The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades charged with ‘controlling and coercive behaviour against wife’
BBC presenter Jay Blades has been charged with controlling and coercive behaviour against his wife.
The Repair Shop star appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates’ this morning.
Blades was arrested on May 3, the same day his wife Lisa Zbozen made public her decision to end their 18-month marriage.
A spokeswoman for West Mercia Police said: “54-year-old Jason Blades of Claverley in Wolverhampton has been charged with controlling and coercive behaviour.”
Dad-of-three Blades was in court today and was supported by two friends.
He was bailed to appear at Worcester Crown Court on October 11.
The charge sheet states Blades allegedly “repeatedly or continuously engaged in behaviour which was controlling or coercive, namely physical and emotional abuse towards Lisa Zbozen”.
This had a “a serious effect on her” and Blades “knew or ought to have known that the behaviour would have a serious effect on her”, it was said.
The offences allegedly took place between January 1, 2023, and April 9, 2024.
Following his arrest on May 3, Lisa, who works as a fitness instructor, told her online community they had split.
Blades and Lisa married in November 2022 in Barbados, a year after their engagement.
Photographs of their intimate beach-front ceremony were published in Hello! Magazine.
They said their vows in front of 15 guests and exchanged rings designed by Blades’ Repair Shop colleague Richard Talman.
Blades said after the wedding: “One word sums up the day: perfect.
“We had our closest family there, the weather held out and everything worked out so well.”
Speaking to Hello! he continued: “I think the thing that was most emotional for me was actually saying the vows.
“It was almost like I had tunnel vision and I could only see Lisa there.
“And honestly, that’s when it really hit me. I was like, ‘We’re really getting married now!’. That’s the only time I really got emotional.”
Prior to his marriage to Lisa, Blades was married to Jade, who is the mother of one of his three children.
The pair split in 2015 and he went on to have a four year relationship with Christine Goodman before meeting Lisa.
Following his arrest, Blades took a break from filming The Repair Shop.
As well as taking a break from filming The Repair Shop, Blades cancelled public appearances, including a speaking event at the Hay Festival.
He has been the host of the popular BBC series since 2017 and was appointed an MBE in the 2021 birthday honours for his services to craft.
Blades returned to filming The Repair Shop on June 4 and was seen on set with members of the show’s cast and crew.
The show, which is watched by millions, had a special episode featuring King Charles in October 2022, before his accession to the throne.
Blades was seen helping to restore an 18th century clock which was made for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
He was last seen on screen last month when he appeared alongside Dame Judi Dench in a Channel 4 show, Dame Judi And Jay: The Odd Couple.
The one-off show saw them speaking to each other about the life experiences that shaped them.