Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell are two stars of BBC's The Repair Shop and feature in a World Cup special19:56, 23 Jun 2026Updated 19:59, 23 Jun 2026The Teddy Bear Ladies are a huge hit with fans of BBC's The Repair Shop.‌Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell are part of the team of professional craftspeople from around the country who restore family heirlooms that have sentimental value for their owners.‌Since launching in 2017, the series has won over an army of fans who are often in tears when they see the results of the fixes and hear the emotional stories behind the objects that have been taken into the famous barn by their owners.‌There have been many spin-offs over the years as well as special guests, including Dame Judi Dench and King Charles.Amanda and Julie - affectionately known as the Teddy Bear Ladies - are particularly popular with viewers as they lovingly and painstakingly restore the plethora of soft toys that find their way into the barn.On Wednesday, June 24, the duo will feature in a one-off Repair Shop special when viewers will see them restore a soft toy of the 1966 England mascot World Cup Willie bought by owner Steph during the tournament.‌Who are the Teddy Bear Ladies?Amanda and Julie began working together at their teddy bear shop in the New Forest in 2006. With their combined sewing skills, they also ran workshops. It wasn’t long before they were receiving many requests for repairs and restorations. Not long after this, they began to dedicate their business to restorations alone.They were approached by TV production company Ricochet, ahead of the pilot series of The Repair Shop, to ask if they would be interested in being part of a new TV show. Julie said: "We loved the ethos behind the format of the show." The rest is history.‌Book dealTwo years ago, Amanda and Julie landed a deal with Walker Books and wrote a children's book together called Bartie Bristle.Sharing their "exciting news" on their joint Instagram account at the time, the post said of the book: "Set in a village in the heart of the Old Woods, the magical world of the teddy bear shop and the heart-warming stories of Bartie and his teddy bear friends will captivate children and parents alike."‌Describing the inspiration behind the book the post continued: "Julie and Amanda began writing short stories all about Bartie Bristle and the other favourite toys for the children that came to their shop, with Julie reimagined as Mrs T and Amanda as Rose."Getting emotionalEarlier this month, the pair opened up on how filming for The Repair Shop can be emotional for them - but they try to hide it.‌During a touching interview with Alan Titchmarsh on his ITV hit show, Amanda confessed that she frequently sheds tears off-camera, believing audiences may prefer not to witness the experts becoming emotional.She also revealed her personal strategy of embracing guests following an item's unveiling to help suppress her emotions."It is so emotional," she continued, noting that producers deliberately restrict the volume of emotional content broadcast to maintain the show's watchability, despite the frequently heart-wrenching scenes within the barn.Article continues belowWhen Alan presented a particularly moving clip, he was intrigued by how they maintain their composure. Amanda outlined her technique: "That's why I tend to shuffle around to give her a bit of a hug because it gives me something to focus on."Julie chimed in: "You could see I was about to lose it, I think it was quite clear.”The Repair Shop is available on BBC One and BBC iPlayer