BBC's The Repair Shop format shake-up as Jay Blades 'missing' from opening credits

BBC The Repair Shop viewers were quick to point out a major change on Wednesday night as they noticed an alteration to the opening credits

Viewers of the beloved BBC series The Repair Shop were stunned to see a significant change in the shows latest episode as long-standing host Jay Blades was absent from the opening sequence.

Since its inception in 2017, the popular programme has welcomed guests seeking to repair treasured family heirlooms at the renowned workshop, with Jay as a consistent face up until now. The noticeable departure of the host from Wednesday's programme (September 18) line-up sparked a buzz among viewers.

Comments from viewers ranged from one stating: "Noticing a big lack of Jay the opening few minutes. A bit of an impromptu trimming after recent headlines huh?" to another who remarked: "Jay Blades unsurprisingly removed from the opening montage," and one more who observed: "Heavy edit to remove Jay from the opening montage."

Despite the controversy surrounding Jays' absence, another fan emphasised the show's resilience, asserting: "#TheRepairShop should continue without Jay Blades. The show is bigger than any one individual. The format is what makes the show popular with viewers, and makes it into a ratings winner, not Mr Blades," reports the Express.

This development follows last week's charges against 54 year old Jay for "controlling and coercive behaviour" towards his former partner, Lisa Zbozen, aged 43, which caused ripples through the BBC and led to a significant re-evaluation of his role on the show.

Following recent legal developments, the BBC has removed episodes of The Repair Shop featuring Jay from their schedule. In a statement to The Sun, they said: "The Beeb won't feature any new shows in which he appears until it is clear how legal proceedings conclude."

The network is nevertheless moving forward with the beloved series, announcing that applications for the next season are officially open: "Our award-winning series The Repair Shop is returning to BBC One. Our team of Britain's most passionate and skilled craftspeople will rescue broken objects and restore them to their former glory."

Jay was seen in court last week where he faced accusations related to "controlling and coercive behaviour" over a period of 20 months, allegedly having a significant adverse effect on his wife.

The unraveling of the couple's relationship became public when Lisa posted a poignant message online, stating she felt "very broken" which came only a few months following their wedding in Barbados in November 2022.

The Repair Shop airs Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One.