UKTV has commissioned the new series, Classic Car Kings (6x60’), for leading factual channel U&YESTERDAY and free streaming service, U. The six-part series is produced by Chatterbox Media and will air in 2025.
The team at Irv’s Resto Shop in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, are world renowned for their work rescuing classic cars that appear to be beyond repair. Big character, Paul “Irv” Irving, and his three sons love taking on the most ambitious, challenging jobs. Their crew of welders, fabricators, blasters, painters and mechanics have the knowledge, skills and the passion to bring vehicles not just back from the brink, but onto the concourse. These classic car kings are restoration royalty.
With no two jobs ever the same, the series will see Irv and his team tackle a host of challenges across a variety of demanding restoration jobs on vehicles including a 1973 Lamborghini Espada, a 1968 Porsche 911, a 1978 Daimler Coupe, a 1980s Ford Escort RS, a 1949 VW Beetle, and a VW Samaba bus from the 1950s which originally arrives in the workshop as a cardboard box of bits.
Paul Irving (Irv) said, "We're a family run business with a brilliant team who are all best in class and all play a part in transforming classic cars that others might think are impossible. we're pleased to be bringing these huge real-life restorations to U & Yesterday. We love what we do and what matters to me is doing a great job on every restoration!”
The U&YESTERDAY original series has been commissioned by Commissioning Executive, Emile Nawagamuwa, with Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment Commissioning, Helen Nightingale, and ordered for U& YESTERDAY by Channel Director, Gerald Casey and Director of Commissioning, Hilary Rosen.Executive Producers for Chatterbox Media are Nav Raman and Ali Quirk. Series Producer is Richard Heeley and Producer/Director is Phil Broadhurst. Classic Car Kings is in production and will air on U& YESTERDAY and streaming service U in 2025.
"I’m incredibly excited that Chatterbox will be bringing the skills and expertise that have made Irv’s business renowned around the world to our screens."
UKTV’s Emile Nawagamuwa, said: “In the car restoration world it’s incredibly rare to come across a family as talented as Irv’s. I’m incredibly excited that Chatterbox will be bringing the skills and expertise that have made Irv’s business renowned around the world to our screens. Irv loves nothing more than a challenge and I can’t wait to see the big, ambitious builds he and his team take on.”
Gerald Casey added: “We know that U&YESTERDAY viewers love their classics, and we wanted to bring another series to the channel that showcases the passion and the skills of some of the finest restorers from the trade. With Irv’s team it was quickly apparent that while they are among the best in the business, they also have the personalities to match. I can’t wait to see Classic Car Kings alongside the likes of Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics and Dream Car Fixers on the channel.”
Nav Raman and Ali Quirk, from Chatterbox Media, said: “We're very excited to be working with U&Yesterday on Classic Car Kings - a series which combines the classic Cumbrian warmth and humour of Irv's family run garage with the incredible skill and expertise, which he and his talented team bring to each car restoration to deliver huge scale, extraordinary transformations.”
Classic Car Kings is the latest original series for U&YESTERDAY to focus on the highly skilled world of automotive restoration, alongside Dream Car Fixers, and Bangers & Cash spin-off, Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics. Other U&YESTERDAY originals include Secrets of the London Underground, Canal Boat Diaries, and Find It, Fix It, Flog It.
For more information, please contact:
Dave Barnsby, Senior Publicity Manager, UKTV
About U&YESTERDAY
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TV for curious minds, revealing fascinating factual stories from the world around us.
U&YESTERDAY showcases original series such as Abandoned Engineering, Dream Car Fixers, Find It, Fix It, Flog It and Secrets of the London Underground as well as new and exclusive observational documentaries, including Bangers & Cash and Hornby: A Model World.
About U
U is UKTV’s free streaming service, providing instant access to shows from UKTV's free-to-air channels – U&Dave, U&DRAMA U&W and U&YESTERDAY. Viewers can browse 8,500 hours of programming – including exclusive content, award-winning originals, premiere acquisitions and iconic BBC programmes across drama, (Whitstable Pearl, Marlow Murder Club, Annika, Sister Boniface Mysteries, Sons of Anarchy, Mike, Madam Secretary, A Million Little Things, The Shield, The Bill, Classic EastEnders, Holby City plus upcoming series in 2025 such as Bergerac and Outrageous), comedy (Meet the Richardsons, Red Dwarf, Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, We Are Not Alone, Rosie Jones’s Comedy Disability Extravaganza), entertainment (Battle in the Box, Big Zuu's Big Eats, David Mitchell's Outsiders, QI, Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable, World's Most Dangerous Roads), and factual entertainment (Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, MasterChef Australia, Katie Piper: Jailhouse Mums, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, Secrets of the London Underground, Bangers & Cash, Orlanda Bloom: To The Edge). U is available through the U app via computer, tablet or smart phone, or on television with Freeview Play, Amazon Fire TV, YouView, Samsung TV, Apple TV, Freesat, NOW and Roku.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands – U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY, Gold, Alibi and Eden - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to UK viewers through free streaming service U, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW, Freeview and Freesat; and to Irish viewers through Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel & content availability varies by platform. UKTV’s content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Pluto TV and Virgin Media. UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers. The broadcaster is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
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About Chatterbox Media
Chatterbox is a BAFTA winning, female led production company, founded by senior creatives Nav Raman & Ali Quirk.