Jay Blades has cancelled a scheduled appearance at the Hay Festival as he “continues to take time out” while dealing with challenges in his personal life . The furniture restorer, who is the face of the BBC’s sentimental restoration programme The Repair Shop, was due to speak to journalist Sarfraz Manzoor at the Welsh literary festival on Thursday about his book Life Lessons: Wisdom And Wit From Life’s Ups And Downs , in which he shares inspirational words for making the very best of life. However, after a period of upheaval in his personal life, Blades, 54, announced he will not be appearing at the literary festival as he continues to take a break from working.
In April, his wife Lisa Zbozen announced that she was leaving him. The news came shortly after Blades revealed his uncle Richard Brathwaite had been killed . In a post to his fans, Blades said Brathwaite’s death had “really affected” him and announced a break from social media – and told The Independent he was planning to see a counsellor.
A statement from his team said: "We wanted to confirm that as Jay Blades continues to take time out, he won’t be attending the session as advertised at this year’s Hay Festival. "We’re sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment that this may have caused and we hope you enjoy the rest of the festival." The festival confirmed that ticket holders will be refunded.
Blades’s spokesperson told The Independent earlier this month that he would be taking an extende.