The Repair Shop viewers 'in bits' over emotional BMX tale
A guest's story about what a BMX bike in need of some attention meant to her ill husband had viewers in tears.
What did you miss?
The Repair Shop had viewers "in bits" within minutes of the latest episode starting as a woman shared a moving story about her ill husband's BMX bike.
Sharon Reade told of her husband Dave's lifelong love for BMX riding and the illness that meant he would never ride again as Jay Blades and Tim Gunn took on the challenge of repairing his old bike.
Viewers also saw a guest bring in a dress that had belonged to performer Danny La Rue.
What, how and why?
The Repair Shop fans are used to hearing tear-jerking stories, but this week's episode hit particularly hard as it left viewers "in bits" after just a few minutes.
Guest Reade brought in a BMX bike belonging to her husband Dave who has a Chiari malformation - a condition where part of the brain extends into the spinal canal, causing problems with balance, headaches and tiredness.
Dave, now in a wheelchair, is unable to ride the bike ever again but Sharon shared the story of his lifelong love of BMX bikes and explained that the bike was particularly important to him because she had bought it for him for Christmas 1997 when he was 30.
Sharon said that Dave had grown up riding a BMX bike and added: "We first met when we were 13, he used to ride his bike down to see me."
They had their first child at 18 and Dave didn't ride for years, until the Christmas Sharon bought him a new bike. She said: "He was out in the street riding his bike on Christmas Day with the kids in the close.
"He rode it most weekends and I'm glad because it gave him those two years of living a bit of childhood again before the illness took hold.
"It was one of the big things that was hard for him to accept that he wouldn't get out there again because it was such a big part of his life."
She added: "For us all to see Dave just smile would be pretty amazing. He's going to want to put it up on his wall until the grandchildren are big enough to ride it. Having life back in the bike will bring his memories back."
Viewers were moved by the story as one person commented on X: "In bits already #bmxbike" and someone else added: "BMX story..." with a series of crying emojis.
When Gunn revealed the bike's repair, one moved viewer wrote: "The BMX bike. Angels."
Dave returned with Sharon to collect the bike and said: "It was my life. Every day if I could get out and ride I would be out doing BMXing.
"Oh wow. I was not expecting it to be that shiny. Look at it! That is awesome. That is absolutely fantastic. It symbolises my youth, takes me back to happy days. Happy days."
What else happened on The Repair Shop?
One of the episode's other incredible restorations was a yellow, jewel-encrusted gown worn by the performer Danny La Rue.
Ceri Dupree brought it in and told how La Rue had been the first person he had seen on TV when his family got a colour television. His childhood idol later became a good friend and when La Rue passed away, he left the costume for Dupree.
Looking delighted with the repair, Dupree said: "One of my idols when I was a kid became a friend of mine, and I was important enough to him for him to leave that costume to me and that means a lot.
"I think Dan would be absolutely thrilled that the dress has been brought back to sparkling life, I know he would."
The Repair Shop airs on BBC One at 8pm on Wednesdays.
