Channel 5 Lands BBC Star Jay Blades For ‘The Streets Where I Lived’ Series

EXCLUSIVE: ViacomCBS-owned Channel 5 has raided the BBC again — this time securing the services of The Repair Shop star Jay Blades for new returnable series The Streets Where I Lived.

Produced by Hungry Jay Media, Blades’ joint-venture with The Wheel producer Hungry Bear Media, the three-part series follows the presenter as he delves into his past, revisiting his previous homes in east London, exploring their history and the people who lived in them.

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Jay Blades: The Streets Where I Lived will see Blades joined by old school friends as he remembers his upbringing as a happy child, then a troubled teenager, and a lost young man. “I can’t wait to go back to my old neighborhood and discover the history on its doorstep. The places I visit are the buildings, streets and communities that made me the man I am today,” he said.

Daniel Pearl, Channel 5 commissioning editor, factual, said: “Audiences are used to seeing Jay shine a light on other people’s memories, but this series will turn the tables and give viewers an insight into his life, unearthing new discoveries not only about himself, but also the community he grew up in.”

The Repair Shop has become a phenomenon for BBC One in the UK, and Blades is a breakout star on the show, in which peoples’ prized possessions are lovingly restored. He is the latest BBC presenter to land on Channel 5, with others including Nick Knowles, Kate Humble, and the Hairy Bikers, David Myers and Si King.

With echoes of Who Do You Think You Are? and A House Through Time, the hope is that The Streets Where I Lived can become a returnable franchise, with other stars exploring the history of their old homes. The show is executive produced by Dan Baldwin and Clare Paterson. Rachel Jardine directs, with Lauren Bennie producing.

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