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TV presenter Jay Blades pleads not guilty to two rape charges
TV presenter Jay Blades has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape.
The 55-year-old did not attend Shrewsbury Crown Court on Wednesday morning, instead appearing via videolink. The case was adjourned for trial in September 2027.
Blades's defence counsel Susan Meek told the court the defendant had been unable to work since the allegations were made, adding: "It is an extraordinarily long time for him not to be able to work." Judge Anthony Lowe expressed regret at the "backlog" causing the delay. He said he was unable to "bump" other cases out of the list to accommodate an earlier trial.
"That, I am afraid, is just the state of where we are with outstanding trials," he said. A case management hearing was also set for the same court on 15 May next year, which Blades will not be required to attend in person.
Blades, who lives in Shropshire, and is on conditional bail, found fame on the furniture restoration programme The Repair Shop, which he started presenting in 2017. A furniture restorer, he was the face of the popular BBC show that featured people having their treasured objects repaired and rejuvenated until he stepped back from presenting the programme last year.
Read more from Sky News:Two children among three dead in ChannelBlood test could 'revolutionise' Alzheimer's diagnosis Blades was also the presenter of the BBC's Money For Nothing until 2020 and took part in Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity Bake Off, and Comic Relief. The 14th series of The Repair Shop aired this year with no lead presenter and the 2024 Christmas special was hosted by Roman Kemp..
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