The Repair Shop star Jay Blades charged with two counts of rape ahead of court appearance

The Repair Shop star Jay Blades has been charged with two counts of rape. Police confirmed the allegations against the 55-year-old dad of three from Shropshire. West Mercia Police confirmed charges against the dad of three, with a magistrates' court date set for next Wednesday. A spokesperson said: "Jason Blades, 55, of Claverley in Shropshire, has been charged with two counts of rape.

They added: "He is due to appear at Telford magistrates' court on 13 August 2025." The charges are separate from an ongoing case in which Blades has pleaded not guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour allegations made by his estranged wife, LisaMarie Zbozen. Blades fronted The Repair Shop for seven years before stepping back in 2024. King Charles appeared alongside him on a special episode in 2022.

Blades, who received an MBE in 2022 for his services to craft and television, resigned as chancellor of Buckinghamshire New University following the initial allegations and the tragic death of his uncle.

He has previously denied the coercive behaviour charge related to alleged conduct between January 2023 and September 2024, and appeared at Worcester Crown Court in October for a pre-trial review.

That trial is now scheduled for August 2025. In addition to presenting The Repair Shop, Blades has hosted BBC programmes including Money For Nothing and Jay Blades' Home Fix. He also appeared as a contestant on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special and fronted a special BBC documentary, Jay Blades: Learning to Read at 51.

His Repair Shop co-star, horologist Steve Fletcher, revealed in March that he had visited Blades while on a break from the live tour.

Steve shared a photograph of himself with Blades on Instagram with the caption: "In a break from our 'Secrets From the Barn' Tour, I popped in to see Jay the other day for a cup of tea and a lovely chat. It was great to catch up. Hope to see him again soon."

The BBC later replaced Blades with Roman Kemp for the Christmas special of the popular series. It was said that the star had also signed up for a new ITV show, Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters before his arrest.

However, the show was reportedly thrown into chaos after allegations emerged, with bosses taking swift action to remove Blades.