The frontman of one of the BBC’s most beloved shows has quit his role with one of the King’s charities after he was charged with alleged domestic abuse.
The Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades appeared in court Friday on a coercive behaviour charge, and the BBC rushed to drop all episodes of the show featuring Blades from its TV schedules.
The show features people bringing treasured possessions to a workshop to be mended by expert craftspeople including Blades, and the presenter was appointed building crafts ambassador for the charity, then called the Prince’s Foundation, in July 2020.
Now The Sun newspaper reports that Blades has quit his role with the charity, which confirmed yesterday: “Jay Blades has informed us of his resignation from the ambassador role.”
Blades was given an MBE award in 2021 appeared with King Charles in a special episode of The Repair Shop in 2022.
Blades appeared in court Friday, and a West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “54-year-old Jason Blades of Claverley in Wolverhampton has been charged with controlling and coercive behaviour … The charges follow the launch of an investigation after we were called to an address on 3 May.”
In the same month, Blades separated from his wife, Lisa Zbozen, after 18 months of marriage.