King Charles has reason to celebrate following his historic coronation at Westminster Abbey this month, as his visit to The Repair Shop last year won an award at Sunday evening’s Television BAFTAs.
The monarch, who was the Prince of Wales at the time of filming, went along to the much-loved BBC programme’s iconic barn to film alongside presenter Jay Blades, and experts Will Kirk, Kirsten Ramsay and Steve Fletcher.
The BAFTA-winning episode, which aired in October 2022, was produced to mark the BBC’s centenary and saw the royal bring two treasured items for repair: an 18th-century bracket clock and a piece of Wemyss Ware made for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit won in the Daytime category, beating out competition from The Chase and Scam Interceptors. The team behind the show were clearly thrilled as they took to the stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall to accept the award. Jay told the audience: “We started as a daytime show on BBC Two, I’m so glad we’ve got an (award).”
He went on to add that it was the “first time” that a “6ft Black guy, from Hackney, [with a] gold tooth, [from a] single parent [family]” was presented with an award for daytime TV.
When the episode aired last year, Jay opened up about how special it was welcoming the royal onto set. “You’ve got someone from a council estate and someone from a Royal estate that have the same interests about apprenticeships and heritage crafts,” he told the BBC, adding: “And it is unbelievable to see that two people from so far apart, from different ends of the spectrum, actually have the same interests.”
Jay echoed his admiration for the monarch. “He’s been speaking about sustainability for years. Nobody really took him seriously but now we do. I admire our King quite a lot with regards to heritage crafts and sustainability because he puts his slant on sustainability into action.”
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Charles made his first official outing as a newly crowned King when he made a low-key visit to Sandringham, Norfolk.
The monarch drove himself to a service at St Mary Magdalene Church, and His Majesty appeared in good spirits as he smiled and waved while behind the wheel.
Outside the church, which is the same church the royals attend on Christmas Day, he warmly greeted Reverend Canon Paul Williams before the service. Looking immaculate, King Charles wore a grey plaid suit and crisp white shirt fastened with a playful zebra-print tie.
