Jay Blades, star of The Repair Shop, uncle was reportedly stabbed to death in a quiet residential street in the UK, following a dispute with a neighbour over a shared alleyway. The 54 year old TV personality announced on Monday that he would be taking a break from social media after the devastating loss of his relative.
Jay shared with his Instagram followers that his uncle had been “murdered a few weeks ago”, leaving him in shock. However, he did not provide any further details about the circumstances surrounding his uncle’s death.
Reports have since emerged that Richard Brathwaite, 72, was found dead in Wembley around lunchtime on March 21. It is alleged that a neighbour, who lived on the same street, stabbed him during a disagreement over items in the shared alleyway between their homes.
During the fatal incident, Mr Blades’ 71 year old aunt also sustained injuries, suffering cuts to her head and face. A special post-mortem examination conducted two days later determined the cause of death as a stab injury.
A man appeared in court on March 26 where he was charged with murder, wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article in a public place. The Old Bailey heard from Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC in March that the alleged murder stemmed from a “long-running neighbour dispute between the defendant and the deceased”, reports the Mirror.
Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC has set a plea hearing for 11th June and pencilled in a three-week trial starting 27th January next year.
Blades took to Instagram on Monday to announce his uncle’s passing to his fans, posting an emotional video message. Wearing his trademark flat cap and spectacles, the normally jovial TV star delivered the sombre news, revealing that he had just attended his uncle’s funeral.
“Hope you’re all well. This is kind of like a public service announcement”, Blades said, before disclosing the devastating event, “I’ve just been to my uncle’s funeral, he was murdered a few weeks ago. Really, super nice guy, shouldn’t have happened to him, but it really affected me.”
Jay Blades has candidly opened up about the emotional turmoil he’s been experiencing, admitting to fans that the recent event had left him “a little bit messed up.”
In a heartfelt decision to prioritise his wellbeing, Blades announced his temporary withdrawal from social media. “So what I’m intending on doing is this… I’m coming off social media for a bit, and I’ll be back in a bit. Going to go and get some therapy and just chill out” he declared, emphasising the importance of “taking stock” after such events.
Concluding his announcement, Jay urged: “Please, take care of each other, take care of yourself, and I’ll see you guys soon.”
The comments section under Jay’s video was awash with messages of support, including one from ex-BBC Breakfast host Louise Minchin, who expressed her condolences: “I am so sorry to hear this, sending you love xx.”
A fan also reached out to the BAFTA-winning presenter, saying: “So sorry for your tragic loss Jay. Take as much time as you need to cope with your grief. We all cope with grief differently, when you’re ready we will be ready for you.”
