Jay Blades 'Repair Shop' charged with controlling and coercive behaviour
Presenter Jay Blades - ' The Repair Shop' has been charged with engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour against his estranged wife, police said.
The 54-year-old attended Kidderminster Magistrates' Court earlier today and has been released on bail to return to Worcester Crown Court on October 11. Court documents indicate that the reported coercive behaviour involves both physical and emotional abuse.
Jay Blades, a skilled furniture restorer, is the star of the beloved BBC series where experts breathe new life into cherished items. The Repair Shop premiered in 2017, and fans can look forward to its 14th season airing later this year.
Blades recently praised his 'friend' King Charles, telling a BBC interviewer that 'he's just a normal geezer'.
Charges
Blades, aged 54, faces a charge of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour . The presenter is scheduled to appear at Worcester Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 11 October. In a statement, West Mercia Police reported:
“Jason Blades, a 54-year-old resident of Claverley in Wolverhampton, has been charged with controlling and coercive behavior.”
He made an appearance at Kidderminster Magistrates Court this morning (Friday, 13 September) and has been granted bail to attend Worcester Crown Court on Friday, 11 October.” Court documents indicate that the charge pertains to his wife, Lisa Zbozen, a fitness instructor, who declared the end of their relationship on her Instagram account on 2 May.
Disadvantaged background
Blades comes from a disadvantaged background, he was brought up in Hackney by his single mother. He faced financial difficulties and resided in a hostel prior to securing accommodation in social housing. He eventually became a furniture maker and gained recognition on the Repair Shop after television producers discovered him through a short film about Out of the Dark, a charity he co-founded that educates young individuals on the restoration and sale of vintage furniture.
Jay Blades Timeline
- Born: 21 February 1970 (age 54 years), London Borough of Brent. He has dyslexia, which was not diagnosed at school.
- As an adult, he learned that his father had 25 other children, from different mothers, in a number of countries.
- He enrolled in Buckinghamshire New University as a mature student to study criminology.
- 2015 - Blades and his then wife, set up a charity in High Wycombe, Out of the Dark, to train disadvantaged young people in furniture restoration. The charity lost funding, their marriage broke down, and Blades became homeless.
- He moved to Wolverhampton and established Jay & Co, a social enterprise to support disadvantaged and disengaged groups.
- 2017 - Blades joins the BAFTA winning series The Repair Shop.
- 2021 - Appointed MBE Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours, for services to craft.
- 2024 - Blades joins forces with Sir David Jason (Only Fools and Horses) for the BBC show titled David and Jay's Touring Toolshed.
- 2024 - BBC pulls Sir David Jason show off air after clash with Blades. Sir David made a comment about Jay's skills as he embarked on the task. "Just remember we haven't got three days for this programme," he said, before Jay responded: "No, it's not gonna fall in! Listen, less of the verbal over there, alright?"
- 2024 - In September, Blades is charged with controlling and coercive behaviour
