The Repair Shop Australia
Where heirlooms are given a new lease on life
Image Foxtel
On May 3rd the UK hit The Repair shop is coming to Foxtel Lifestyle, Australia. Often referred to as ‘the loveliest show on TV’, The Repair Shop gathered a team of seven professional artisans and craftspeople, led by sustainability expert Dean Ipaviz, to launch the Australian version of the show. The furniture restorer and upholsterer on the show is our very own Britta de Laat of dumped & ditched. Filmed in Sydney 2021, the show airs on May 3rd 2022 on Foxtel Lifestyle.
Last year, a call-out was made for people to apply to have their items restored on the show, at no cost to them. Each episode follows the team as they work to refurbish treasured family heirlooms brought in by locals. Through each episode the selected items are closely inspected and repaired as the personal stories behind them are shared with the audience.
A major goal for the show is to highlight the uniqueness and history behind our personal possessions and the significance in restoring them, both for sentimental value and in the name of sustainability.
Wendy Moore, group general manager at Lifestyle Foxtel, told Mumbrella;
“The idea is that we all have these amazing heirlooms and pieces that we have inherited from family members that come not just as an object but attached with stories and memories. And it’s not really about the financial value of it, it’s more about the life value of it.”[2]
Image Foxtel
Those already familiar with Britta’s work and philosophy will know that sustainability, design, and conscious consumerism is at the very heart of her craft. Britta’s passion and experience with vintage furniture restoration, and her background in the arts and film industry, made her the perfect fit for The Repair Shop.
The Repair Shop is produced by Warner Bros International Television Productions (WBITVP) exclusive to Foxtel’s LifeStyle Channel and premiers Tuesday May 3rd at 8.30PM.
[2] https://mumbrella.com.au/foxtels-local-version-of-the-repair-shop-commences-production-691180