The Repair Shop star Jay Blades fronts a new Channel 5 documentary series on Tuesday, June 13. The 53-year-old, who was born in Hackney, will be exploring the fascinating history of London’s East End in Jay Blades' East End Through Time.
In the series, Jay will explore various periods in history. He starts where London's East End begins, by the Roman city wall, to hear how East of the wall became a place for "outsiders" in the 1500s, where immoral or forbidden activities would take place like gambling and bear baiting.
Heading to St Dunstan's Church in Stepney, Jay then discovers how the Great Plague in 1665 devastated the East End's population due to poor living conditions, and is spooked by the fact that thousands of plague victims' bodies still lie in the church's grounds.
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But how did Jay Blades become famous, who is his wife and what is his net worth? Here is everything you need to know. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
Jay Blades’ rise to fame
Upholsterer Jay was raised in east London by his secretary mother and half-brother, being one of 26 children that his father, who was never part of his life, sired in different countries. The family grew up living a sheltered and communal life on a council estate.
Jay, who is dyslexic, set up the charity, Out of the Dark, alongside his wife at the time, which aimed at teaching youngsters how to renovate and sell old furniture. After a while, funding for the charity dried up and so did his marriage. Jay then became homeless, forcing him to seek support from friends and by members of the Caribbean community.
Around the same time, producers at ITV saw a short film about Jay’s former charity which led to his work as a television presenter. After appearing on Kirstie Allsopp’s craft series, he then went on to co-present the BBC’s Money For Nothing alongside Dom Littlewood.
In 2017 Jay became one of the presenters of BBC’s The Repair Shop. After proving a hit with viewers, he’d go on to land his own show, Jay Blades’ Home Fix.
Aside from making several guest appearances on the likes of Celebrity MasterChef, Michael McIntyre's The Wheel and Would I Lie To You?, Jay was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2017 for his services to craft.
Who is Jay Blades’ wife?
Jay Blades is married to fitness trainer Lisa Zbozen. The pair tied the knot in a romantic Barbados beachfront ceremony on November 22, 2022.
The couple got married in front of 15 close family and friends and surprised fans with the news. At the time, Jay revealed he got "emotional" at seeing his bride walk down the aisle.
What is Jay Blades’ net worth?
Jay is estimated to be worth £2,383,695.00, which equates to $3 million. Catch him on Jay Blades’ East End Through Time on Channel 5 on Tuesday, June 13, at 9pm.
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