Filming of new Repair Shop series begins in Sussex without Jay Blades

The BBC show is filmed at the Weald and Downland Living Museum, an open-air heritage museum in the village of Singleton, near Chichester.

Its 54-year-old host announced last month that he would be taking a social media hiatus following the death of his uncle.

He has been a regular on The Repair Shop since it first aired in 2017. 

Jay Blades with King Charles when he was on an episode of the show (Image: Ian West/PA)

In a video shared on Instagram, he said: “I’ve just been to my uncle’s funeral. it really affected me.

“I feel a little bit messed up. So what I’m intending on doing is this. I’m coming off social media for a bit, and I’ll be back in a bit. Going to go and get some therapy and just chill out.”

Blades said he was taking time off to “take stock and just relax”, but confirmed he would be “back soon”.

“Please, take care of each other, take care of yourself, and I’ll see you guys soon,” he added.

The Weald and Downland Museum in Singleton, near Chichester (Image: Poliphilo)

Blades, who rose to fame restoring broken or damaged family heirlooms on The Repair Shop, studied criminology and philosophy at Buckinghamshire New University in High Wycombe in the early 2000s.

He was appointed as the university’s first chancellor last year after accepting on the condition that BNU reinstates its furniture and restoration course and received an honorary doctorate at the same time.

Speaking at the time, he said: “To become the first chancellor for a university that’s shaped the person I am today, and on top of that to receive an honorary doctorate, is a real wow moment. I know that together BNU and I are going to achieve amazing things.

“I made life-long friends from lots of different courses at BNU and today some of them are working with the biggest companies in the world. It all started at BNU and I’m really excited to see what current students go on to achieve.”