Jay Blades has revealed his dyslexia is so bad that he can’t even read scripts on The Repair Shop.
The hit BBC show pulls in millions of viewers every week but little do those watching know that the host really struggles with his preparation.
He has opened up about the trouble he faces getting ready for the programme.
His dyslexia is so severe that he can hardly read at all, the Londoner says.
In an interview with The Sun, the 50-year-old told fans of the off-camera battles he faces but he refuses to let it hold him back.
He said: “I am heavily dyslexic and if they send me a script I can't read it. They tell me who is coming on and we do it one take."
Hackney born Jay says he suffered racism growing up in East London.
He added: “I haven’t done bad considering I was deemed thick. Nobody realised I had dyslexia.
“Later in life I realised it was institutional racism. As a black kid you were painted with the same brush: you are dumb, so you don’t want to learn.”
Jay told The Mirror about the sudden success of the show last year.
But it didn't take him by surprise, saying he knew it would be a ratings winner early on.
"I knew it was going to be a hit from day one." he explained. "They got me and the team together to meet at the barn and it was just amazing.
"Interior designers and those who work in restoration usually work alone, but I couldn’t believe who I had around me.
"A ceramics pro, someone who brings teddy bears back to life, metal experts, artists. The second we did our first reveal and the customer broke down, I knew we’d created something out of this world!"
