The Repair Shop host Jay Blades has opened up about the darkest period of his life, when he lost his marriage, his charity, and his home in 2015. The 53-year-old said he came close to taking his own life and spent nights sleeping in his car after driving aimlessly to Wolverhampton.
Blades, who grew up on a council estate in Hackney and hid his inability to read, said he 'snapped' under the pressure of his marriage breakdown and the loss of his charity Out of the Dark. He described an 'out-of-body experience' that led him to get in his car and drive with no destination.
During that traumatic week, Blades lost a stone because he wasn't eating or drinking and hadn't washed in days. He told The Mirror: 'I was unable to see tomorrow, I couldn't see myself existing in the future.'
Blades also revealed a painful family feud, though details remain unclear. He has previously spoken about his difficult childhood and a teacher who told him he would be a 'failure'. Despite these struggles, Blades went on to become a TV star on The Repair Shop, a show he never believed he would host.
