Furniture restorer Jason “Jay” Blades, 53, was raised by a single mother in east London. He struggled at school due to undiagnosed dyslexia, then worked as a labourer and in factories before founding a charity to train disadvantaged youngsters in furniture restoration. TV producers spotted him in a short film, thought he was a natural on screen and asked Blades to front BBC hit The Repair Shop. He has presented documentaries, opened his first bricks-and-mortar shop, Jay & Co, in Poole, and is about to appear on The Great Celebrity Bake Off. He’s married with three children and lives in Shropshire.
What’s the enduring appeal of The Repair Shop?
It’s all about love. The experts who fix things have love for their craft. The people who bring in their precious heirlooms have love for their family. Put those together and it’s magical.
