The Repair Shop presenter recently took to his Instagram account with an emotional video where he informed his followers he would be taking a break from social media.
During the emotional video which was posted yesterday, Blades revealed that he had been struggling with the death and the loss of his uncle who was murdered a couple of weeks ago.
Captioning the video: “Good evening all, see you soon,” Blades explained: “Hope you’re all well. This is kind of like a public service announcement.
“I’ve just been to my uncle’s funeral, he was murdered a few weeks ago. Really, super nice guy, shouldn’t have happened to him, but it really affected me.
“I feel a little bit messed up. So what I’m intending on doing is this… I’m coming off social media for a bit, and I’ll be back in a bit.
“Going to go and get some therapy and just chill out”, he explained, underlining the importance of “taking stock” after an ordeal.
Blades concluded: “Please, take care of each other, take care of yourself, and I’ll see you guys soon.”
Thousands of his followers flooded to his comment section to express their well-wishes, alongside many of Blades’ friends within the entertainment industry.
JLS singer JB Gill penned: “So sorry to hear this news, Jay. Now take care of YOU. Long as it takes x”
Former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin wrote a warm message of her own: “I’m so sorry to hear this, sending you love.”
Jay has been at the helm of The Repair Shop since 2017
BBC
First Dates star Fred Sirieix chimed in with a red heart emoji, whilst 5News presenter Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije commented: “Look after you bro. So sorry for your loss.”
One of his fans commented: “Jay, I’m so sorry to hear the tragic news about your uncle. My heart goes out to you and your family.”
“So sorry for your loss. May he RIP. Take care and God bless,” another added before a third said: “So sorry for your tragic loss Jay. Take as much time as you need to cope with your grief. We all cope with grief differently, when you’re ready we will be ready for you.”
Throughout his TV career, Blades has been open about his mental health issues and hasn’t been afraid to admit that he previously needed help.
Jay Blades opened up about his recent family loss
Speaking on the Dish podcast, Jay recalled he was close to being sectioned after a mental health breakdown in 2015, which followed his split from his first wife and the breakdown of their charity Out of the Dark.
“Everything flopped for me. The business, the relationship, everything. It was a charity and we also had a business, and then I was running it with my ex-wife.”
Jay eventually drove to a hotel in a confused state, where concerned staff took action to help him. He said when he “came back to the room and there were five people waiting for me.
“There was a psychiatric nurse, I think there were two of them, and then there was another really stern, like major, and then there were two police officers”
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
