THE Repair Shop frontman Jay Blades has been spotted for the first time since his marriage breakdown as he headed for a drive without his wedding ring.
The BBC presenter, 54, was seen without a band on his ring finger as he headed out in his black Land Rover Range Rover with a personalised number plate.
Jay looked smart in a crisp white shirt and dark waistcoat, finishing off his look with a pair of glasses.
He kept a stern expression as he navigated the rural roads in Shropshire, near to the workshop where he runs his firm.
Yet the glaring omission of a wedding ring was seen as he placed his left hand at the top of the wheel to guide the people carrier around a corner.
It is the first time he has been seen since his wife Lisa-Marie Zbozen announced she had ended their marriage.
The fitness instructor said she felt “broken” in a candid statement in which she admitted: “The world got the best parts of my husband. I got a whole lot of everything else.”
Writing in her emotional upload, she added: “I wanted my husband to love me and keep me safe and I would love him right back.
“But it just got worse and worse, until I grabbed a bag of a few things & just left.”
The Sun was then first to report that furniture restorer Jay – who has won an OBE for his services to craft – was “cutting ties” with programme bosses amid the break-up.
The star was absent as filming on BBC series The Repair Shop resumed, with sources then revealing he would be given time to get his “head straight” before his return.
At the time, a source told MailOnline: “Jay is a much-loved member of the team on The Repair Shop.
“It is a really close-knit group, who are like a family.
“Jay will be given the time he needs to deal with things and sort out what he needs to get sorted.
“He’s been through a really difficult time with his uncle and now he is having to deal with the breakdown of his marriage.
“The BBC fully expect Jay to return but they won’t be rushing or pushing him to come back before he is ready and he’ll be given the space to sort things out and get his head straight.”
HERE we take a look at the pair's romance
Jay got down on one knee with a ring he designed and was made by his co-star Richard Talman who works as a goldsmith on the show in 2021.
They tied the knot in a sunny Caribbean ceremony on November 2022 with just 15 guests attending.
Speaking to Hello! magazine about their special day, Jay, 52, said: “One word sums up the day: perfect.
“We had our closest family there, the weather held out and everything worked out so well.”
Lisa, 41, added: “Once you get to a certain age, you realise what’s actually important on the day – and that is having the people around you that love you for who you are.
“So we made the day our day.”
Jay was overcome with emotion during the ceremony.
The television presenter confessed: “I think the thing that was most emotional for me was actually saying the vows.
“It was almost like I had tunnel vision and I could only see Lisa there.
“And honestly, that’s when it really hit me. I was like, ‘We’re really getting married now!’. That’s the only time I really got emotional.”
Jay was previously married to his ex-wife Jade.
The pair, who split up in 2015, share daughter Zola, 15.
Some eagle-eyed fans suggested the telly star had hinted at marriage troubles six weeks before the split.
Jay has been at the forefront of The Repair Shop since it launched in 2017.
Fans have now waded in to have their say – demanding a huge show shake-up.
They have called for the episodes to focus more on the restorations – rather than what they brand the “sob stories” behind them.
Writing on social media, one said: “I wish the @BBC would have a word with @TheRepairShop producers…
“Used to be a great show about great crafts people, great skill and artistry on show, watching the repairing was amazing.
“Now it’s become a This Is Your Life show with very little time showing the repairs.”
