A Ceredigion upholsterer with a flair for the bold and the beautiful is set to make her BBC debut, as her work and story take centre stage on the hit show Money for Nothing.

Dr Ali Wright, founder of Llanrhystud-based upholstery workshop Needle Rock, will appear on the popular BBC One programme this summer, showcasing her transformation of a pair of battered 1940s chairs into eye-catching, contemporary statement pieces.

“These chairs were frankly, absolutely knackered,” says Ali. “They’d been sat in a house since the 1940s and came to me in a sorry state – but there was so much history there, so much character; I knew I had to do them justice.”

Ali, known for her use of vivid prints and rich textures, stripped the chairs right back to their frames before rebuilding them using skilled upholstery techniques – and giving them a new lease of life with bold, fearless fabrics including a striking big cat print.

“It’s a total transformation, but it’s also a tribute to the lives these pieces have lived,” she explains. “That’s what I love most – uncovering the stories behind furniture and turning them into unique pieces of furniture that will certainly be conversation starters.”

The emotional backstory of the chairs and their sentimental value to the previous owners will feature as part of the BBC show, which follows designers and makers as they rescue and revive forgotten items bound for landfill.

Ali first launched Needle Rock in 2013 and has since then quietly built a reputation for distinctive design, expert craftsmanship and a commitment to legacy – not landfill.

Ali is also developing the Needle Rock Training Academy to help pass traditional skills on to the next generation.

Her bespoke furniture collection, Needle Rock Originals, launched their first piece – the ‘Aber Chaise’ – earlier this year.