Jay Blades Trial Delayed as BBC Star Faces New Rape Charges

BBC star Jay Blades’ trial for coercive control has been delayed after he was charged with two counts of rape. He will appear in court again on August 13.

The trial of BBC presenter Jay Blades has been delayed following the emergence of two new rape charges brought against him, a court has heard.

Blades, 55, who rose to prominence as the face of The Repair Shop, was due to stand trial later this month at Worcester Crown Court on a charge of controlling or coercive behaviour towards his estranged wife, fitness instructor Lisa-Marie Zbozen.

At a short pre-trial hearing held on Tuesday (August 5), The Honourable Recorder of Worcester, Judge James Burbidge KC, confirmed that the coercive control trial would no longer proceed as planned later this month. That case, originally scheduled to begin on August 26, will now be postponed.

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Allegations of Coercive Behaviour

Blades previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of controlling or coercive behaviour between January 1 and September 12, 2023.

That charge alleges a pattern of conduct which caused Ms Zbozen to “fear, on at least two occasions, that violence would be used against her”.

The allegations were initially brought to court earlier this year. Blades formally denied the charge at a preliminary hearing before Judge Burbidge at Worcester Crown Court in May.

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During that earlier hearing, the judge rejected an application by the defence for part of the proceedings to be heard in private.

No trial date has been set for the coercive control charge, which is likely to be reviewed once the rape proceedings are under way.

Rape Charges Filed

In a statement issued on the day of the court hearing, West Mercia Police confirmed that the new charges had been formally authorised. A spokesperson said:

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“Jason Blades, 55, of Claverley in Shropshire, has been charged with two counts of rape. He is due to appear at Telford Magistrates’ Court on 13 August 2025.”

The police statement did not provide further details about the dates or circumstances of the alleged offences.

Blades remains on conditional bail and is not currently subject to any custodial remand. His appearance at Telford Magistrates’ Court on August 13 will determine how the new rape charges proceed through the legal system.

From Social Housing to Prime Time

Jay Blades rose to national prominence as the lead presenter of The Repair Shop, the BBC’s long-running restoration programme, which he began hosting in 2017.

He later appeared on other BBC series including Money For Nothing, Celebrity MasterChef, The Great British Bake Off (celebrity special), and Comic Relief.

Born and raised in Hackney, East London, Blades has often spoken publicly about his disadvantaged background. Raised by a single mother, he struggled with poverty and homelessness in his youth, at one point living in a hostel before moving into social housing.

He trained as a furniture restorer and co-founded Out of the Dark, a charity aimed at helping young people gain practical skills through upcycling and repair. His work was eventually noticed by television producers, leading to his on-screen breakthrough.

In 2022, Blades fronted a personal documentary titled Jay Blades: Learning to Read at 51, which followed his adult literacy journey after he revealed he had grown up unable to read or write.

The relationship between Blades and Ms Zbozen came to public attention in May 2024, when Ms Zbozen confirmed the couple had separated. In a post on Instagram dated May 2, she said the relationship was over.

Next Steps

It is expected that proceedings in Worcester concerning the coercive control charge will remain paused until the outcome of the rape charges becomes clearer.

The BBC has not yet issued a statement in response to the latest developments.

We will keep you updated. Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.