01 February 2024 , 10:38
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The Repair Shop expert Dominic Chinea has warned fans as he paid tribute to his co-star.
Dominic, who joined the show in 2017 as The Repair Shop's resident metal expert, told fans of the BBC show to be wary when experimenting with restorations at home. Sharing advice for beginners, he said: "Be careful with any family heirlooms – they're not the right pieces to practice
"There are so many options out there, get online and find the right course for you to learn the craft from an expert. I'd also tell people to experience as many different projects and crafts as possible until you find the one that clicks with you. Trust me, you'll find a craft you love."
The metal expert went on to reveal that his favourite person to work with while on the show is art conservator Lucia. He praised his co-star as "super talented" and added to Prima: "The way she (Lucia) matches up the colours on paintings is mesmerising."
Dominic joined the BBC show in 2017 (BBC/Ricochet Ltd)During one particularly poignant instalment of The Repair Shop, Dominic opened up on his health as he revealed he owed his life to the NHS. The metal expert was repairing a Thomas The Tank Engine trolly, which would find its forever home on a children's ward at a hospital.
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As he repaired the item, Dominic shared: "One wrong move with this paintbrush and he'll end up having googly cross-eyes and scaring away the kids on the ward, which is the last thing we want. When I was a newborn baby, I was actually in intensive care for a good week or two.
"I had quite a serious problem with one of the pipes coming from my stomach, it sort of closed itself up and I couldn't keep down any food. It was honesty a terrifying time for my mum.
"Without the NHS and children's wards like this one, I literally wouldn't be here now. So it's a real honour, and I'm actually really proud to be able to give something back."
Although Dominic joined the show in 2017, his connection with the programme can be traced much further back. In a Q&A on Instagram, Dominic confirmed he was behind the infamous Repair Shop logo. The huge orange sign outside the barn, which is made up metal and lights up, was designed by Dominic before the show premiered.
After being asked if he was the one who created the sign, he said: "Where did you hear that? Who told you that? Erm, yeah it is true, I did. It was before the show even started, it was just a job whilst I was a set designer."