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The Repair Shop's Suzie Fletcher reveals she was in a dark place before landing TV role

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Eve Crosbie
TV & Film Writer
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The Repair Shop has been bringing comfort and joy to viewers since it first began airing back in 2017, and fans will be happy to hear that the BBC show has also helped its presenters get through their darkest days too.

MORE: Viewers break down in tears over The Repair Shop's emotional new episode – details

Speaking in a new interview with The Telegraph, Suzie Fletcher revealed that the show has "repaired" her following the tragic death of her husband.

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

Equestrian-loving Suzie has been a much-loved member of The Repair Shop team since season two when she joined after being convinced by her brother Steve Fletcher, who also regularly appears. Before returning to the UK, Suzie lived in America for 22 years with her other half up until his sad passing in 2013 from pancreatic cancer. 

MORE: 7 shows to watch if you love The Repair Shop

MORE: Will Kirk reveals behind-the-scenes glimpse of exciting new series

"Emotionally, physically, mentally, I was gone," she told the publication of her grief following her husband's death, adding that it was only after joining the show she realised she wasn't alone in feeling that way. 

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The BBC star is an expert in leather and saddles

"You feel like you can say anything here and nobody's going to judge you: they'll just wrap their arms around you," she said, adding: "This place repairs my heart."

Suzie previously revealed that she was initially not that keen to join the BBC programme when her brother first suggested the idea to her as she was "terrified of being on camera". 

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Suzie was encouraged to join the show by her brother Steve Fletcher

Chatting to The Times alongside her brother, last year she said: "I really didn't want to do it, I'm much more private than Steve, and was terrified of being on camera. But the whole team are so nice, and the show felt so natural, so I suppose I grew into it." 

She continued: "Looking back, if I hadn't had the routine of The Repair Shop I think I would have struggled quite a lot to adjust to life in the UK. It helped to heal me in a lot of respects."

MORE: Meet The Repair Shop presenter Steve Fletcher's family

The expert, who was one of Britain's first female master saddlers back in the Seventies, also opened up about living Stateside. 

She said: "It was very much a western life, a ranching life. Me, this English chick, plopped right into America's heartland. You'd see tumbleweed rolling by sometimes."

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