BBC The Repair Shop experts ‘nervous’ over fixing iconic quiz show relic: ‘Piece of nation’s history’

Sally Magnusson brought the famous chair in, which had featured in the show for its first 25 years, and explained: “This is the original Mastermind chair,that was featured in every Mastermind programme for the first 25 years under the chairmanship of my father, Magnus Magnusson.

“And it’s lived in my house since my father’s death in 2007, and you can see it’s maybe not in the best nick any longer.”

“This is an iconic chair, isn’t it?” upholster expert Sonnaz Nooranvary commented. “This is what people will remember watching on that programme.”

“Yes it reminds me of that era,” Magnusson added. “I was still living at home and he was making programmes, Mastermind gradually turned him into a celebrity.

The original Mastermind chair was brought into The Repair Shop barn

BBC

“When he walked down the street it was ‘Magnus, I’ve started so I’ll finish!'”

“Yes, the iconic line!” Nooranvary responded. Magnusson continued: “The BBC at that time, 1997 was taking Mastermind off the air and of course, discovered a few years later it was worth bringing it back.”

She went on to add: “Mastermind had a very special place in his heart.” Expressing her wish for the chair, she added her dad would want it to be “a place where the great grandchildren he’ll never meet can crawl around over it.”

“Objects are so important for telling stories that can be passed down generations,” she added.

Dominic Chinea and Sonnaz Nooranvary were left ‘nervous’ over a recent The Repair shop fix

BBC

Nooranvary was excited to take on the challenge which she deemed “momentous” but “extraordinarily daunting.”

Dominic Chinea confessed he would be feeling “nervous” about fixing the classic chair.

Taking to X, many were stunned to see an iconic feature of the beloved show on The Repair Shop, with one writing: “So cool to see the original Mastermind chair on@TheRepairShop tonight!”

“How great to have Sally Magnusson bring the Mastermind chair in. I loved Magnus Magnusson doing Mastermind back in the day. #therepairshop,” another penned.

“Repairing the original Mastermind chair must be incredibly daunting. But Sonnaz will do it justice. #therepairshop,” another shared.

Sally Magnusson brought in the iconic Mastermind chair

BBC

Another joked: “When asked to begin a different project, Sonnaz replied curtly, ‘I’ve started, so I’ll finish’ my current task. #therepairshop.”

When she came to collect the repaired chair from the barn, Magnusson was delighted with the result, thanking the experts for the job they’d done.

She explained her dad would “approve,” adding: “He would be moved that we’ve all gone to the trouble of conserving this piece of his history and the nation’s history.”