This week, a British couple was moved to tears on television as they shared the discovery of a 'secret message' left by their late son.

John and Margaret Irvin were guests on the popular BBC renovation show The Repair Shop, a beloved series where family heirlooms are expertly restored by skilled craftsmen.

During their appearance, the couple recounted how, while renovating their kitchen and removing some storage units, they stumbled upon a handwritten note on one of the walls.

To their surprise, the message had been penned by their late son, Chris, during his teenage years.

With tears in her eyes, Margaret told the hosts of the show: "When one of the original cupboards was removed from the wall, we found this hidden behind it, and it was completely unexpected."

Chris died of cancer in 2012 (BBC)

The couple went on to share that Chris had been tragically diagnosed with a rare form of testicular cancer 15 years prior.

At that time, he was working as a camera operator, contributing to TV productions for numerous huge-name stars, such as the rock band AC/DC and musician Tina Turner.

His fiancé Inna launched a successful blog called 'Kicking Cancer In the Nuts' in 2011, chronicling his battle with the illness.

Sadly, Chris passed away the following year at the age of 34.

"He often left little notes around the house," Margaret recalled, adding, "Some would say, 'I love you'."

Reflecting on his passing, she continued: "It was 18 months from diagnosis to when he died. Losing a child is something you never truly get over; you simply get through it, and we've managed to do that."

The couple discovered a 'secret message' behind their wallpaper (BBC)

Before his death, during his teenage years, Chris had written on a wall in his parents' home: "This is original wallpaper. Friday 4:15, 8th December 1989. Please leave this wallpaper, Chris."

Although the Irvins initially managed to preserve the wallpaper during renovations, they were disheartened to see it starting to deteriorate recently.

This prompted them to seek assistance from The Repair Shop's restoration team, who skillfully managed to preserve Chris' words by beautifully framing the wallpaper.

Margaret was overwhelmed with emotion, praising specialist Rob Fraser's work as 'brilliant'.

"Even the torn bits of paper have been restored," she exclaimed. "This is beyond what I ever imagined it could be."