The Repair Shop: filming for new season begins without Jay Blades as host continues to take time off

Jay Blades is still taking time off, as filming for the new season of The Repair Shop goes ahead without the BBC host. The 54-year-old is continuing to take time off after he revealed he was taking time out to “take stock and just relax” after the death of his uncle.

Filming on the new series of The Repair Shop has started at the Weald and Downland Living Museum in Chichester, West Sussex. Blades is best known for presenting the BBC show, which sees members of the public take worn-out family heirlooms to be restored by a team of experts.

Last week Blades’ wife Lisa Zbozen announced the end of their marriage. The couple had tied the knot in the grounds of a beachfront villa in Barbados in November 2022.

What has Jay Blades said about returning to The Repair Shop?

Filming for the latest season of The Repair Shop has continued without host Jay Blades. The TV star, revealed last month that he would be taking a social media break after the death of his uncle.

In a video on Instagram, he 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.”

He continued: “I feel a little bit messed up. So what I’m intending on doing is this. I’m coming off social media for a bit, and I’ll be back in a bit. Going to go and get some therapy and just chill out.”

At the time Blades told fans that he was taking time off to “take stock and just relax”, but confirmed he would be “back soon”. Adding: “Please, take care of each other, take care of yourself, and I’ll see you guys soon.”

Last week his wife Lisa Zbozen announced the end of their marriage. The couple married in the grounds of a beachfront villa in Barbados in November 2022. Posting an image of the now former couple of their wedding day, the 43-year-old said she had only split from Blades at the weekend and that her emotions were still “raw”.

A spokesperson for Blades has confirmed to PA that he is continuing to take some time off. Join the thousands of people who’ve signed up for a National World newsletter

Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.