Repair Shop's Jay Blades discusses filming with King Charles

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The Repair Shop host Jay Blades joined This Morning presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary to discuss the upcoming special of the BBC show to mark 100 years of the BBC. The episode is designed to explore his and the show’s shared passion for preserving heritage craft skills. However, Jay admitted that he had ignored the then-Prince’s requests three times previously before finally accepting the invitation.

Kicking off the conversation, Jay began: “We have filmed with the former Prince of Wales, now it’s King Charles.”

Dermot asked: “What did you film? What can you tell us about that?”

Jay explained: “Well we done a special in regards to items that he wanted to have fixed, but at the same time, me and him have a shared interest in heritage crafts.

“So looking at what he is doing, through the Prince’s Foundation, I am an ambassador for the Prince’s Foundation and funny story.

“He invited me about three times to go to Dumfries House, just to have a look around and have a sleepover. But I was so busy I turned it down three times!”

Alison exclaimed in shock: “Oh no!”

Jay continued: “And then I said to the Mrs, look, the fourth invitation came, we can’t ignore this one, I will get kicked out of the country.

“So we went up there and filmed with him and it was just a joy because basically for someone like me from the council estate and someone from the royal estate, we both have the same shared interests.

“It was unbelievable, a really weird experience.”

BBC commissioning editor Julie Shaw said of the show: “This is an incredibly special programme which has the magic that Repair Shop viewers have come to know and love.

“People will see the former Prince of Wales as you rarely see him – and he is as captivated by the skills of the team who work on his items as any of our Repair Shop visitors.

“The episode is a real treat and we hope that people enjoy it as much as we do.”

The programme was filmed between autumn 2021 and March 2022, before the King acceded to the throne.

The special episode of The Repair Shop will air on October 26 at 8pm on BBC One.

The episode will see Jay and his team meet the then Prince of Wales at Dumfries House which is owned by the King’s foundation, in Scotland.

King Charles gave Jay a tour of the estate as well as had a meeting with some of the students on the Prince’s Foundation teaching programme for skills in blacksmithing, stonemasonry and wood carving.

The team pledged to restore an 18th Century bracket clock from the collection at Dumfries House along with the pottery by renowned ceramics company Wemyss Ware, which were made for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

The broadcaster explained that The Repair Shop was chosen to showcase it and the King’s “shared passion for preserving heritage craft skills”.

A number of other special episodes are planned to mark the BBC’s 100 years. Strictly Come Dancing, for instance, will feature a number of dance routines set to the iconic theme music from shows including Casualty and Doctor Who.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.

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