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Episode 21

Episode 21 of 25

The team repair a giant plush hound dog with rock star pedigree, a Cypriot shepherd’s bag and a prizewinning sewing machine from the 1980s.

The team take on four unique items, each carrying deep emotional weight and powerful personal stories.

First through the barn doors is a giant plush hound dog, gifted to the UK Elvis Presley fan club by Elvis’s legendary manager, Colonel Tom Parker. After decades of display and devotion, this one-of-a-kind soft toy is torn, sagging and shedding stuffing. Julie and Amanda must work from nose to tail to restore this towering tribute to its former splendour. But facing quite literally the biggest challenge they have ever worked on, riddled with tears, and with its frame poking through and fabric failing, can the Bear Ladies give this celebrity canine back its pedigree?

Ken from County Durham brings in a treasured clock compendium – part clock, part thermometer, part barometer – presented to his father, Bob, by fellow miners in recognition of Bob’s bravery during the tragic 1951 Easington Colliery disaster. With each of its constituent instruments damaged or broken, horologist Steve Fletcher faces a tricky challenge on three fronts to get them up and running again. And an already difficult repair gets harder when Steve identifies a rogue air bubble in the thermometer’s mercury that will take all his ingenuity to solve.

Sophia and her uncle Lambros arrive next, with a remarkable leather shepherd’s bag that once belonged to Sophia’s father, a young goat herder in Cyprus. The bag survived war, displacement and decades of use, only to suffer severe damage by chewing after attracting the curious attention of their hungry pet dog. Indomitable as ever, Suzie sets to the task of repairing the straps, tassels and corners, hoping to rescue this treasured symbol of heritage and survival.

Finally, Rajinder from London brings in a sewing machine she won in a national fashion competition in 1982 when she was an irrepressible 16-year-old with a passion for textiles and design. It’s a cherished reminder of her creativity and of her late parents, who were her biggest supporters. But after 20 years of silence, the machine is jammed and lifeless. Mark must navigate unfamiliar territory to get it running again. Can he bring this prizewinner back to life?

Release date:

57 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Expert Dominic Chinea
Expert Steve Fletcher
Expert Suzie Fletcher
Expert Will Kirk
Expert Amanda Middleditch
Expert Mark Stuckey
Expert Julie Tatchell
Production Manager Evie Turner
Executive Producer Emma Walsh
Executive Producer Hannah Lamb
Executive Producer Sandy Watson
Series Producer Shane Normoyle
Director George Vernon
Production Company Ricochet Ltd

Broadcast

Take Part

If you have a treasured possession that needs restoring, please get in touch.