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5 facts about The Repair Shop you may not know

The BBC programme is adored by viewers

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Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
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The Repair Shop has built up quite the fanbase over the years. Not only have the beloved items made viewers fall in love with the show for its moving stories, but the familiar faces who appear in each episode have become hugely popular, too.

MORE: Will Kirk's surprising friendship with Repair Shop co-star revealed

Fortunately for fans, the show airs daily on BBC and new episodes have also been airing weekly on Wednesday evenings – so it's safe to say that avid followers know a thing or two about the show. But here's some trivia about The Repair Shop that you may not have known…

WATCH: The Repair Shop's Jay Blades talks delay of latest delay

The participants don't have to pay for the repairs

If you're lucky enough to land a spot on the BBC show to take in your beloved item, there's more good news – you don't have to pay for it. Participants that head into the barn will have their possessions repaired by the very best in the business without being charged. Head of Factual at The Repair Shop's production company, Ricochet, Rob Butterfield, explained: "We don’t charge for repairs. If people wish to make a donation to a charity we’re very happy with that, but it’s by no means necessary."

jay blades repair new© Photo: BBC

Jay Blades has been presenter since 2017

Jay Blades isn't keen on a celebrity version of the show

It seems Jay is quite protective of The Repair Shop – and for good reason. The presenter responded to the idea of a celebrity spin-off version by stating that it would "take away" from the format of the show. He told Entertainment Daily: "I think we have so many normal people, I don't think we have to do a celebrity version to tell the honest truth. I think it might take away from the brand of The Repair Shop."

MORE: Meet The Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades' family

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

The Repair Shop barn is based on a historic site

Ever wondered where The Repair Shop barn is? Filming for the show takes place at The Weald and Downland Living Museum, just outside Chichester. It's on a 40-acre site and is home to a collection of historic rural buildings. The team also film in the adjacent building named the wagon shed and stables.

The oldest item on The Repair Shop will blow your mind

There has been so many fascinating and awe-inspiring items brought into the barn over its seven series. But did you know that the oldest item that the team have been shown dates back to Shakespearean times?

According the BBC website, the oldest item to appear on the show was an extremely rare lantern clock from the 1600s, believed to have been made by renowned clockmaker Thomas Loomes.

kirsten ramsay new© Photo: BBC

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The experts are all close friends behind the scenes

This is perhaps unsurprising to viewers given the on-screen bond between the experts, but Jay Blades confirmed that the entire team on the BBC show is like a "family" – and we love that even when the cameras are off, they're still mates! Chatting to HELLO! back in November 2020, Jay said: "It's a family behind the scenes. [The experts] and the people who film the show, they are part of the family as well, so we're one big happy family and that's what oozes through the camera."

MORE: Will Kirk shares first look at new show – but fans are concerned

He added: "We film six days a week, we film from eight o'clock in the morning until probably about six o'clock at night, we have breakfast together, we have dinner together and then we film together.

"If you spend that amount of time with anybody, you're going to get to know them, you're going to really enjoy their company because you find out so much about each other during that time."

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