Catch up TV

Beyond the Barn: Episode 3

Bookbinder Chris Shaw tackles a battered vintage steamer trunk belonging to Andre, the husband of the late Paul O'Grady. Originally owned by celebrated American performer Gypsy Rose Lee, the trunk was bought by Paul in the 1970s and later became a home for his most personal memories, including photographs and the invitation to the couple's wedding. Torn lining paper, broken wooden compartments and missing leather handles mean the ambitious repair requires help from leather expert Suzie Fletcher and woodworker Will Kirk. Once restored, Chris travels to Paul’s hometown of Birkenhead, where the trunk is destined to take pride of place in an exhibition celebrating Paul's life and career.\n\nCeramics expert Kirsten Ramsay is presented with the shattered remains of Al Dog, a wolf statue treasured by Lisa Constantine and her daughter Katie. The statue is important to Lisa as a memorial to her son Alex, who died suddenly after collapsing at work. But an unlucky leap from the family cat broke it into many pieces. Kirsten painstakingly restores the shattered wolf, rebuilding its missing pieces and retouching the body paint. A small burgundy ribbon, inspired by Alex's favourite colour, provides a personal finishing touch before Al Dog returns home to Pontefract.\n\nElectronics expert Mark Stuckey takes on a sought-after 1960s valve amplifier that belonged to DJ Andre Joseph. Andre's sons, Marvin and Ryan, hope the silent equipment can once again bring music to their father, whose life changed after an aneurysm and stroke in 2021. Mark tests and replaces defective valves, repairs poor contacts and renews a failing component in the preamplifier before putting the system through its paces. Once working again, Mark visits the family, in the hope that the revived amp is helping recreate the music-filled gatherings Andre once hosted and allowing him to reconnect with a treasured part of his past.\n\nFinally, bicycle restorer Tim Gunn is challenged by an unusual tradesman's bike once used by London's gas lamplighters and now owned by gas engineer Paul. Its brakes do not work, the wheels are stiff and buckled, and the all-important flame-tipped pole has no secure mounting. Tim repairs the wheels, restores the mechanics and fabricates a sympathetic period-style bracket, adding vintage oil lamps to complete the transformation. Once repaired, Dom Chinea joins Paul in London to see the bicycle back in action and carrying the traditional equipment used to illuminate the capital's historic gas lamps.

Source: BBC 2