Jay Blades, the former host of The Repair Shop, was charged with two counts of rape. West Mercia Police confirmed the charges against the star and said that a magistrates’ court date is set for 13 August
The Repair Shop will still be airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday evening after former host Jay Blades was charged with two counts of rape. West Mercia Police last night confirmed charges against the 55-year-old TV star, who stepped back from presenting The Repair Shop last year, and said that a magistrates’ court date is set for Wednesday 13 August.
“Jason Blades, 55, of Claverley in Shropshire, has been charged with two counts of rape,” a spokesperson for the force told The Mirror this week. “He is due to appear at Telford magistrates’ court on 13 August 2025.”
At 8pm tonight, The Repair Shop will air on both BBC One and iPlayer. However, Blades will not be featured on the episode since he stepped down last year. The experts tonight include Dominic Chinea, Suzie Fletcher, Will Kirk, Lucia Scalisi and Brenton West.
The first person looking for an expert’s help is a woman from Nottinghamshire with a weather-worn concrete portrait of her late father. The artwork was commissioned as a present to her late father by the women in need of Scalisi’s help to restore it.
Next up is a father-daughter duo, Ian and Issy, who bring in a rare and precious silver statuette of a paratrooper. It’s revealed only 100 was ever made and the object belong to the father of Ian – a proud veteran of the parachute regiment. After surviving a dramatic shipwreck off the coast of Tenerife, the object was left ruined.
Other people requiring the experts’ help include Pari, who brings in a leather baby hammock from her childhood in Iran, and a battered flight case once owned by Trevor Bolder.
Furniture restorer Jay Blades found fame on restoration programme The Repair Shop, which he started presenting in 2017. He left the programme last year.
He also presented the BBC’s Money For Nothing until 2020, and appeared on Celebrity Masterchef and Celebrity Bake Off as well as Comic Relief.
The Mirror have reached out to the BBC for comment.
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999*
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