Jay Blades has resigned from the King's Foundation after he was charged with engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour towards his wife, Lisa-Marie Zbozen. The furniture restorer, famed for leading The Repair Shop, was an ambassador for the organisation but has since stepped down from his role.
© S Meddle/ITV/ShutterstockJay, 54, has collaborated with King Charles in the past, and in 2021 was invited to the Foundation's Dumfries House location in Ayrshire to film a BBC special. The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit aired a year later and won a daytime Bafta TV award.
The presenter's decision to resign from the King's Foundation follows his appearance at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court this week. Charged with one count of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship, the case relates to Jay's wife, Lisa-Marie, from whom he is now separated.
A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: "54-year-old Jason Blades of Claverley in Wolverhampton has been charged with controlling and coercive behaviour. He appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court this morning (Friday 13th September) and has been bailed to appear at Worcester Crown Court on Friday 11th October. The charges follow the launch of an investigation after we were called to an address on 3 May."
Legal definition: controlling and coercive behaviour
© GettyWhile victims of domestic violence will typically display visible signs of their abuse, victims of controlling and coercive behaviour typically won't. This, coupled with the complex patterns of behaviour associated with controlling and coercive behaviour, make it harder to prove. Usually its victims are isolated from their friends and family and deprived of their everyday independence. Abusers will often manipulate their partner (or family member) in various ways such as gaslighting, tracking whereabouts, controlling finances, or threatening to disclose intimate details to their nearest and dearest.
In Jay Blade’s case, if found guilty he will most likely lose his job and could be on the end of a restraining order. In the most severe cases, someone can face a five-year jail sentence for coercive and controlling behaviour.
Source: George Wilson, McAlister Family Law
Alongside his ambassadorship with the King's Trust, Jay has also resigned from his role as chancellor at Buckinghamshire New University.
No information has been released concerning the reasons for the arrest, however, the investigation began days before Jay split from his wife Lisa-Marie, after 18 months of marriage.
© David Fisher/Shutterstock for NTAAnnouncing their split at the time, Lisa penned an emotional message on Instagram. "I don't know how to say this because it's still really raw. I probably should be really angry, but I'm just incredibly sad about the whole thing right now," she began.
"I don't think I've ever cried so much. I will admit I'm crying as I type this, as I can't believe this is even real. I hope you don't mind if I just have a few days trying to figure out my life, as I'm currently in a spare room with a few essentials. I don't know what else to say. All my love, a very broken Lisa-Marie."
© GettyIn the weeks that followed their split, Jay reportedly decided to take a break from filming The Repair Shop amid challenges in his personal life, including the devastating news that his uncle, Richard Braithwaite, had been murdered.
It was in November 2022, that Jay and Lisa-Marie married in front of just 15 guests in the grounds of a beachfront villa in Barbados. They had exchanged unique rings designed by The Repair Shop's Richard Talman.
