The TV show Classic Car Kings, featuring the restorations at Irv's Restoration in Barrow, has been renewed for two additional series due to strong viewer interest. The program will air 12 new hour-long episodes on UKTV's U and U&YESTERDAY channels. It highlights the work of Paul 'Big Irv' Irving and his family team as they revive classic vehicles.
Classic Car Kings follows the operations at Irv's Restoration, a workshop in Barrow, Cumbria, where Paul 'Big Irv' Irving leads a team of welders, fabricators, blasters, painters, and mechanics. The series documents their efforts to restore vintage cars while uncovering the personal histories tied to each vehicle. The first season, which averaged 470,000 viewers on U&YESTERDAY, showcased restorations of models including a Type 1 VW Beetle, a Porsche 911, a Lamborghini Espada, a VW Barndoor Samba, a Ford Escort RS1600i, and a Daimler Sovereign Coupe.
The renewal comes after robust audience response, with production already underway for the second series. Broadcast details and the specific cars for the upcoming episodes will be revealed later. Irving expressed enthusiasm, stating: "We’re really pleased to be back with Classic Car Kings. Every car has its own personality and challenges – but the chance to share more of these incredible restorations with fans of classic cars across the UK is a real privilege."
Emile Nawagamuwa, commissioning editor at UKTV, praised the show's authenticity: "I couldn’t be more thrilled that Classic Car Kings is getting a well-deserved double season order... There’s an authenticity to the people of Cumbria that you simply can’t manufacture." The production is handled by BAFTA-winning Chatterbox Media, with Ali Quirk, its CEO, noting: "It’s been fantastic to see the series connect so strongly with viewers, and we’re thrilled to be working with UKTV again."
This program joins U&YESTERDAY's lineup of factual content, such as Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics and Dream Car Fixers, emphasizing skilled craftsmanship in the classic car sector.