The Repair Shop is one of those programmes that could melt even the iciest of hearts thanks to the hugely emotional stories behnd the items restored in the famous workshop. While it is widely accepted many shows take dramatic licence in such scenes one of the stars of the BBC show has insisted the tales told on screen are 100% genuine.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk Geoff Harvey, known as Pinball Geoff, explained: "[They are] very strict on the stories, people have. It's absolutely legit. They go through every story 100%, which I really like about it, because some programmes I've done [have been] a bit more imaginative with a background story to make it good TV. Whereas with The Repair Shop the story is 100% true every single time, which is nice." Indeed it is not just viewers who are in tears with each episode. The craftspeople who work on the show are also frequently seen dabbing their eyes.

Asked if it is nerve-wracking working on an item knowing it has such sentimental meaning for someone Geoff admits: "I've had some nerve-wracking moments.

"It's an extraordinary responsibility and you're trying to sort of negotiate expectations. Fortunately, most people want whatever the object is to reflect its history. They don't want it gleaming new and looking like it just walked out the factory. They like to do dents and scratches," he said.

"It is a responsibility though. I'm always thinking, 'God I hope they like it'. I'm a bit scared of doing something they will be disappointed with. Fortunately, so far, they've all been really pleased. And I've met some amazing people who've bought machines in (to my workshop) and I'm still in touch with some of them. I'm a volunteer with an organisation called The Listening Place, which works with suicidal people, where we see them face to face

"Someone brought in a machine and talked about his father taking his own life, and the pinball machine had never worked since that time, so it's a massive thing to get it working. That was a really emotive one for me, because firstly the family were lovely. Secondly, it was a pinball machine. But also, very importantly, it involved someone taking their life. So to get that working was a massive thing for me. And that lovely family very kindly gave a very generous donation to the charity, which I thought was incredibly kind of as well.

"It was so emotive and I shed a few tears myself. I'm always amazed when people come in, they're very forthright and they really want to tell you what this object means to them and why. I'm always so riveted by the story I'm hearing about an object."

Geoff was speaking in advance of curating Pinball Alley at the upcoming Classic Car Boot Sale in Kings Cross London on April 26 and 27. The two day gathering celebrates all things vintage including music, food, fashion, design and classic cars, bikes and commercial vehicles.

It's his first time at the event and he admits he is really looking forward to it having hoped to participate for quite some time.

"This is actually my first time at the car boot sale but I've heard about it for years, and I've seen pictures of it, and people said, 'Geoff, you must go to the car boot sale. It's absolutely amazing'.

"My friend Mark and I we run a thing called Pinball Alley. We do pinball machines at Glastonbury and stuff like that. We do quite a lot of weird festivals and now we're doing this event."

The Classic Car Boot Sale takes place at Kings Cross London on April 26 and 27.