The Repair Shop returned tonight for a new episode where more guests arrived at the barn with the hope the experts could restore their beloved items – however, viewers were quick to realise that presenter Jay Blades had been edited out of the final cut.
On Friday Blades was charged with controlling and coercive behaviour against his estranged wife Lisa Zbozen, including physical and emotional abuse.
The star appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning and was bailed to appear at Worcester Crown Court on October 11, West Mercia Police said.
Zbozen made her decision to end their 18-month marriage publicly on May 3, 2024, with Blades being arrested on the same day.
A spokeswoman for West Mercia Police said: “54-year-old Jason Blades of Claverley in Wolverhampton has been charged with controlling and coercive behaviour.”
The Repair Shop star and his fitness instructor wife married in November 2022 at an intimate ceremony in Barbados with just a select few friends and family members.
Weeks after their split, Zbozen took to her social media and revealed that their marriage had become severely strained, and admitted she was “broken.”
In a lengthy statement on her work Instagram account, she penned: “This was the whole post on a private forum: I don’t know how to say this because it’s still really raw. 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.
“I wanted my husband to love me & keep me safe, and I would love him right back, but it just got worse and worse, until I grabbed a bag of a few things & I just left. Anyway, That’s why there have been no new wkouts [workouts].”
It was rumoured that the broadcaster had pulled all episodes from the schedule after Blades’ court appearance, however, an insider told The Sun: “The Beeb won’t feature any new shows in which he appears until it is clear how legal proceedings conclude”.
Whilst tonight’s episode went ahead, Blades was nowhere to be seen, with the BBC One narrator introducing the show: “Talking shop now on BBC One, with a change to the billed episode.”
It didn’t take long for eagle-eyed fans to notice that Blades had been “heavily” edited out of the opening credits as well as being missing from the episode itself, with one X user commenting: “Heavy edit to remove Jay from the opening montage.”
A second fan added: “Noticing a big lack of Jay the opening few minutes. A bit of an impromptu trimming after recent headlines huh? #therepairshop.”
“Jay Blades totally erased from the #therepairshop,” a third penned before a fourth noted: “#TheRepairShop A change to the built episode.”
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Someone else said: “#JayBlades removed from opening credits of the #TheRepairShop. Well done @BBCOne.”
Since the news of his charge, many fans have begun to wonder whether the beloved series will be pulled for good, however, network chiefs have hinted that the beloved programme will continue, even if its host doesn’t return.
Casting has already opened for the next series, with the network confirming: “Our award-winning series The Repair Shop is returning to BBC One. Our team of Britain’s most passionate and skilled craftspeople will rescue broken objects and restore them to their former glory.”
Shortly after Blades was charged, the 54-year-old resigned as co-chair and trustee of Heritage Crafts and as an ambassador for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), with both organisations having King Charles as their patron.
The furniture restorer was made an MBE for services to craft in 2022 and also resigned from his role as chancellor at Buckinghamshire New University.
