Roman Kemp replaces Jay Blades as host of The Repair Shop for Christmas Special – after the broadcaster was charged with controlling and coercive behaviour in the direction of estranged spouse

Roman Kemp has replaced Jay Blades as host of The Repair Shop for the feel good BBC show’s Christmas special. 

Jay, 54, was axed from the series which he has presented since it’s very first episode in 2017, after he was charged in September with controlling and coercive behaviour towards his estranged wife Lisa Marie Zboze – to which he pleaded not guilty.

Now Roman, 31, has stepped into his shoes as part of a collaboration between the BBC programme and The One Show, which he co-presents.

In first looks snaps from the festive special the son of Spandau Ballet bass player Martin and Pepsi And Shirlie singer Shirlie Holliman beams as he gets into the festive spirit with a bright red scarf.

Roman said:’It’s really special – it’s like going inside one of your favourite TV shows so it’s always a very cool moment.’

In the episode, the team repairs One Show viewer Kat’s teddy bear, as well as a 100-year-old projector that is part of a family’s Christmas Eve tradition, and two puffin sculptures from a bookshop that bring joy to children.

Roman Kemp has replaced Jay Blades as host of The Repair Shop for the feel good BBC show’s Christmas special

Jay, 54, was axed from the series which he has presented since it’s very first episode in 2017, after he was charged with controlling and coercive behaviour towards his estranged wife 

News of Jay’s legal troubles emerged the day after The Repair Shop’s social media account announced ‘an exciting new live tour’ for the show, featuring him. 

The Repair Shop – Secrets From The Barn tour 2025, is due to see Jay and other experts from the show appearing around the country from February, including in Newcastle, Birmingham, Sheffield and Salford.

However earlier this month organisers reportedly cancelled three of it’s live tour dates for next year after the venues were unsuccessful in selling enough tickets.

An insider has since told The Sun that the show’s brand has been ‘damaged’ as a result of the Jay’s court case and tickets ‘haven’t exactly been selling out’ which has led to three dates ‘being cancelled’.

The publication reported that the Newcastle, Glasgow, and Edinburgh shows will no longer be going ahead and no future dates have been rescheduled yet.

A spokesperson for the show told MailOnline: ‘The Repair Shop Live: Secrets from the Barn shows at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle have been postponed due to unforeseen scheduling issues, but it is looking forward to visiting those areas later in 2025. 

‘Tickets for Brighton, Swansea, Bath, Portsmouth, Birmingham, Leicester, Southend, Nottingham, Salford and Sheffield are unaffected and are available through Ticketmaster and local venues.’

The ten unaffected dates, which are going ahead in 2025, are  Birmingham, Andover, Swansea, Bath, Portsmouth, Leicester, Southend, Nottingham, Salford, and Sheffield.

Now Roman, 31, has stepped into his shoes as part of a collaboration between the BBC programme and The One Show, which he co-presents

Roman said:’It’s really special – it’s like going inside one of your favourite TV shows so it’s always a very cool moment’

The Repair Shop star was charged last month with a single count of ‘controlling and coercive behaviour’ between January 1 2023 and September 12 2024 (pictured outside court)

Pictured with estranged wife Lisa Marie Zbozen in 2023

MailOnline has contact representatives for the live show and Jay Blades for comment. 

The Repair Shop star was charged last month with a single count of ‘controlling and coercive behaviour’ between January 1 2023 and September 12 2024, to which he denied in court in October.

The single charge relates to his fitness instructor wife who announced on Instagram on May 2 that she had walked out of the marriage.

The Repair Shop, which started on daytime TV in 2017 before moving to a primetime slot, saw him become one of the best-known faces on British TV and he was even awarded an MBE in 2021.

No further details of the case were mentioned in court, cut the particulars of the charge stated that Jay ‘engaged in behaviour’ which is alleged to be ‘controlling or coercive which had a serious effect on her.

Namely that it caused Lisa Marie Zbozen to fear, on at least two occasions, that violence will be used against her, at a time when he knew, or ought to have known, that the behaviour will have a serious effect on Lisa Marie Zbozen’.

The judge removed a bail condition that he should be subject to an electronic tag, which hadn’t been fitted yet due to ‘failings’ by the company responsible.

The Repair Shop’s Christmas special airs on Christmas Eve at 8.15pm on BBC One.