Former BBC Star Jay Blades Faces Rape Charges and Controlling Behavior Allegations
Jay Blades, a former star of BBC's The Repair Shop, is facing two charges of rape. The 55-year-old is also awaiting trial for a separate charge of controlling and coercive behavior against his estranged wife. The allegations against him led to his departure from the BBC show last year. West Mercia Police confirmed the new charges, and Blades is set to appear in court next week. He had already denied the previous charges of controlling and coercive behavior against his ex-wife, Lisa-Marie Zbozen, whom he was married to for 18 months. Blades was awarded an MBE in 2022 for his services to the craft and met King Charles during a Repair Shop special in the same year. Despite being dropped from the show, his co-star Steve Fletcher recently visited him for a chat. Blades had hosted several shows, including Money For Nothing and Jay Blades' Home Fix, in addition to The Repair Shop.