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The Repair Shop viewers emotional after famous guest delivers moving musical performance following incredible fix

The Repair Shop viewers were left reaching for the tissues during Wednesday night's episode after Poet Laureate Simon Armitage delivered a moving performance with his band.

The poet brought his treasured harmonium in for repair, which holds precious memories of his late father, Peter.

Simon Armitage brings his treasured harmonium to the barn in the new series
Simon Armitage brings his treasured harmonium to the barn in the new series

The instrument was played in Simon's local childhood church in Marsden, where both he and his father sang in the choir. Simon adopted the harmonium after learning that the church was getting rid of it.

Speaking about his dad, Simon said: "He was a very big character, a larger-than-life character. He gave me permission to be a creative, artistic person and it's come out in a different way. With him, it was performance, song, acting, with me, it's poetry."

Simon Armitage brought his harmonium into the barn for repair
Simon Armitage brought his harmonium into the barn for repair

He went on to say: "My proudest moment was when I rang him up to tell him I was going to be the next Poet Laureate. I could hear him crying on the other end of the phone."

Organ restorer David Burville soon got to work on the harmonium and upon its completion, Simon returned to the barn along with his band, LYR.

Simon was impressed by the incredible repair
Simon was impressed by the incredible repair

The poet was stunned by the amazing transformation. "It's beautiful," he told David and host Jay Blades, saying that he hoped to incorporate the harmonium in his band's future music.

LYR, which consists of Simon, singer-songwriter Richard Walters and multi-instrumentalist and producer Patrick Pearson, then delivered a stunning rendition of their song, 'Winter Solstice'. Watch the moving moment in the video below.

Viewers were touched by the emotional performance and took to Twitter to praise the band. One person wrote: "Poet Laureate and his band making sweet music on his late father's harmonium was very emotional. #RepairShop. Repair Shop team, you are all amazing." while another branded the song "beautiful and moving".

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A third person said the performance was "truly lovely," while another tweeted: "#TheRepairShop what an absolute treat to see Simon Armitage tonight, and listen to his wisdom."

Simon and his band, LYR, performed their song, Winter Solstice
Simon and his band, LYR, performed their song, Winter Solstice

Simon isn't the only famous face who paid the iconic barn a visit for the new series. Children's author Michael Rosen and political activist Patrick Vernon will also appear on the show in two special episodes.

Michael Rosen appears in an NHS special of the programme
Michael Rosen appears in an NHS special of the programme

Michael, the former Children's Laureate and bestselling author of We're Going On A Bear Hunt, became seriously ill with coronavirus during the pandemic and was in a coma for 40 days. He brings a significant piece of Covid pandemic documentation into the barn for repair. A record of his care, which was kept by NHS staff and is the only documentation he has from the time, will be transformed by the experts.

Meanwhile, Patrick who led a successful campaign for 22 June to be recognised annually as Windrush Day, brings with him a radiogram that belonged to his late friend Eddie Noble, a Second World War veteran from Jamaica who settled in the UK after serving in the RAF.

Patrick Vernon appears in a Windrush special of the programme
Patrick Vernon appears in a Windrush special of the programme

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