Dame Helen Mirren to appear on The Repair Shop for cello restoration

TV show The Repair Shop is throwing open its doors to Dame Helen Mirren, Julia Donaldson and Rob Brydon, who will visit the experts to get their special treasures mended and fixed in time for Christmas.

Dame Helen will bring a beloved cello dating back to the Second World War and which belongs to Denville Hall, a north London care home for people who have worked in the entertainment industry. The Oscar award-winning actress is a supporter of the care home and will look to expert Becky Houghton to help give the cello some much-needed care of its own. The cello was left to Denville Hall by theatre director Martin Landau. Originally from Germany, Landau fled the country on the Kinder transport, but his cello was broken by the Nazis before he was able to get on the train. It has not been played for more than 80 years and Dame Helen would like to see it restored so that it can be used at the care home alongside the piano to perform Christmas songs and entertain the elderly residents. Dame Helen said: “Denville Hall is a very special place and we’ve long talked about repairing Martin’s cello. “As you can imagine to be able to restore the voice of his prized possession and hear it play once more will be the greatest Christmas gift for the community at Denville Hall.” The BBC One show will also see the team repair a much-loved life-size mechanical Rudolph reindeer, which belongs to Leicestershire Fire service and has previously brought decades of festive cheer but is currently in a sorry state. Special guest Donaldson, who wrote the book The Scarecrows’ Wedding, which has been made into a film to be shown on the BBC this Christmas, will also appear. Brydon has voiced a character in every one of Donaldson’s animated adaptations and he and Donaldson are seeking to repair a toy farmhouse that she was given by her grandmother. The farmhouse was a much-loved toy for Donaldson and her sister, so is full of childhood memories as well as being an inspiration for the setting of some of her books. Furniture restorer Will Kirk and ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay will bring the farmhouse back to life before it is gifted to West Sussex-based children’s hospice Chestnut Tree House. Donaldson said: “Bringing stories alive through play is such a special part of childhood. “My sister and I spent many happy hours making up stories around the farmyard and the thought of having it restored and shared and enjoyed once again with many more children means a lot to me. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.” The team also restores a battered and broken sledge that has seen 80 years of service for a family from Northern Ireland and a dilapidated carol book that has played a central role in a little known but much celebrated local tradition in Sheffield. Julie Shaw, commissioning editor for BBC Factual, said: “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year and this year’s Christmas special of The Repair Shop is guaranteed to be magical. “Full of warmth that audiences have come to know and love from The Repair Shop experts, it’s a real treat for audiences to sit back, relax and enjoy, and maybe even shed a tear or two this Christmas.”

Published: 21/11/2025 by Radio NewsHub