The Repair Shop star Jay Blades says ‘friend’ King Charles is ‘just a normal bloke’ as he recalls iconic experience of having the Royal Family on his show

The Repair Shop star Jay Blades has praised his ‘friend’ King Charles, telling a BBC interviewer that ‘he’s just a normal bloke’.

The crafty furniture restorer seemed in good spirits as he chatted with Roman Kemp on the Capital Breakfast Show about his show’s new book, “The Repair Shop: Crafts in the Barns.”

The team spoke to Jay about the enduring popularity of the award-winning series, its devoted fans and his royal ‘friend’ who was filmed as a guest in August 2021, even though the show aired last year.

Interviewer Chris Stark asked him: ‘You’ve had some big celebrities… Dame Judi Dench, King Charles was there and you see him get emotional – this is a man who has everything…

‘What was it like having royalties? [in the Repair Shop barn]?’

Jay replied, “Same as having anyone else….”

The group laughed along, with Sian Welby joking: “You’re mates with him aren’t you, you look like his cool friend, you can tell he loves him!”

To which Jay said, “Yeah, he’s just a normal guy, he’s doing well, he’s my rich friend, he runs the country!”

In the hour-long special The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit, King Charles needed help with an 18th-century bracket clock and a piece made for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee by British ceramics maker Wemyss Ware.

He said the damaged 19th century ceramic piece fell over when someone opened a window – “they didn’t notice,” he joked.

The show was filmed in August 2021, when Charles was still Prince of Wales, in preparation for the BBC’s centenary celebrations.

However, when it finally aired last October, it was the friendship between the two men that blew viewers away, with one writing: ‘The rapport between King Charles and Jay Blades in The Repair Shop is fantastic. In a world where everything is thrown away in one fell swoop, it’s a brilliant and refreshing show.’

Another commented: ‘Just had another look at The Repair Shop where they repaired two antiques from the then Prince Charles’ Dumfries House. Once again amazed at how incredibly relaxed and informal Jay Blades was.

“I loved it when he told the king he shouldn’t be a stranger.”

A third added: ‘Charles is brilliant in the Repair Shop tonight.’

In the episode, Charles met students from the Prince’s Foundation Building Craft Program – a training initiative that teaches traditional skills such as blacksmithing, stonemasonry and wood carving.

The monarch said: ‘I still think that the great tragedy is the lack of vocational education in schools, actually not everyone is designed for academics.

‘I know from The Prince’s Trust that I have seen the difference we can make for people with technical skills that we always need. I have the greatest admiration for people.

‘I think that has been the biggest problem, sometimes it is forgotten. Apprenticeships are crucial, but for one reason or another they have left apprenticeships. It gives people intense satisfaction and reward.’

Charles said the thing he “really loves” is having students come back year after year as tutors – “filling in the academic gaps,” he said.

Elsewhere he talked about his love of bells, saying: ‘For me I just love the sound, the tick-tock, but also when they ring, that’s why I love grandfather clocks.

‘I find it quite comforting in a funny way and they become really special parts of the house… the beating heart of it. That’s why they are important to me.

‘I’m afraid I learned that from my grandmother. She really enjoyed putting a few together and sounding them in the dining room at the same time, which made it a lot of fun because everyone had to stop talking. ‘

Knife and ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay, horologist Steve Fletcher and furniture restorer Will Kirk set out to repair the king’s clock and ceramics in the episode.

Before the results were announced, Charles asked the crew, “Have you arranged this yet?” The tension is killing me.’

The monarch also sent Prince’s Foundation graduate Jeremy Cash to The Repair Shop to work with metalworking expert Dominic Chinaa on a third item described as a fire in the shape of a soldier with a gripping story behind its existence. of it.

The program aired after Jay revealed he had been invited to the King’s coronation – and asked his fans what they thought.

Jay previously spoke about the importance of Charles appearing on the show and speaking to someone ‘from a council estate’.

He said: ‘You have someone from a council estate and someone from a royal estate who have the same interests in apprenticeships and heritage crafts, and it’s incredible to see two people from so far apart, from different sides of the world. spectrum, actually have the same interests.’

In the episode, Charles met students from the Prince’s Foundation Building Craft Program – a training initiative that teaches traditional skills such as blacksmithing, stonemasonry and wood carving.

The monarch said: ‘I still think that the great tragedy is the lack of vocational education in schools, actually not everyone is designed for academics.

‘I know from The Prince’s Trust that I have seen the difference we can make for people with technical skills that we always need. I have the greatest admiration for people.

‘I think that has been the biggest problem, sometimes it is forgotten. Apprenticeships are crucial, but for one reason or another they have left apprenticeships. It gives people intense satisfaction and reward.’

Charles said the thing he “really loves” is having students come back year after year as tutors – “filling in the academic gaps,” he said.

Before the results were announced, Charles asked the crew, “Have you arranged this yet?” The tension is killing me.’

The monarch also loaned Prince’s Foundation graduate Jeremy Cash to The Repair Shop to work with metalworking expert Dominic Chinaa on a third item described as a fire in the shape of a soldier with a gripping story behind its existence. of it.