Jay Blades has reinstated his affiliation with The Repair Shop after reportedly removing a link to the show from his social media profile. The move comes after it was revealed the restorer had taken a step back from BBC filming commitments earlier this week.
On Thursday (May 9), a spokesperson for the 54-year-old confirmed to Express.co.uk that the star was “continuing to take some time out” following the death of his uncle and his recent marriage split. A source also told The Sun: “Jay has taken a step back and is having a break from filming The Repair Shop.”
Contrary to reports that he had missed some parts of the 2024 Christmas special, Express.co.uk has also been told that filming for the episode had already taken place before Jay's personal challenges hit the headlines. On Friday (May 10) it was alleged that the Hackney-raised star had deleted all mention of BBC’s The Repair Shop from his Instagram and X bios.
However, links have now been restored and now read: “Eco Designer, Social Enterpriser & BAFTA, RTS & NTA Awards Winning Presenter @therepairshop.” Express.co.uk has contacted representatives of Jay Blades and BBC for further comment.
Jay has been at the helm of The Repair Shop since it commenced broadcasting in 2017 and is currently starring in series 13 of the show. During the personality's period of uncertainty, it’s claimed his co-stars and fellow experts are “hard at work” without him.
“The Repair Shop is carrying on without him for now and the other repairers are hard at work,” a source told The Sun. “People who worked with Jay said they were shocked to hear his marriage to Lisa had ended."
On April 29, Jay announced he would be taking a break from social media following his attendance at his uncle’s funeral. In a video, uploaded to his 195,000 Instagram followers, the star said: “I’ve just been to my uncle’s funeral. He was murdered a few weeks ago.
“Really super nice guy, shouldn’t have happened to him but it really affected me, I feel a little bit messed up.” He added he would be “coming off social media for a bit” to complete a course of therapy.
Jay’s uncle Richard Brathwaite, 72, was found dead in Wembley on March 21, according to reports. It’s alleged that a neighbour fatally stabbed him during a disagreement over items residing in a shared alleyway between their homes.
As per The Mirror, a man was charged with murder, wounding with intent, and possession of a bladed article in a public place on March 26. A plea hearing has been set for June 11 and a three-week trial date will begin on January 27th, 2025.
Following Jay’s announcement, his wife Lisa-Marie Zbozen revealed she and the TV personality had split after just 18 months of marriage.
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In a statement shared on Instagram, the fitness influencer claimed she was “incredibly sad” and felt “incredibly broken” following their marriage breakdown.
The pair announced their engagement in December 2021 before tying the knot in an intimate wedding 11 months later.
The ceremony, held in Barbados, was attended by just 15 of the couple’s nearest and dearest and was featured exclusively in Hello! Magazine at the time.
Speaking about the vows, Lisa said: “Once you get to a certain age, you realise what’s actually important on the day - and that is having the people around you that love you for who you are. So we made the day our day.”
