The Repair Shop’s Steve Fletcher opens up on ‘rocky’ childhood ‘Had our problems’
The Repair Shop: Steve Fletcher on why the show is so emotional
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Steve Fletcher is one of The Repair Shop’s crafters who specialises in restoring clocks on the heartwarming BBC programme. He is often seen working alongside his saddle-making sister Suzie as they mend guests’ most treasured possessions. The crafty siblings recently opened up on their close bond as well as how they overcame “problems” in their childhood together.
Steve and Suzie were raised in Oxfordshire with their parents.
Their hard-working father was a horologist who inspired Steve to follow in his footsteps to pursue a career mending clocks and watches.
Suzie’s passion was horses and she dedicated her life to them after her grandpa brought her a one called Jess when she was young on the condition she looked after her properly.
While the siblings were apart for decades while Suzie worked in America, they now work together on The Repair Shop.
They were recently interviewed about their childhood on the Spotify podcast Relatively where Steve detailed the highs and lows of their early lives.
When the pair were asked whether their childhood was idyllic, Steve replied: “We did have our problems like most families do but we got through them. It didn’t really have a huge impact on us.”
Steve touched upon the issues, adding: “Our mum suffered dreadfully from her postnatal depression and that caused a nervous breakdown with my father.
“So we went through a rocky period at that time and we spent a lot of time with our grandparents and people who were babysitting.
“It was about a year, I can’t really remember.”
Suzie added: “I do remember going to grandma and grandpa’s, it’s only become apparent later on in life what the difficulties actually were.
“And actually for my mum, I fell incredibly sorry because back then they didn’t appreciate how devastating it was and the treatment that they offered her was barbaric.”
She admitted she looks back at the whole situation and feels even more appreciative of what her parents were able to do for her considering what was going on underneath the surface.
Suzie explained her parents’ problems came during a time when “families didn’t share” much with others about mental health.
“Looking back on it, mum didn’t have a support group. She had nothing,” Suzie said.
“For women of that era, things were vastly different to how they are today.”
The leather specialist revealed she was thankful people are “more understanding” about postnatal depression today.
“It’s no longer a taboo subject, but then it very much was,” she stressed.
Steve reiterated that many families go through difficult phases in their lives.
“I was very young at the time and I didn’t understand what was going on and our parents were not the kind of people to have big rows,” he added.
“It’s not until later in life you realise just how close you are, and my siblings and I are very close.”
Suzie and Steve’s podcast episode of Relativity is available on Spotify and The Repair Shop can be streamed on BBC iPlayer.
Source: Read Full Article