Amanda Middleditch Biography – Amanda Middleditch Wiki
Amanda Middleditch is one half of the television – duo ‘Teddy Bear Ladies ‘ who appear as experts in the BBC program, The Repair Shop. She appears on the show with her business partner Julie Tatchell as a teddy bear and soft toy restorer. Although they are experts on the show, they do not appear frequently compared to the other restorers. Nevertheless, the two appeared time after time on the show since its inception in 2017.
Besides being on television as an expert, Amanda has her own business, Bear It In Mind based in Hythe. The business which was officially started in 2006 is run by Amanda and her business partner Julie. Their work involves creating and restoring preloved teddy bears. With the growth and success of their teddy bear business, the duo was approached by The Repair Shop producer to be part of the show.
Amanda Middleditch The Repair Shop
Julie explained to the BBC: “We were approached by Ricochet, ahead of the pilot series, to ask if we would be interested in being part of a new TV show. We loved the ethos behind the format of the show.”
Talking of their most memorable repair that was emotional to the duo while working on The Repair Shop, Amanda said: “All the items bring their challenges due to the condition they arrive in. It isn’t just following the remit for the repairs that are required, it is the emotional involvement that naturally becomes a part of the work. For example, when we worked on Wheely Ted for Janet, her inspirational story and our understanding of what Wheely Ted meant to her added to the challenge.”
On how the two partners met, they recounted: “I think we were naive and I don’t think we knew where we were going. We were still finding our feet. It was an unexpected meeting and the way our friendship developed.”
They came to know each other after Amanda who had a pre-existing teddy bear shop found out of a new shop selling teddy bears and approached the owners to ask if they could sell her work. She met Julie at that particular shop as he had just started her job there.
Amanda also narrated how she began her business in making teddy bears. She said: “So, there | am, last of my children safely ensconced in school and I decide I want to go into business on my own. So to cut a very long story short, I decided that my creative outlet would be best served by a small creative business, particularly wanting – I can remember being particularly keen to some sort of business that encouraged people to have a go themselves – to encourage children. Because I can remember at the time, there wasn’t an awful lot of activity opportunities in the curriculum for crafting, so things like that.”
“I can remember wanting to do that and one of the hardest things for me was finding what vehicle that was, that I was going to use and it ended up being teddy bears.”
Her decision to begin a teddy bear business was because the items were a classic favorite for children cutting across all ages.
Julie also shared their initial meeting saying, “I was quite scared. Not that you looked scary – it’s every day pink ladies walk in with pink hair. It was just that I was so new and I was trying to be so professional and my experience of actual artist bears was very limited. So I was very aware, I had to be the one looking at your work thinking, ‘Is this good enough for my shop?’”
The duo then agreed to have Amanda’s bears in the shop if she worked one day a week to help with trade as well as sharing her skills of making teddies and how to repair them. The two then got along with each other and have been good friends with equal respect for each other. Amanda said: “People have often likened us to an old married couple because we do bicker a little bit.”
Initially, their business was tough as people did not take their nature of business seriously but they carried on until they achieved their success.
Amanda Middleditch Age
How old is Amanda from The Repair Shop? Amanda’s age is unclear.
Amanda Middleditch Husband
Is Amanda Middleditch married? Amanda is married. However, very little is known about her husband. The teddy bear expert keeps her personal information away from the public.
Amanda Middleditch Nationality
Teddy bear restorer Amanda is of British nationality.
Amanda Middleditch Net Worth
What is Amanda Middleditch’s net worth? The teddy bear restorer’s net worth is estimated to be $1 million.
Amanda Middleditch Instagram
She is available on Instagram in a joint Instagram handle @theteddybearladies.
