{"id":9884,"date":"2022-01-12T22:01:59","date_gmt":"2022-01-12T21:01:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1547779"},"modified":"2022-01-12T22:28:08","modified_gmt":"2022-01-12T21:28:08","slug":"the-repair-shop-expert-defends-decision-behind-king-george-coronation-chair","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/the-repair-shop-expert-defends-decision-behind-king-george-coronation-chair\/","title":{"rendered":"The Repair Shop expert defends decision behind King George coronation chair"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Grace Henry\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 12 January 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Restoration series The Repair Shop<\/a> is back with brand new episodes, with more owners hoping for Jay Blades<\/a> and his team of experts to mend their most treasured items.<\/p>\n

In tonight\u2019s episode (Wednesday 12th January), two of The Repair Shop cast<\/a> members, French polisher Will Kirk and upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary, were tasked with restoring Andy Matthews and his daughter Anna\u2019s chair, which had been made specially for King George VI\u2019s coronation ceremony.<\/p>\n

The chair was originally presented to Andy\u2019s grandfather, who attended the coronation as an usher. However, after 90 years, it had suffered some wear and tear, with the wooden frame becoming unstable, the velvet fabric fading and lots of thread bare in places.<\/p>\n

Sonnaz and Will were given creative \u201cfreedom\u201d to do whatever they wanted. However, at the end of the episode, the item was restored to its former glory, with Sonnaz making the decision to keep it as close to the original as possible.<\/p>\n

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com<\/a>, the upholstery expert has revealed why she decided to make this choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the back of the chair there is embroidery of the crest, and I didn\u2019t want to get rid of that,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd also the way that Andy and Anna were talking about the chair and the arrival and the memories and how they remember it, and what they wanted to do with the chair moving forward \u2013 they didn\u2019t want it to be a piece that was going to be used every day \u2013 my gut kind of told me that the historical relevance, how they remembered it and this embroidery really needed to stay looking the same.\u201d<\/p>\n