The trial of former The Repair Shop host, Jay Blades, who is accused of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour towards his wife, has been delayed. The 55-year-old presenter was due to stand trial at Worcester Crown Court next month.
Judge James Burbidge KC, the Recorder of Worcester, granted a defence application to vacate the trial date. He fixed a new date for August 26 with an estimate of two weeks.
A pre-trial review will take place on August 1. The BBC host, from Claverley in Shropshire, did not attend the brief hearing but was told he needed to appear in person for the pre-trial review.
He was released on conditional bail. The TV star had previously denied one charge of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour towards Lisa-Marie Zbozen.
The charge alleges that controlling and coercive behaviour took place in an intimate or family relationship between January 1 2023 and September 12 last year.
The charge against Blades alleges that his behaviour had a “serious effect” on his partner, “namely that it caused her to fear on at least two occasions that violence would be used against her”.
Ms Zbozen announced that the couple’s relationship was over in an Instagram post on May 2. The former couple had been married since 2022.
Blades, who was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours, for services to craft, is best known for his work on the BBC series The Repair Shop.