Treasured toys that have seen better days can expect some expert care and attention from North Lincs star Nancy Birtwhistle.
The presenter, who won the BBC’s Great British Bake Off crown in 2014 and has since written several cookery and eco-lifestyle books, has now become “ward manager Nancy” in Channel 5’s new show, Toy Hospital. The first of six episodes aired last night (Friday, November 24), the series being devised by the same company behind the BBC hit show The Repair Shop, hosted by Jay Blades.
It is Nancy’s role, as Toy Hospital’s answer to Jay, to man the reception of hospital – it is actually filmed in a real hospital building near Clitheroe, in Lancashire, that closed two years ago – to take calls from and reassure toy owners, ferry toy patients to “surgery” and tuck them in at night, cracking a few jokes along the way.
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Nancy, who lives in Barton-upon-Humber, said: “It was lovely to do. I think it’s a smashing show to have on in the run-up to Christmas. There are some great toys coming up over the weeks, I think the programme will strike a chord with lots of people. They will watch it and say, ‘we had one of those’.
“They do a BMX bike and I remember buying one for my son. They have taken toys from different decades, from old pot dolls to a more modern Cabbage Patch doll; there is a real variety that will interest everybody.”
(Image: Katie Pugh)
She added: “I think one of the things that appealed to me most was seeing what the experts can do. Apparently there used to be a few toy hospitals around the country but now there are only two, there’s one at Liverpool and one at Leith in Scotland.”
Nancy worked in NHS management for many years, in hospitals and then in general practice, so she “knows the jargon” and believes this is one of the reasons she was chosen to host the programme. She could be seen in one part of last night’s show urging a toy elephant to “try to hold your head still or you’ll hurt yourself even more” and calling, “can we have a neck brace in here, please?”
She also phoned for an update on “a stuffed frog in bed three”, explaining: “It’s just that I’ve got his partner here in reception and she’s being really, really difficult.” The camera panned onto Miss Piggy in the waiting area.
She said: “It did seem a bit strange talking to all these toys, but I got into it – everybody did.” Nancy also said how cold it was, filming in a disused hospital in March when it was “snowing like hell”.
“It was freezing when we did the first filming, which was for one pilot. Then it moved to May-June and we were in a heatwave, but I had to keep the same thick jumper I had on underneath the uniform for continuity.”
Followers of Nancy on Instagram were full of praise for the show, with one fan saying: “Fantastic actress as well? Nancy you are full of surprises.” Another person said: “Love Nancy, she’s a real treasure. And is natural for TV.”
Nancy said: “Toy Hospital is apparently going to be on Gogglebox. It will be interesting to see what they make of it, especially Jenny and Lee from Hull.”
Like The Repair Shop, viewers get to hear the poignant stories behind the beloved playthings and watch the skilled experts as they work to make each treasured toy as good as new. The first restorations of the series included a cuddled-until-bald panda, a tangled puppet that had lost its head and a TARDIS no longer able to perform its magic trick of making a toy version of Doctor Who’s Tom Baker disappear.
With Sue Johnston providing the narration, viewers saw teddy expert Dr Jax breathe new life into the hugely sentimental soft-toy panda, known as Teddy, for owner Norma. It had belonged to her late son, Alan, from being a tot and he died cuddling the bear following a stroke at school at the age of 16.
Meanwhile Tim wanted his collectable Pelham puppet, Giant, restringing and its head put back on, by restorer Dr Shuan, for granddaughter Lizzie, ten, to be able to put on puppet shows again. Mark’s TARDIS was in the hands of doll and mechanical expert Dr Charlotte – and it was later able to do its disappearing act once more, much to the owner’s delight.
More episodes of Toy Hospital are due to air on Fridays at 8pm on Channel 5.
