The Repair Shop's Jay Blades lands new TV show with Judi Dench
The Repair Shop's Jay Blades has landed a new Channel 4 documentary, one that sees him teaming up with Judi Dench.
The James Bond and Shakespeare in Love actor met Jay when she visited the workshop in a 2022 episode, and they restored an item belonging to her late husband. Since then, Jay and Judi have formed a strong friendship.
The one-off hour-long Channel 4 show, titled Dame Judi & Jay: The Odd Couple, will see them explore the places in London that mean the most to them, introduce each other to some very important people, and explain how the capital city made them into who they are today.
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"To learn about a new friend's past really solidifies the future of your friendship," Jay said. "Going down memory lane with someone dear to you is something I would urge everyone to do. This show has given me memories and a friendship I will cherish forever."
Judi added: "Sometimes if you're very lucky you get to meet someone and find you're totally on the same wavelength. What fun I had filming this programme with Jay, sharing memories of our past, both so different, finding we have the same sense of humour. I could have gone on filming for days."
"It's magical to watch two friends, from totally different backgrounds, come together and delve into each other's lives," Dan Baldwin, managing director of production company Hungry Bear said.
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"This show is full of laughs and raw emotion… and we get see Dame Judi Dench like never before. This is a story of hardship, love, success, failures and friendship. Jay and Judi have a warmth and magnetic appeal that make this completely spellbinding."
Earlier this year, it was reported that Jay was taking a break from The Repair Shop, and the latest series was filmed without him. A spin-off titled Repair Shop on the Road is on the way.
Dame Judi & Jay: The Odd Couple is coming soon to Channel 4.
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