While he hasn’t been in the barn, Jay hasn’t disappeared into a hole. He’s been busy with his clothing line and continuing his work as an author. He also released a deeply personal memoir, which is a bit like opening up your diary and reading it out loud. It’s a brave, messy, and honest look at his life, showing us that the man who fixed other people’s treasures is still learning how to fix his own story.
The Repair Shop viewers in tears over Steve Fletcher's incredible fix
He’s also been spending more time with his daughter, Zola. If you’ve ever tried to build a LEGO castle while reading emails, you know how important it is to just put the phone down. Jay has done exactly that—he put the fame and the cameras down to be a dad. It’s the most important repair job of all, really.
Will He Come Back to The Repair Shop?
The short answer is: yes. The BBC has confirmed that Jay will return to the show. Think of it like your favorite sitcom character taking a vacation to Europe for a few episodes. The show goes on without them, but everyone is just waiting for their familiar face to stroll back through the door. When he does return, he’ll likely be a bit more rested, a bit wiser, and even more relatable.
His absence has actually taught us something important. It’s okay to step away. It’s okay to say, “I can’t fix everything right now, including myself.” In a world that always wants us to be “on,” Jay Blades took a break. And that’s a lesson worth more than a perfectly restored antique rocking chair.
The Repair Shop's Jay Blades shares how Kirsten Ramsay helps him on set
