Appearing on the Meet the Experts Stage, Dominic talked about his dramatic move from Kent to Cornwall, life on The Repair Shop, his passion for traditional crafts and wheeling machines, and why making mistakes is all part of learning.

There was also plenty of classic-car chat, including a lively debate over the ultimate practical classic.

Dominic's biggest project of the past year hasn't been a classic car. It's been his new workshop.

Having moved his home, workshop, machinery, tools and collection of project cars from Kent to Cornwall, Dominic admitted that it had been a "brutal year".

Moving a workshop is difficult enough, but doing it while transporting a Porsche on a large jig, machinery and years' worth of tools and materials took things to another level.

Then came the Cornish weather.

Storms caused serious damage, with part of the house roof and a large section of the workshop roof being ripped off. Power was also lost for a week.

"It's hard to keep momentum and enthusiasm when it's just constantly things against you," Dominic admitted.

But slowly, the new workshop is taking shape. Windows are in, the roof is almost watertight, roller shutters have been installed and, perhaps most excitingly, a two-post lift has arrived.

The huge former dairy barn is now becoming Dominic's "big playground" – a space to work on projects, learn new skills and film his YouTube channel.

The move has also been documented for Dominic's YouTube channel and in a new television series.

Unlike the structured environment of The Repair Shop, this production captures the reality of what happens in Dominic's life and workshop – problems and all.

That included the memorable arrival of a Land Rover Defender when the delivery truck couldn't actually fit down the lane.

For Dominic, that's what makes the series different.

"The camera would just turn up and start filming whatever's happening," he explained.

And that's exactly the kind of authenticity that has made Dominic so popular with viewers.

Dominic's career on television wasn't something he originally planned.

Before The Repair Shop, he worked in set design, making props and displays from his London workshop. His first involvement with the programme was simply to design a sign.

Then the production team needed someone to do some metalwork.

Dominic was in the right place at the right time – and despite initially having no desire to appear on camera, he soon found himself in front of it.

His approach has remained refreshingly simple: concentrate on the job, enjoy the challenge and be yourself.

That authenticity, the panel noted, is one of the reasons viewers connect with him. Rather than presenting himself as an expert who knows everything, Dominic is happy to learn, experiment and occasionally get things wrong.

A major theme of the discussion was the importance of encouraging people to try practical skills.

Dominic has seen how The Repair Shop has inspired viewers to look at old objects differently – to repair rather than replace, and to realise that they might be capable of having a go themselves.

His work at events such as Goodwood's workshop areas has also introduced people to traditional crafts including pyrography, pottery and gold leafing.

For Dominic, there's no substitute for hands-on experience.

"You can watch as many videos as you like, until you actually get to roll your sleeves up and have a go," he said.

That message is particularly important for younger people, who can have fewer opportunities to experience practical skills.

One of Dominic's biggest passions is the English wheel, or wheeling machine – a traditional tool used to shape sheet metal by hand.

Many of the beautiful panels found on older cars were produced using techniques like this, but the skills involved are increasingly rare.

Dominic is working to change that.

He is manufacturing replicas of the famous Ranelagh wheeling machines, originally produced from the 1930s onwards, and is also developing a half-sized version.

There was just one problem: he hadn't quite finished it yet.

After being challenged on stage, Dominic promised to return to next year's show with one.

We'll be holding him to that!

Dominic's new workshop already has its first major restoration project: a Series I Land Rover.

He originally went looking for a Series II but couldn't resist when he discovered a Series I that had spent around 25 years sitting in a front garden.

The vehicle was buried up to its axles and proved extremely difficult to recover. During the recovery, the Land Rover even folded in half as it was being winched out.

Now safely inside the workshop, it's being methodically dismantled.

For Dominic, the Series I has also changed his view of the perfect starter classic. While he has previously recommended a Volkswagen Beetle, he now sees the Land Rover as an incredibly accessible car to work on.

"It's like a big Meccano set," he explained.

Dominic is back filming The Repair Shop, while The Repair Shop on the Road continues to take him around the country, giving him the opportunity to try his hand at different crafts and restoration projects.

He also revealed that a new series of the BBC's Make It at Market is on the way.

The programme follows craftspeople looking to turn their passion into a viable business. Dominic has been revisiting people from the first series and seeing how they've progressed.

The results have been inspiring, with many having overcome self-doubt and gone on to build successful businesses around their skills.

For Dominic, it's proof that practical skills can become much more than a hobby.