Brought up by his mother on a council estate in Hackney, Jay’s journey has taken many twists and turns. Jay is dyslexic and, after leaving school at 15 with no qualifications, he eventually managed to get back on track studying for a degree in criminology and philosophy at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU). He then found his true vocation in restoration and supporting vulnerable people in our society through his former charity, Out of The Dark. 

Jay Blades is a man whose personality, enthusiasm, and empathy shines brightly every week in millions of homes across the UK as the host of BBC One’s extraordinarily successful ‘The Repair Shop’. The six-foot three dapper furniture restorer with the flat cap, bold glasses and gold tooth is a truly unique presence on mainstream television. He is the antithesis of the throwaway culture that surrounds us, believing that the old can become new, the worn can shine again, and the broken can be fixed. It is perhaps no coincidence that his belief in the restoration of objects stems from a belief that humans too can be repaired, fixed and rejuvenated. He is the living embodiment of that. A man whose backstory will give you an idea of the hurdles that he has had to overcome, and how those considerable challenges make the ascent to where he is today seem all that more impressive.

Jay’s forever driven by doing better.

Image credit: Elisabeth Hoff