Helen Mirren Brings Poignant WWII Cello to 'The Repair Shop'

Dame Helen Mirren will appear on the beloved BBC series The Repair Shop this Christmas, but the item she brings in for restoration is not a personal family heirloom.

Instead, Helen is bringing a historically significant instrument from a care home she supports, hoping the experts can bring its voice back after eight decades of silence.

Helen is taking part in the show's Christmas special and has brought in a Second World War-era cello.

The instrument belongs to Denville Hall, a care home in North London for people who have worked in the entertainment industry, which Helen is a loyal supporter of.

The cello holds a particularly moving history.

Theatre director Martin Landau, who escaped Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport just before the war, left the instrument to Denville Hall.

Tragically, the Nazis damaged the cello before Landau could board the train, and it has not been played in over 80 years.

Helen explained the importance of the restoration, stating that she and the home have long talked about repairing the cello.

She noted that restoring the "voice of his prized possession" and hearing it play once more will be the greatest Christmas gift for the community at Denville Hall, allowing the residents to use the instrument for Christmas songs alongside the care home’s piano.

Expert Becky Houghton will lead the effort to mend the cherished cello. Helen appears on the special alongside other guests, including author Julia Donaldson and actor Rob Brydon.