Presenter’s co-stars ‘working hard’ on new series as he ‘takes a break’ and ‘were shocked’ to learn of marriage breakdown

Lisa-Marie Zbozen, now ex-wife of Jay Blades, sensationally announced last week that she had left him amid a period of personal crisis for the star.

Lisa, a fitness instructor, left Jay last weekend, saying their 18-month marriage “was getting worse and worse, until I grabbed a bag of a few things and left.”

And just a week before his marriage breakdown was confirmed, Jay revealed his uncle Richard Brathwaite had been killed.

All this happened as Jay, 54, was due to be back filming the hugely popular BBC show The Repair Shop, but was reportedly absent from set this week as he is ‘taking a break’ with television.

Filming has now been thrown into chaos due to his absence, according to a new report.

His co-stars – other furniture restorers, watchmakers, metalworkers, ceramicists, upholsterers – would now be “at work” without him on the show.

These include watchmaker Steven Fletcher, who has been with the show since its beginnings and is The Repair Shop’s resident watch expert, as well as his leather expert sister Suzie Fletcher.

A source told The Sun: “Jay has taken a step back and taken a break from filming The Repair Shop. The murder of his uncle in March and the breakdown of his marriage forced him to decide to take some time off.

“The repair shop continues without him for now and the other repairers are working hard. People who worked with Jay said they were shocked to learn his marriage to Lisa had ended.

“It wasn’t known at all among the people who work on the show.”

Jay’s absence also interrupted filming of The Repair Shop’s Christmas special, which was due to wrap this week.

Last week the Mail On Sunday revealed the furniture restorer and presenter had told his bosses he would not be able to take part in the planned recording, sparking “real fears” the special episode would not be completed .

Filming had already started at the Weald & Downland Living Museum in Chichester when Jay pulled out, sources on the hit BBC show revealed, with work suddenly put on hold last Monday.

One told the Mail on Sunday: “It’s become really problematic. Things have been really tough for Jay. His relationship imploded last weekend and he clearly didn’t feel like he could work.

“He’s known for being a pro, so for him to have to do this means things must be going wrong. He must be having a really horrible time.

There are now fears that the festive episode of The Repair Shop, regularly watched by 7 million viewers and which previously featured the king as a guest, may not be finished. One staff member said: “None of the bosses have told us if filming will continue. »

Lisa announced she had ended her marriage to Blades with a surprise social media post in the early hours of Thursday.

She wrote: “I don’t know how to say this because it’s still very raw. I should probably be really angry, but I’m incredibly sad about all of this right now. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much.

“I admit I’m crying as I write this because I can’t believe this is real. I hope you don’t mind if I only have a few days to try to figure out my life, because I’m currently in a spare room with a few essentials. I don’t know what else to say. All my love, A very broken Lisa-Marie.

The couple tied the knot in an intimate beachside wedding in Barbados in 2022, with just 15 guests. Blades said Hello! magazine of the time: “One word sums up the day: Perfect.

“We had our closest family there, the weather held up and everything went very well.”

It is understood Blades is currently at the marital home in Shropshire while Ms Zbozen, 44, stays with her sister in Nottinghamshire.

News of his split came just after Blades announced he would be stepping away from social media to deal with his grief over the death of his uncle, Richard Brathwaite, 72, who was stabbed to death on a quiet residential street in north London. London in March. . The Old Bailey heard the murder happened after a “long-running neighborhood dispute”.

Father-of-three Blades rose to fame overnight when The Repair Shop launched seven years ago and in 2021 he was awarded an OBE for his craft services.

He rubbed shoulders with Charles – then still Prince of Wales – when he and his team visited Dumfries House in Scotland to mark 100 years of the BBC and were asked to repair a clock and a vase.

Charles had become king by the time the show was shown, and viewers noticed what a strong relationship the two had formed.

Blades later said: “He’s just a normal guy. He is fine. He’s my rich friend. He runs the country!

Before Lisa, he was married to Jade, whom he met at university. They have a 17 year old daughter.