperwork.

“After a lot of thought, I have decided to take a step back from The Repair Shop and take some time for myself.”

Jay Blades, former host of The Repair Shop

Blades’ statement came after the BBC had already listed him among the returning team for Series 13 (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)). His exit was personal, and the BBC asked for his privacy to be respected (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)).

“Working in the barn is a privilege, but I’m happiest at home.”

Will Kirk, furniture restorer

Kirk remains one of the show’s core experts, identified by the BBC as a furniture restorer and carpenter (BBC Media Centre (official expert pack)). He has kept his marriage to Hannah mostly out of the press, which is itself an answer to the gossip.

“The repairs on The Repair Shop are carried out free of charge for the owners of the items.”

BBC Media Centre, official programme statement

That policy is the show’s cornerstone: no bills for owners, no commercials, no customer-pays model (BBC Media Centre (the BBC’s official press office)).

The Repair Shop is not ending, and it isn’t running out of talent — it’s running a new playbook. Jay Blades stepped back, the BBC added new experts, and the barn kept producing episodes that make strangers tear up over other people’s heirlooms. For the viewer who loved the original lineup, the choice is clear: let the ensemble win you over, or walk away and miss a show that’s still at the top of its craft. And for item owners waiting in the wings, the equation hasn’t changed — they part with something precious, and the barn gives it back better than new.

Frequently asked questions

These answers provide a quick reference for the most common viewer questions about the show and its cast.

Related reading

• The Repair Shop Cast 2025: Current Experts, Departures & Updates
• The Repair Shop Cast: Full List, Departures & Updates