The Repair Shop expert Julyan Wallis took to social media to share a moving tribute to his co-star and guest Ralph McTell, following Wednesday night’s emotional episode
The latest episode of The Repair Shop saw expert Julyan Wallis take to Instagram with heartfelt words for his colleagues and the guest star, Ralph McTell.
Posting a snap alongside the legendary musician, the expert wrote: “Such a privilege to be part of the show but when I get to meet someone who inspired me before I even picked up a guitar that’s pretty special.
“@ralphmctellofficial I used to do a ‘humble version’ of The Streets of London @thebenbowpz when I was 15/16. Never pulled it off though!”
Celebrating the memorable episode, he added: “What an episode with my fellow experts whacking it out the park once more @bissonnetr @williamkirkrestoration @stevefletcher.clocks #suziefletcherrepairshop #markstuckeyrepairshop @therepairshoptv.”
Loyal fans were moved to respond in the comments section. One person shared: “A brilliant episode! Loved Kenny the Kangaroo,” reports Gloucestershire Live.
Another reminisced about meeting McTell: “I met him at a folk club in the 1970s. He was such a talented musician and such a humble nice man!”.
Another commenter acknowledged the magic of his appearance on the show: “Such a fantastic surprise to see him on the show. He’s a class act.”
Another fan further admired him, saying, “Such a wonderful man and the finest of songwriters and a consulate musician.”
In the latest episode aired on Wednesday night, Ralph graced the barn alongside his mate Matthew, bringing with them a beloved but battered toy, hopeful for its restoration.
Will Kirk and Suzie Fletcher were all smiles as they met with the pair who described their toy, Kenny the Kangaroo, as “impressive.”
This treasured kangaroo, once Ralph’s, had found a new home with Matthew, who is dedicated to aiding children with disabilities.
Ralph recounted acquiring Kenny: “It was given to me by a friend of mine who bought him some 50 years ago because I have a song called Kenny the Kangaroo, which was part of a big project I did back in the 80s.
“I was asked to do a programme called Alphabet Zoo, a children’s series. They asked me to write a song for every letter of the alphabet.
As viewers watched footage featuring Kenny the Kangaroo, Ralph revealed, “I wrote that song when I was very, very young, and then in the 70s, we did a re-recording of it, which was a massive hit.”
Joining in the nostalgia, Will mentioned how the song has been cherished by youngsters, prompting Ralph to note: “It’s probably on the third generation of kids now.”
Then Matthew shared his encounter with Ralph, explaining: “My main sort of job is music therapy. So we’ve got talking about the sort of children I work with, so from more like non-verbal, autistic to sort of some higher abilities.
“And he told me about Alphabet Zoo, his children’s album, and I took it in, and Kenny the Kangaroo would always get a noticeably big, big reaction like the kids jumping around. Now Kenny slots right in on the movement therapy playlist, and yeah, they all love it.”
However, it’s fair to say Kenny the Kangoo had seen better days, prompting the duo to bank on Will and Suzie’s expertise to revitalise the worn-out vehicle and their skills were indeed up to the challenge.
Astonished at the transformation, Ralph exclaimed in disbelief: “I can’t believe it,” before adding, “You have got his arm all fixed up. It is absolutely amazing.”
The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.