Jay Blades ‘taking break’ from TV amid marriage split and uncle’s murder forcing The Repair Shop to continue without him
JAY Blades has taken a break from filming The Repair Shop in the wake of his marriage split.
The presenter, 54, was absent as work resumed on the hit BBC show this week.
His no-show comes six days after his wife Lisa revealed she had left him – 18 months after they married.
In a shock statement, Lisa said she felt “broken”, adding: “The world got the best parts of my husband.
“I got a whole lot of everything else.”
Jay also revealed last month his uncle Richard Brathwaite had been killed.
A source said: “Jay has taken a step back and is having a break from filming The Repair Shop.
“His uncle’s murder in March and the breakdown of his marriage means he has decided to take some time out.”
The BBC One show’s set was a hive of activity this week as filming started at the Weald and Downland Living Museum in Chichester, West Sussex.
The source went on: “The Repair Shop is carrying on without him for now and the other repairers are hard at work.
“People who worked with Jay said they were shocked to hear his marriage to Lisa had ended.
“It was not well known at all among the people who work on the show.”
On April 29, Jay announced he was taking a break from social media following the funeral of his uncle, who was killed in March at Wembley, North West London.
Just three days later, on May 3, fitness coach Lisa told her online community she had left him.
She said in a statement on Instagram: “Last weekend I finally left.
‘Incredibly sad’
“I probably should be really angry but I’m just incredibly sad about the whole thing right now.
“I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much.”
Lisa was photographed looking downcast just days later, but Jay has not been seen in public since.
The Repair Shop has proved a hit since it started on BBC2 in 2017.
Jay was awarded an MBE in 2022 for his services to craft and spoke to King Charles about the importance of bringing old things back to life.
Charles also appeared on a special episode of the show.
