Jay Blades

Jay Blades MBE is a renowned British television presenter and furniture restorer who is best known for presenting The Repair Shop and Money for Nothing. Passionate for helping others, Jay was able to set up his known charity, Out of the Dark, with his wife at the beginning of his career and helped disadvantaged young people restore furniture. As his career in television flourished, he continued to devote lots of his work to charity and is respected for the successful career he has developed.

Though a recognisable personality within today’s society, Jay struggled greatly during his childhood. His dyslexia proved incredibly challenging throughout his education and meant that he was unable to enter an academic field. Having gained the skills to become an upholsterer, he began developing his skills in fixing furniture. This trade allowed him to open his own charity, Out of the Dark, where he shared his knowledge and skills with underprivileged members of the community around West Bridgford. After creating a short film about the charity, Jay began gaining recognition for his achievements from television producers and this later provided him with the opportunity to become a presenter himself.

 Recognised for his talent, Jay was given the opportunity to present the ‘Repair Shop.’ This show has gained profound success since being released and has allowed Jay to appear on many different shows, including Would I Lie To You?, Celebrity MasterChef and Michael McIntyres The Wheel. In 2021, he filmed the BBC documentary ‘Jay Blades: Learning to Read at 51’, which allowed him to open up about his dyslexia and was shortly followed by the release of his memoir “Making It: How Love, Kindness, and Community Helped Me Repair My Life’. Respected for sharing his story, Jay continues to be an admirable figure within our society.

Jay Blades MBE has been recognised for his drive and dedication throughout his career and in the 2021 Birthday Honours, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The following year, he was also appointed the first Chancellor of Buckingham New University, a title in which proudly represents his alumni status at his hometown university. When looking for a speaker who is renowned for inspiring his audiences with the stories of his career journey and childhood life, Look no further than Jay Blades.