Jay Blades, the popular presenter of The Repair Shop, was charged with using a mobile phone while driving and was dismissed by a court.
The 54-year-old appeared at Walsall Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he had previously pleaded not guilty to using a handheld device while driving in Wombourne, Staffordshire, in April.
During a brief hearing, prosecutor Zulqarnain Saeed informed the court that the Crown was offering no evidence because the police officer who was due to testify was unavailable.
Magistrate Neil Ravenscroft dismissed the case, allowing Blades to leave the court. Blades, dressed in a black suit and polka-dot tie, thanked the magistrate before departing.
This legal victory follows Blades’ appearance in court just days earlier on charges of coercive and controlling behaviour against his estranged wife, Lisa Marie Zbozen.
On September 13, Blades appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court, where he faced allegations of controlling behaviour in an intimate relationship. He was granted bail and is scheduled to appear at Worcester Crown Court on October 11 to address the charges of physical and emotional abuse.
A BBC source revealed that the broadcaster will feature Blades in any new shows once the legal proceedings have concluded. “Although the driving charge has been dismissed, Blades remains under pressure due to the more serious coercive control case,” the source said.
Blades was awarded an MBE in 2021 for his contributions to the craft industry and resigned from his role as an ambassador for the King’s Foundation earlier this year. The resignation followed allegations from Zbozen, leading to an investigation by West Mercia Police in May.
The couple, who married in a beachfront ceremony in Barbados in 2022, announced their separation earlier this year after just 18 months of marriage.
Zbozen had described their wedding as “perfect” at the time. Blades was previously married to his first wife, Jade, with whom he shares a 17-year-old daughter.
A spokesperson for the BBC stated that it would be inappropriate to comment on ongoing legal matters.
