S2 E7: Jay Blades: Racism, dyslexia, homelessness and severe depression: The incredible story of a TV star
Big Fish with Spencer Matthews
Global
4.8 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 16 May 2023
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Jay Blades is the BAFTA-winning presenter of the hit primetime TV show The Repair Shop - watched by 4.5 million people a week. But a TV career was never on the cards for him. He was raised in east London by a single mother, after his father ran off with all of their money. His education was stunted by undiagnosed dyslexia - he learned in adulthood he had the reading age of an 11-year-old.
But this didn’t stop Jay. He dedicated his life helping his local community, and founded a charity teaching young people to restore old furniture. But when funding ran out and his marriage fell apart, he hit rock bottom: he was suicidal and homeless. He turned his life around and lifted himself from that darkness. Jay is one of the most incredible people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet - and I know you’ll love this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it.
This episode is not suitable to those under 18 and contains offensive language and sensitive topic discussions including suicide, alcoholism and mental health issues. If you are affected by anything you hear in this episode and need support please see the suggested helpline and website links below.
Samaritans helpline: 116 123
https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | M&S reckon brains are quite important, so they took some advice from the British Nutrition Foundation and made their new brain food range, which makes it easier to get vitamins and minerals our noggins need. |
| 0:12.0 | So if you're a person with a brain, you might want to give their new brain ball a try. |
| 0:17.0 | It's made of delicious dates and berries, filled with almond butter and packed with nutrients like iron and zinc, which help to keep your brain running smoothly. |
| 0:26.6 | This is not just food. This is M&S brain food. |
| 0:29.6 | How do you know if your little ones starting to feel like themselves? |
| 0:33.6 | Maybe it's their sniffly giggle when they wake you up in the morning. |
| 0:36.6 | Or that wonderful silence when they're fast asleep. |
| 0:42.4 | Cowpole, let's kids be kids. |
| 0:44.7 | CalPol vapor plug and nightlight, up to eight hours of nighttime comfort. |
| 0:48.2 | Available at your local Morrison's here in Birmingham. |
| 0:51.1 | CalPol sugar-free infant suspension for infants two months plus weighing over four kilograms not premature, contains paracetamol for pain and fever, calpull, vapour plug and nightlight, non-medicine, always read the label. |
| 1:02.2 | This is a global player original podcast. Please be advised that this episode is not suitable for those under 18 and contains offensive language and sensitive |
| 1:11.7 | topic discussions including suicide, alcoholism and mental health issues. If you've been affected |
| 1:16.6 | by anything you hear in this episode, please check the episode notes for a list of organisations |
| 1:20.5 | who can help and support. I'm a dyslexic person, read the ability of 11-year-old from Hackney, |
| 1:26.1 | six-foot-free, gold tooth, teeth |
| 1:28.7 | with a lovely shade of beige and I know the king. Come on, if I can do that. What can other people |
| 1:33.4 | do? |
| 1:38.3 | Welcome to Big Fish with me, Spencer Matthews. Each week I sit down with incredible people with |
| 1:42.6 | fascinating stories of achievement. |
| 1:46.0 | This week we have Jay Blades in the studio. |
| 1:49.0 | It's the BAFTA winning presenter of the hit Primetime TV show The Repair Shop, |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Global, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Global and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.