The Repair Shop’s Will Kirk was jokingly threatened by his wife (Image: (Image: BBC / Ricochet / Cody Burridge))
s woodworking expert, Will Kirk, is so swamped with work that his wife Polly has jokingly threatened to hire a carpenter for their home repairs, as he’s yet to tackle them in their new family abode.
Despite his on-screen success, Will finds little time for DIY tasks at their Surrey residence.
Will, 39, shared his domestic challenges: “She says to me, ‘Will, when are you going to sand the bloody floor in the front room?'”.
He continued, detailing the endless list of household tasks: “And then I have got to do stuff in the bathroom and then there’s the kitchen. There is always something that needs fixing. It is never-ending. My wife said, ‘You know if you can’t sand the floor and you’re not happy with it, can we always get someone in?'”.
But Will responded firmly: “And I said ‘No way! No way! Not in this house!’ It is also hard, especially with two children, but I absolutely love it.”
Regrettably, Will also admitted that his dream of handcrafting wooden toys for his children has been put aside due to his demanding schedule. He lamented: “When we had our first child, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely to make all these handmade toys for her? ‘ But no. I don’t have the time.”, reports .
He added, reflecting on the realities of a busy life: “I got halfway through one thing, and then I got so busy.. that’s life. And now I’ve got a second child. There’s no way that he’s getting anything anytime soon.”
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Will Kirk is the proud father to two children (Image: BBC)
Outside of filming for One’s The Repair Shop, Will runs his own furniture restoration business and is gearing up for a new business endeavour.
The beloved team from The Repair Shop is set to delight fans across the UK as they embark on their inaugural tour.
Horology wizard Steve Fletcher, pottery pro Kirsten Ramsay, painting preserver Lucia Scalisi, leather expert Suzie Fletcher, and the renowned ‘Teddy Bear Ladies’ Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch are all slated to make appearances at various locations.
The show’s frontman, Will Kirk, confessed he feels “nervous” but also excited about the prospect of reuniting with his colleagues after several months apart.
He remarked: “I am itching to get on the tour and see everyone but when I went to bed last night, it suddenly hit me that I’ll be getting on stage at places like the Sheffield Arena and talking about The Repair Shop.”
With genuine awe, he continued: “I mean, it’s a massive change from the comfort of the barn where you know the crew and you’ve got a camera in front of you and you don’t really think about the millions of people that watch it.”
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The Repair Shop is due to return on our television screens (Image: BBC/Ricochet)
“But actually standing in front of people who all love watching the show and talking about it is definitely new to me.”
Kirk also wants to ensure fans understand not to bring damaged heirlooms expecting repairs, clarifying: “Any time I talk about this tour I keep mentioning that it’s not that kind of show. It is more about us talking on stage rather than restoring anything.”
Will shared: “Lots of people email me saying, ‘I feel like we really know you because we’ve been on the TV for a couple of years now,’ but this is an opportunity for them to really hear about what goes on behind the scenes because it really is a big process.”
“Some people don’t realise some of the items that I work on can take 60 hours to restore, but you only see a fraction of that on telly, so we’re going to answer all those questions that people usually have, and kind of reveal some secrets behind the barn doors as well.”
Contrary to expectations, Will’s journey to TV stardom as a furniture restorer was far from predetermined. During his schooldays, woodwork held little appeal for him.
He revealed: “I was just more into drawing and girls. I was not really an academic person. And it’s only in later life I’ve moved towards woodwork.”
“I had to do woodwork at school but for me it was not that interesting. Maybe the projects were not that interesting to catch my eye.”
“It wasn’t really a big thing but I think we were more pushed towards English, Maths and Science rather than woodwork.”
He lamented, “Unfortunately, loads of schools have now shut down the woodwork department, which is a real shame.”
However, he added, “But now, thanks to The Repair Shop, we do get a lot of young people thinking, ‘I’m not really an academic person, but I am good with my hands,’ and it’s inspired them to pick up a chisel and a hammer.”
He pursued his studies in Graphic Design and Antique Furniture Restoration and Conservation at the University of Arts in London and London Metropolitan University. Unexpectedly, he received a call to feature on a Channel 4 programme titled The French Collection, which was followed by an appearance on the ‘s What To Buy and Why.
In 2017, he secured a position on The Repair Shop.