Yesterday reimagines antique treasures in its Restoration Workshop

Restoration Workshop

Tuesday 12 November 2019

UKTV has commissioned a new series for its leading factual channel, Yesterday. UKTV Original, Restoration Workshop (10x60) sees antiques dealer Gary Wallis and his skilled team of fixer-uppers turn tired, unloved antiques and objects into bespoke items for the high-end interiors market.

From furniture, to lighting, to war and car memorabilia, Gary and his team don't just upcycle, they create beautiful pieces of art and reimaged treasures from their restoration yard in picturesque Henley on Thames.

Restoration Workshop is produced by Middlechild and exec produced by David Sumnall and Andrew Walmsley. It has been commissioned for UKTV by Philip McCreery and ordered by Yesterday's channel director Gerald Casey and deputy director of commissioning Hilary Rosen, in a deal brokered by Drive, who will also distribute the series.

Phillip McCreery, Commissioning Executive at UKTV said: "Restoration Workshop is full of great characters and they're all experts in their field. It's the perfect show for Yesterday and at a time when everything is mass produced and easily discarded, seeing Gary's team of craftspeople lovingly restore, reuse, and recycle a whole host of objects and ornaments is a real treat."

David Sumnall said: "Restoration Workshop is the antidote everyone needs for today's throw away, single use, society. To have witnessed Gary Wallis and his incredible team transform the unloved and unwanted into bespoke, handcrafted treasures has been awe inspiring. Gary is a legend in the restoration world, and I can't wait for the UKTV viewers to witness his talent."

Gerald Casey said: "Yesterday's loyal audience love to see real British experts at work, so they'll love watching Gary and his team find, restore and repurpose a whole wealth of objects with end results we'd never expect. This is truly a restoration show with a difference."

Ben Barrett, Managing Director of Drive said: "We're very excited to be taking this show to the international market. It's an exciting, topical and original format, with great talent at the forefront, and a show we expect to be a big hit with buyers globally."

Restoration Workshop will air on Yesterday in 2020 and it will also be available on UKTV Play. The series joins a portfolio of successful UKTV Original factual shows on the channel including, Abandoned Engineering, Steam Train Britain, and Bangers and Cash. Warbird Workshop is also lining up for take-off early next year.

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UKTV Original

For more information, please contact:
Ali Laurie, Network Communications Executive, UKTV

About Yesterday
Freeview 25 | Sky 155 | Virgin 129 | Freesat 159 | youview 25
On demand on Sky and UKTV Play | @yesterdaytweets | yesterday.uktv.co.uk

Fascinating factual stories from the world around us.

Yesterday showcases original series such as Abandoned Engineering, Secrets of the Railways and Underground Worlds as well as new and exclusive observational documentaries including Bangers & Cash, and Train Truckers.

The channel also features stunning nature and science programming including David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities and Planet Earth 2, plus seminal war documentaries such as The World at War.

About Middlechild
Middlechild is an independent television production company with bases in London and Brighton. Run by David Sumnall, it specialises in returning formats and documentary series including; Dog Rescuers With Alan Davies, Jo Brand's Cats and Kittens and Fare Dodging Wars.

About Drive
Drive works with producers and broadcasters to help get content funded and produced. Originally founded by Ben Barrett and Lilla Hurst in 2013 to facilitate co-production and funding for TV projects, Drive is now a global 360-degree funding, sales and distribution business. The company offers a full range of commercial services from development and financing through to rights exploitation and specific project management.

http://drive-tv.co.uk/