TV presenter Jay Blades has denied two counts of rape and been told he will have to wait another two years before standing trial.
The 55-year-old, who fronted primetime BBC show The Repair Shop, entered his not guilty pleas during a hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Wednesday.
Blades, who has been on conditional bail, appeared in court via videolink, speaking to confirm his name and thank the judge at the conclusion of the hearing, which lasted 23 minutes.
Blades, of Claverley in Shropshire, was told he would not face trial until September 2027 due to the backlog in the courts.
His defence counsel Susan Meek told the court the defendant had been unable to work since the allegations were made, adding: “It is an extraordinarily long time for him not to be able to work.”
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Anthony Lowe expressed regret at the delay, but said he was unable to “bump” other cases out of the list to accommodate an earlier trial.
He said: “I understand the application you make, Ms Meek, but the reality is, perhaps with the press’s attention on this case, it will at least bring it more to the public domain – the chronic position we are in, in relation to the backlog.”
The judge told Blades: “This matter will have to be decided by a jury.
“I am sorry to say that that will not take place for effectively over two years – until the 20th of September 2027.
“I regret that. Not as much as you do, but I do regret it. It is not a proper justice system where people are having to wait that length of time for their trial, but I am afraid there is just nothing I can do. That, I am afraid, is just the state of where we are with outstanding trials.”
The judge added that the timing of the trial may change, depending on other cases, but Blades “must assume it’s highly likely that the trial will not take place until then”.
Blades found fame on the restoration programme The Repair Shop, which he started presenting in 2017.
He also appeared on Celebrity Masterchef, Celebrity Bake Off and Comic Relief, as well as presenting the BBC’s Money For Nothing until 2020.
However, last year, he stepped away from presenting.
The case against Blades, who was granted conditional bail, was adjourned for trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court in September 2027. The court heard the trial could last for up to four weeks.
A case management hearing was also set for the same court on 15 May next year, which Blades will not be required to attend in person. But the judge told the defendant: “If you do want to attend, you are free to do so – it is your case after all.”
