The Repair Shop stars have become household names since the heartwarming series launched back in 2017.
Louise Drover is the show’s resident paper conservator, and recently shared the route she took to get into the career.
Drover recently talked about how she gained the skills she uses on the show, explaining: “My aunt was an art teacher and she recommended I try a couple of colleges in London.
“As soon as I walked into Camberwell School of Art I knew that was it – this is what I wanted to do.
“I didn’t know that until I went there and then I found the answer –Paper Conservation!”
When asked how she ended up joining the BBC show, she replied: “Well, it was Lucia (Scalisi) actually, she’s a very good friend and recommended me. And then I recommended Chris Shaw, the bookbinder. It’s like a daisy chain of experts!”
Drover was inspired to follow the career which led her to the show
BBC
Reflecting on her most challenging fix, she added: “They are all challenging, but I had an item which was a medical certificate and was very complex especially because there wasn’t a known solution to this kind of reversal.
“The document had been laminated which was quite limiting because I couldn’t get all the laminate off, it also had a sort-of ‘cellophane’ type layer on it, there were inks and stamps and the paper was very weak.
“So that’s probably my most challenging. It’s also challenging because you’re thinking about how much a certain item means to the contributor.
“I’m not great at technology but when it comes to paper I always know what to do, but in this case, I struggled a bit.”
Drover is the show’s resident paper conservator
BBC
The experts on the show have become household names since the series launched
BBC
However, he went on to note why he enjoys the job so much.
“It’s really fulfilling,” he reflected, adding: “You know the history of the item, and the story, and you get an insight into people’s lives.
“So there’s that extra responsibility. When you give it back and they’re happy, there’s such a sense of relief.
“I’m learning every single day and that’s what drives me to get better. There is more than a lifetime’s worth of learning in footwear. I’m hungry for it.”
