Jay Blades, the presenter of BBC's The Repair Shop, has been charged with two counts of rape, West Mercia Police confirmed on Monday evening. The 55-year-old is due to appear at Telford Magistrates’ Court on 13 August 2025.
A police spokesman said: “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 charges follow a separate allegation of controlling and coercive behaviour, which Blades has denied. He is currently awaiting trial on those allegations and is scheduled for a pre-trial review at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday.
Blades rose to fame after joining The Repair Shop in 2017, a programme in which experts restore cherished items for members of the public. He has not appeared on the show since last year. The programme has featured guests including King Charles III and Dame Judi Dench, with whom Blades later co-hosted Channel 4’s Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple.
In addition to his television work, Blades appeared on Celebrity MasterChef and The Great Celebrity Bake Off, and in 2020 founded the production company Hungry Jay Media alongside Hungry Bear Media. The charges come amid heightened scrutiny of male presenters in British television following recent misconduct allegations against Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
The BBC said it would not be “appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.” Blades has yet to enter a plea regarding the rape charges.
