Season 1

1. Childhood Toys

2020-07-06

A rocking horse, a teddy and a bike help reveal the story of our toys.

2. Home Front - WWII

2020-07-07

Three unique items help tell the story of how Brits kept the home fires burning during the Second World War.

3. Mid-Century Furniture

2020-07-08

Jay Blades reveals how mid-century furniture has influenced modern style.

4. Immigration

2020-07-09

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.

5. Rural Life

2020-07-10

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.

6. Espionage

2020-07-13

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.

7. Maritime History

2020-07-14

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.

8. Clockwork

2020-07-15

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.

9. Musical Instruments

2020-07-16

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.

10. WWI Restorations

2020-07-17

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.

11. Film & Video

2020-07-20

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.

12. Modern Music

2020-07-21

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.

13. Episode 13

2020-07-22

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.

14. Episode 14

2020-07-23

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.

15. Episode 15

2020-07-24

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.