Steve Fletcher, a horologist on The Repair Shop, has shared a rare insight into his past career as a firefighter in the 1980s. The revelation came during a repeated episode of the BBC show, as he worked on a sentimental item belonging to a man whose father took part in the rescue mission for those involved in the Easington Colliery disaster in 1951.
Reflecting on bravery
While repairing the item, Fletcher reflected on the courage of the man's father. He said: "I'm just reflecting on Ken's dad's bravery. I was in the fire service and had to make split-second decisions on which way you were going to rescue somebody. But, to be down in a mine, yeah, it's a very, very special person that can do that."
Fletcher served as a firefighter in Witney, Oxfordshire, where he still lives. In 2021, he shared a throwback image on social media featuring a newspaper clipping from 1987, highlighting his time designing a special clock for the fire department's German exchanges.
Social media response
He captioned the post: "1987! Someone added this to our local memories page on Facebook this week - great memory of my time spent with the Witney fire service and our German exchanges with our colleagues in Ihringshausen."
Fans were quick to comment on the post. One person said: "That's brilliant, well done." Another added: "Lovely photo and a super gift. Well done, Steve." Someone else asked: "Can you actually get any more amazing??" While a fourth wrote: "Wonderful story Steve, well done!!"
Other unexpected careers
Fletcher is not the only expert in the barn with an unexpected previous career. His sister Suzie was a saddle-maker in America before returning to the UK. Speaking about joining the show at the beginning of season two, she said: "Every time [Steve] called he looked to be having such a good time I jokingly said, 'If they need anyone to do leather I'm your gal.'"
She added: "I really was joking but after several phone calls and a lot of reassurance from Steve I agreed to give it a go and joined the team [...] I'm so happy I did as this is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever been involved with. It's also helped me through some very dark days."
The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
