Dominic Chinea has outlined his hopes for the future of the BBC’s award-winning show The Repair Shop after it bagged a nomination at this year’s National Television Awards.
The heartwarming crafts show, presented by Jay Blades, missed out on bagging Best Daytime Show after ITV’s The Chase was announced the winner at this year’s ceremony at London’s O2 Arena.
After seven years on the air, The Repair Shop still remains as popular as ever as hopeful guests continue to bring their treasured items into the barn in the hopes they can be restored to their former glory.
“I think there’s something in it for everybody,” Chinea explained when speaking to GB News on the NTAs red carpet on Wednesday.
WATCH DOMINIC CHINEA’S FULL INTERVIEW WITH GB NEWS HERE
He continued: “Whether it’s the nuts and bolts of what we’re doing, the sentimental attachment, the memories that people have to these things and can relate to (or) remember from their own time.
“There’s something in there for everybody, and I hope it’s inspiring.”
The global success of the show, which first started life on BBC Two before making the switch to BBC One, has taken Chinea and everyone else who starred in the barn on day one by surprise.
“(I’ve been there from) day one, seven years now,” he explained. “We’ve been down to the barn, the same barn, same core team down there, and it’s been brilliant.
“We had no idea (it would be so successful). Of course not.
“I remember the first time I went down there… It was a very small rehearsal and production and nobody really knew – I mean, we knew we were doing something nice. We were fixing things for nice people.
“So there was something about the first series that was quite magical. We all knew that something was happening but I could never expect it to be standing here tonight,” Chinea said as he gestured around him.
After seven hugely successful years on the show, Chinea admitted he has no plans of saying goodbye to the barn anytime soon.
When asked how long he’d like to remain in the cast and what the future holds for him on the show, Chinea told GB News: “I wish I knew.”
But the uncertainty hasn’t dampened his passion for the show: “I hope I can carry on doing it for as long as possible because every series we get to work on, we’re fixing things and making people’s days.
“Every item we get to repair means so much to the people that own it. It’s a pleasure and I just hope we can carry on.”
Chinea’s candid response over his future comes just days after he teased a “new project” on the way via his social media account.
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On Instagram, Chinea shared a snap of his motorcycle outside the Repair Shop barn alongside the caption: “I have had the tiger down at the barn for the week and pleased to say it’s actually starting and running a lot better! Finally have a working bike!
“I guess it’s time for a new project…” he cryptically signed off.
Chinea wasn’t the only big name to speak to GB News on Wednesday night on the NTAs red carpet.
BBC Strictly stars Anton Du Beke and Neil Jones stopped for chats with the People’s Channel at the star-studded even while ITV Vera star Brenda Blethyn and The Chase’s Darragh Ennis were among the other stars who shared all about their latest projects.
