The Repair Shop experts Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, also known as the Teddy Bear Ladies, opened up about how they deal with emotional moments on the show
The Repair Shop’s beloved Teddy Bear Ladies, Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, chatted with Alan Titchmarsh about handling the show’s tear-jerking moments.
Amanda confessed that she often sheds tears away from the camera, believing that viewers wouldn’t appreciate seeing the experts getting teary on air.
She also revealed her tactic for controlling her emotions on set, which involves embracing guests after a reveal to help stifle her tears.
Alan sympathised, sharing his own challenges with emotional content: “I get told off often enough on this programme for losing it when I see a sentimental clip. What’s it like?”
Amanda gave a glimpse behind the scenes, mentioning: “There is always a stash hidden, so we can grab a tissue if we need one,” reports Gloucestershire Live.
Acknowledging the intensity of their work, she added, “It is so emotional,” and noted that the production team limits showing the experts’ emotional reactions because “I think they keep the emotional clips of us to a minimum because it doesn’t make good TV if we are all blubbing. It can get really emotional in that barn.”
After watching a particularly poignant segment from the show, Alan enquired how they maintain composure during such reveals.
Amanda explained her approach: “That’s why I tend to shuffle around to give her a bit of a hug because it gives me something to focus on.”
Julie admitted her vulnerability, saying: “You could see I was about to lose it, I think it was quite clear.”
“It is hard,” Amanda continued, “But we are quite fortunate. We kind of play off each other, so usually, different things trigger us.”
She concluded by highlighting their supportive dynamic: “So one will sense that the other one is starting to go, and will kind of take over the conversation.”
Julie and Amanda have been fixtures on The Repair Shop since its inception in 2017. Despite always being seen together, they’re not family but rather close mates with a shared passion for toy restoration.
Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh is available to watch on ITVX.