Suzie Fletcher was encouraged to join The Repair Shop by her brother Steve following the death of her husband.

The Repair Shop has become a BBC One staple, showcasing skilled craftspeople who breathe new life into cherished but damaged family treasures.

From toys and timepieces to furniture and jewellery, a diverse array of items passes through the workshop doors, each requiring expert care.

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What truly resonates with audiences is the heartfelt stories behind each visitor's prized possessions, with every item carrying its own unique history.

Leather and saddle specialist Suzie became part of The Repair Shop family at the beginning of series two, and has remained ever since, despite facing personal challenges early on.

The skilled artisan has spoken candidly about her 18-year marriage to her late husband Rob, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2013.

Suzie's love story began in Colorado after she initially relocated to America to work as a master saddler in Illinois. What was meant to be a two-year stint turned into 22 years before she eventually returned to Britain, the Express reports.

Tragically, Rob was diagnosed with cancer whilst they were living together in America. In a heartbreaking revelation, Suzie admitted she shielded her own relatives from the devastating news, not wanting to burden them with worry.

During an appearance on the Relatively podcast, she explained: "My family were great, but I was very aware that they didn't need to be overly worried and I did have a really good support group in my friends in the States as well.

"I suppose I tried to shield them from too much information, particularly because my mother was still alive and she would worry desperately if she felt like I wasn't going to be able to cope."

Suzie confessed: "To be perfectly honest, when we got that diagnosis, I knew that my focus was to provide my husband with everything that he wanted, no matter how impossible it seemed. If he wanted to fly to the moon, I'd try and make that happen."

The loss of her husband left Suzie heartbroken, but she found solace in The Repair Shop, using it as a means to progress in life after his passing.

She revealed how the show had been a beacon of light during some of her darkest days, which partly motivated her decision to join the programme.

Steve Fletcher, a horologist and one of the original members of The Repair Shop team, encouraged his sister, Suzie, to lend her expertise to the show, five years following Rob's death.

She recalled: "Every time [Steve] called he looked to be having such a good time I jokingly said, 'If they need anyone to do leather I'm your gal'.

"I really was joking, but after several phone calls and a lot of reassurance from Steve, I agreed to give it a go and joined the team.

"I'm so happy I did as this is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever been involved with. It's also helped me through some very dark days."

During a particularly emotional episode of The Repair Shop, Suzie was moved to tears as she remembered her late husband while working on a rocking horse that bore a handwritten name.

Suzie shared: "I too, lost my husband to cancer. It seems so insignificant, someone's name that they wrote."

The Repair Shop is broadcast every Thursday at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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