BBC The Repair Shop sees Jay Blades left stunned by story behind hidden World War Two radio
Blades was extremely impressed with the item
BBC
The Repair Shop host Jay Blades couldn't hide his delight over a seemingly ordinary item which contained a huge secret which was needed during World War Two.
The BBC show was paused this week due to the Euros, but BBC Two instead aired a classic episode of the nostalgic series.
The presenter, 54, was left in awe when guest Vos revealed an unexpected aspect of the item he wanted fixing.
Originally from the Netherlands, Vos entered the iconic barn with what looked like an ordinary book but was actually concealing a radio his grandfather had managed to hide from German troops during the war.
"What I've brought you is a book, but it's a bit more than a book," he informed a baffled Blades.
"You'll have to explain that one," the host admitted, to which Vos replied: "It's a secret radio," before removing some of the pages to reveal a box containing the old-fashioned transmitter.
Vos shared the heartbreaking story behind the hidden radio
BBC
He went on to explain how the government had been giving Dutch resistance information and updates on the war, but the Germans had banned radios, so Vos' grandfather cleverly disguised one.
"They told people to hand in their radios, if you were found to have a radio you could be punished, even with the death penalty at the time," he explained.
The item also contained a headset that Vos' relative would use to tune into the broadcasts coming in from London and the allied troops.
Blades couldn't contain his excitement as he called over Mark Stuckey to take a look. The Repair Shop expert deemed Vos' relative "incredibly brave" as he heard the story.
The Repair Shop guest was delighted to have the radio working again by the end
BBC
The proud owner of the item went on to reveal his grandparents were also hiding a Jewish boy in their attic.
Heartbreakingly, their house ended up being raided and the boy was taken, with his grandparents thrown into prison.
He explained the radio had never been discovered and recalled listening to it with his grandfather when he was younger.
Vos hoped to hear the familiar sounds again as Stuckey vowed to do his best to fix the unique item.
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Blades immediately called the expert over to take a look at the item
BBC
Later, Vos was left speechless when he came to pick up the newly refurbished item.
As an added feature, Stuckey told Vos to have a listen through the headset, and he was stunned to hear a Dutch broadcast.
Thanking the Repair Shop hosts, Vos admitted it had brought him back to happier times in his childhood.
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