The Repair Shop’s Dom Chinea is getting his own show on U&Yesterday, the advert-funded factual channel owned by the BBC.
Dom Chinea’s Cornish Workshop follows the engineer and mechanic, who recently relocated to Cornwall, as he sets up a new workshop in which he carries out automotive and engineering work and helps neighbours and his new community with their own projects.
From buying and fixing an ancient four-wheel drive to enable year-round access to his new workshop, to helping his local church with their bells, to creating a bespoke ice cream vehicle for his neighbour, every episode packs big and little stories alongside the narrative of creating his new workshop from an ancient barn.
Throughout the series, Dom enlists the aid of Sam Lovegrove (Shed and Buried) for general engineering assistance, plus a cast of charismatic, local trades people who collectively help Dom to achieve his ambitious plans.
The series is being produced by Beagle Media and will also air on streaming service U which, like U&Yesterday, is part of the BBC’s wholly owned commercial broadcaster UKTV which operates a portfolio of advert and subscription funded channels here in the UK.
Chinea said, “I’m so excited by the projects we’ve got going on. But on top of the engineering, I’ve also got to get my Cornish workshop built and weatherproof before the autumn storms hit. There’s a lot of pressure!”
UKTV’s Kirsty Hanson, Senior Commissioning Editor, Factual and Factual Entertainment, said: “TV audiences love Dom Chinea for his passion, expertise and relaxed manner and this series showcases local stories and characters, as Dom and his wife Maria make a life-changing move from Kent to Cornwall.”