BBC presenter Jay Blades accused of controlling and coercive behaviour towards ex-wife

Blades, 54, appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday after being charged by West Mercia Police with one count of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship.

According to court documents, the charge relates to his wife, fitness instructor Lisa Zbozen, who announced on her Instagram page in May that their relationship was over.

The couple tied the knot in the grounds of a beachfront villa in Barbados on November 22, 2022.

The presenter, who fronts primetime show The Repair Shop, will appear at Worcester Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on October 11.

In a statement, West Mercia Police said: “Jason Blades, 54, of Claverley in Wolverhampton, has been charged with controlling and coercive behaviour.

“He appeared before Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court this morning (Friday 13 September) and was bailed to appear at Worcester Crown Court on Friday 11 October.”

Furniture restorer Blades, who was made an MBE for services to the craft in 2022, rose to fame through The Repair Shop, the restoration programme he has presented since 2017, which sees members of the public bring in worn family heirlooms to have them restored by a team of experts.