Sobbing The Repair Shop guest honours her late mum's dying wish

by · Mail Online

A sobbing The Repair Shop guest was left feeling 'like she'd been kicked in the stomach' as she honoured her late mum's dying wish with a heart-wrenching ballet shoe restoration. 

The 16th series of the much-loved BBC show returned to our screens on Wednesday night at 8pm. 

One of the guests Julie Felix, Britain's first black ballerina, appeared on the programme to see if the experts could help bring her dancing shoes back to life. 

She recalled how important her mum was when trying to break into the industry, especially the tough times she went through, including when a London ballet school rejected her because of the colour of her skin. 

So Julie had to move over to America in the 70s to pursue her dream and she joined all-black ballet company Dance Theatre of Harlem, which is based in Harlem, New York. 

This led on to her performing at the Royal Opera House in London - and that is where she performed her first solo role, and in the shoes that she brought in to The Repair Shop studio. 

A sobbing The Repair Shop guest was left feeling 'like she's been kicked in the stomach' as she honoured her late mum's dying wish with a heart-wrenching ballet shoe restoration
One of the guests Julie Felix, Britain's first black ballerina, appeared on the programme to see if the experts could help bring her dancing shoes back to life

'Right here on this table, these symbolise all the work, effort, love and devotion from my mother,' she said on the show.  

The dancer asked Lucia Scalisi and Dean Westmoreland if they can help 'tidy up' her shoes. 

After Dean worked his magic, Julie was left amazed and said: 'It's absolutely amazing. I had no idea that Dean could make these look like this. '

'They will just bring  back all the memories of wearing these on that day. So I'd liek to say "mum these are for you!"' 

After seeing her ballet shoes again for the first time, Julie explained: 'I was winded, almost. I felt like somebody had just kicked me in the stomach. 

'I was breathless for a few seconds. It was genuine tears, it really was. 

'Even now when I'm talking about it, I'm getting a lump in my throat, any time I talk about my mum.

'I knew that these would be absolutely what she had wanted.  

'She asked me, "Julie, when you're finished with these shoes, please can you get them fixed in such a way that I can put them on a display somewhere in the house as memory of my coming to see you perform at the Royal Opera House". 

After Dean worked his magic, Julie was left amazed and said: 'It's absolutely amazing. I had no idea that Dean could make these look like this' 

'That really choked me up because I just put my heart on my chest the way I did when I stood on the stage when she was alive. 

'I looked up at the seats in the Gods, and I just said, "mum, I'm here, I've done it" and it took me back.'

The Repair Shop first hit our screens in 2017.

339 episodes have aired across 16 series. 

The first three series aired on BBC Two, followed the rest on BBC One. 

It stars the likes of Will Kirk, Steve Fletcher, Dominic Chinea, Suzie Fletcher, Sonnaz Nooranvary, Amanda Middleditch, Kirsten Ramsay, Lucia Scalisi, Tim Weeks, Julie Tatchell and Brenton West as experts.

The show is narrated by Bill Paterson.  

Earlier this week BBC fans shared their excitement ahead of a Repair Shop star fronting a spin-off series dubbed 'exactly what we need on TV right now'. 

Dominic Chinea, who has appeared on the popular programme as a resident metalwork expert since 2017, is the new face of I Made it at Market.

I Made it at Market - which hits our screens on Tuesday 7 April - follows on from 2023 BBC show Make it at Market which saw the star help a 'group of budding entrepreneurs make a living from their crafting hobby.'

The new series will see the expert craftsman visit those who he helped three years ago, and what they are up to now. 

'Turning passions into profits. Dom Chinea revisits amazing makers who have turned their talents into successful businesses, seeing how their skills have changed their lives,' the BBC's synopsis of I Made it at Market reads. 

Dominic and the show's official Instagram page shared a video of the star talking about the upcoming series.  

He said in the clip: 'I have some exciting news. Make it at Market is back! But not as you know it. 

'I Made it at Market is a brand new series out today!

'3:45pm BBC One. I get the chance to travel around the country visiting previous crafts people that have been to my boot camp to see how they're getting on now. Tune in today!'

They captioned the post: 'BIG NEWS!! Brand new series I made it at market is out today, 3:45 BBC1 or on iplayer,

'A chance to catch up with previous makers and see how successful they are now, 3 years later!

'What crafts are you hoping to see?'

The Repair Shop airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.