The Repair Shop star Jay Blades is reportedly taking a break from filming the hit BBC show after his shock split from second wife Lisa-Marie Zbozen and the murder of his uncle Richard Brathwaite.
Blades has fronted the BBC series since 2017 and helped an abundance of guests restore their most treasured possessions and heirlooms with the help of his talented colleagues.
The BBC favourite is currently in its 13th series but it seems the future of the show could be at risk as Blades has reportedly called time on his TV appearances for the foreseeable future.
Blades’ second wife Zbozen announced her split from the BBC star last weekend and explained their 18-month marriage “just got worse and worse until I grabbed a bag of a few things and I left”.
According to The Sun, she wrote in a statement: “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 will admit I’m crying as I type this as I can’t believe this is even real. I hope you don’t mind if I just have a few days trying to figure out my life as I’m currently in a spare room with a few essentials.
Lisa-Marie and Jay were married for 18-months before they split
“I don’t know what else to say. All my love, A very broken Lisa-Marie x,” she signed off. (sic)
Blades and Zbozen tied the knot in an intimate beachfront wedding in Barbados in 2022, with Blades later telling Hello! magazine: “One word sums up the day: Perfect.
“We had our closest family there, the weather held out and everything worked out so well.”
Alongside the breakdown of his marriage, Blades has also been dealing with the murder of his uncle and told his social media followers: “Hope you’re all well. This is kind of like a public service announcement.
Jay is said to be taking a break from TV after his split and family death
“I’ve just been to my uncle’s funeral, he was murdered a few weeks ago. Really, a super nice guy, shouldn’t have happened to him, but it really affected me. 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. Please, take care of each other, take care of yourself, and I’ll see you guys soon.”
It has since been reported that Blades will be taking a “step back” from his work commitments, with a source explaining to The Sun: “Jay has taken a step back and is having a break from filming The Repair Shop.
“His uncle’s murder in March and the breakdown of his marriage means he has decided to take some time out. The Repair Shop is carrying on without him for now and the other repairers are hard at work.
Jay Blades sparks concern for show future
“People who worked with Jay said they were shocked to hear his marriage to Lisa had ended. It was not well known at all among the people who work on the show.”
His absence means that filming for The Repair Shop’s Christmas special has reportedly been halted which was meant to be finished filming this week.
Last week, the Mail on Sunday reported that Blades told BBC bosses he would not be able to take part in the planned recording, which sparked “genuine fears” that the special episode may not be finished.
A source said: “It has become really problematic. Things have been really difficult for Jay. His relationship imploded last weekend and clearly, he didn’t feel like he could work.
“He is known to be a pro, so for him to have to do this means that things must be bad. He must be having a pretty awful time. None of the bosses have told us if filming is going to continue.”
GB News has contacted the BBC for a comment.
