The Repair Shop is adding a new face to the cast, the BBC revealed in a surprise announcement ahead of Wednesday night’s episode.
Camera expert Pierro Pozella is joining the line-up, and as he revealed in a statement, couldn’t be more excited about his new gig!
Impressively self-taught, Pierro revealed how he got into renovating cameras, saying: “When I started repairing film cameras over a decade ago, the world had already moved onto digital, so you couldn’t just go to a factory and learn from the specialists – I had to teach myself.
“What led me into repairs was my fascination for analogue cameras and the history that they hold. As film cameras were deemed redundant at the time, there was a surplus of broken cameras being binned as people didn’t know what to do with them.
“It seemed crazy to me that cameras nearly 100 years old were just ending up in landfill and I wanted to change this. To understand how these cameras worked, I started by pulling them apart to learn how to fix them. Through this process of reverse engineering, I was able to gain the knowledge I needed, to repair and save these cameras.
“After a few years of in-depth study across a range of cameras, I was able to approach companies in London to start working on customers repairs. This gave me the space to build my confidence as I worked on more complex and high-end cameras.
“Alongside this, I continued to build my reputation for repairing film cameras. Since then, I found a master repairer who was finally ready to pass on their knowledge. Training under their supervision has filled gaps in my repair skills and enabled me to further refine my craft. It is what continues to excite me about repairing, as no two cameras are alike so you’re forever learning.”
© Sarah WealPierro revealed that he was discovered the show after his work was recognised on social media. He said: “I just got an email, so it was quite out of the blue – I did wonder if it was real or not at first! I was found through my social media which was cool as its taken a while to develop over the years.”
Teasing his upcoming role on the show, he revealed his “most challenging fix” so far was especially emotional.
© BBCHe said: “The most challenging fix so far has been the last one I did at the barn – the Adox sport camera. This camera was used by the client’s grandfather in the Vietnam War. When it arrived, it probably would have been easier to manufacture a new camera than it would have been repair – there were parts missing screws missing everything was broken, springs gone.
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“I made several tiny springs, replaced the bellows and even custom-made and 3D printed a brand-new part for the camera. Despite being a complex repair, it was exciting for me to create replacement parts from scratch.”
© Guy LevyLike the other talented members of the team, including Will Kirk, Jay Blades and siblings Steve and Suzie Fletcher, he enjoys knowing he’s helped to restore precious objects.
Pierro commented: “What I find really rewarding in my craft is being able to bring peoples cameras back to life, especially those of sentimental value. Knowing that the camera can be used by future generations to capture moments is what keeps me passionate about what I do.”
The Repair Shop will be shown on BBC One at 8pm on Wednesday and available on the BBC iPlayer afterwards.
