Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell: The Teddy Bear Ladies
Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell, affectionately known as the Teddy Bear Ladies, are beloved stars of BBC's The Repair Shop. They specialise in restoring soft toys and feature in a one-off World Cup special airing on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. In the special, they restore a soft toy of the 1966 England mascot World Cup Willie, owned by a woman named Steph.
How They Started
Amanda and Julie began working together at their teddy bear shop in the New Forest in 2006. Combining their sewing skills, they initially ran workshops but soon received many requests for repairs and restorations. They eventually dedicated their business solely to restorations. They were approached by TV production company Ricochet ahead of the pilot series of The Repair Shop. Julie said: "We loved the ethos behind the format of the show."
Book Deal and Children's Book
Two years ago, Amanda and Julie landed a deal with Walker Books and wrote a children's book called Bartie Bristle. Sharing the news on Instagram, they described it as: "Set in a village in the heart of the Old Woods, the magical world of the teddy bear shop and the heart-warming stories of Bartie and his teddy bear friends will captivate children and parents alike." The inspiration came from short stories they wrote for children visiting their shop, with Julie reimagined as Mrs T and Amanda as Rose.
Emotional Moments on The Repair Shop
Earlier this month, the pair opened up about hiding their emotions during filming. In an interview with Alan Titchmarsh, Amanda confessed she frequently sheds tears off-camera, believing audiences prefer not to see experts emotional. She hugs guests after an item's unveiling to suppress her emotions. Julie added: "You could see I was about to lose it, I think it was quite clear." Producers deliberately limit emotional content to maintain watchability.
The Repair Shop is available on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
