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Episode 13

Episode 13 of 14

Jay Blades and the team restore a variety act鈥檚 unicycle, a battered Bible, a water-damaged wooden table and a colourful ring symbolising enduring love.

Jay Blades and the team bring four treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.

First to arrive at the barn are Steve and Paula Prentice. They鈥檙e hoping bike expert Tim Gunn will be as handy with one wheel as he is with two. The pair come from a family of variety performers, with both their paternal grandparents and their mum and dad getting in on the act. The unicycle belonged to their mother, Dorothy, who would ride it whilst spinning a rope or ribbons, and the siblings are keen to get the unicycle back in gear for future generations of their family. It鈥檚 a tough task for Tim, and the true test is a risky ride around the barn by owner Steve when he returns with Paula to pick up their precious heirloom.

Meanwhile, bookbinder Chris Shaw faces a task of biblical proportions. A huge Bible that was purchased by Silvano Griffith-Francis鈥檚 mother when she was new to Christianity in the 1960s is in dire need of intervention. It鈥檚 an exciting job for Chris, who believes the book could date back to the 1880s, despite having been given a new cover in the 1990s. After hours of meticulous peeling and scraping of its covers, Chris finds himself blessed with a heavenly outcome.

Next to arrive at the barn are Alan and Alana Field, with a wooden table that鈥檚 flooded with memories of Alan鈥檚 late grandfather. An unfortunate accident with a fish tank has left Alana mortified at the damage she鈥檚 caused to her husband鈥檚 precious heirloom, and it鈥檚 up to woodwork whizz Will Kirk to carry out the complex restoration job.

The final visitor to the barn is David Cooke, with a romantic keepsake that鈥檚 seen better days. The ring was gifted by David to his late partner Caroline, who treasured its colourful stones. After she died, David wore the ring himself and was devastated when he lost it on a visit to her graveside. After weeks of searching, David finally found the precious piece of jewellery in his fireplace, burned and badly damaged. It鈥檚 a challenging fix for goldsmith Richard Talman, but when David returns to be reunited with the fire-scorched ring, he鈥檚 bowled over by its beauty and vows to keep it with him always.

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59 minutes

Audio described

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jay Blades
Narrator Bill Paterson
Series Producer Rebecca McLaughlin
Series Producer Tanveer Bari
Director Rich Merritt
Executive Producer Emma Walsh
Executive Producer Alex Raw
Production Company Ricochet Limited

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