Will Kirk on set (Image: BBC / Richochet Ltd)
Will Kirk, a seasoned craftsman from squad, has lovingly restored countless cherished heirlooms since his debut on the first series. The skilled furniture restorationist tactfully refused to single out a favourite colleague, but did reveal a particular fondness for one team member.
Speaking to Prima, Will implied choosing a favourite was tough: “I honestly spend more time in the barn than with my family. I would say Steve is like a father figure to me.
“We work on such different things – while I’m often working on big pieces, his items are far more intricate.”
He also stressed the team’s close-knit nature, adding: “But we all share knowledge, it really is a lovely place to work. We’re like a family and so involved in each other’s lives.”
Will then dispelled a common myth about the show’s setting: “Despite what some viewers think, it is all filmed in the barn,” exposing that the beloved programme is indeed shot entirely at the Weald and Downland Museum in Sussex.
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The Repair Shop cast meeting King Charles (Image: BBC/Ricochet/Guy Hinks)
While visitors can explore the museum’s many structures and occasionally the famous barn, without ongoing filming, the set remains bare.
The benches and tools make their appearance solely during the busiest few weeks of shooting each year, though there are special moments when the barn doors open to the public outside of production schedules.
A typical shooting day on the set of Repair Shop lasts from 8am to around 6pm, and what might come as a surprise is that the show’s experts don’t charge for their restoration services.
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Will Kirk praised his co-stars (Image: BBC/Ricochet Ltd/Ruth Roxanne Board)
Rob Butterfield, Head of Factual at Ricochet – the company behind the beloved programme – revealed to Hello! magazine: “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.”
The show has seen a range of items brought in for repair, including those from notable figures.
Perhaps the most distinguished “client” to date is none other than His Majesty the King, who, while still the Prince of Wales in October 2022, entrusted the team with a piece of pottery commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and an 18th-century clock.