JAY BLADES RETURNS TO CHANNEL 5 WITH THE MIDLANDS THROUGH TIME

Following the success of Jay Blades: East End Through Time, the further three-part series (3x60) Jay Blades: The Midlands Through Time (w/t) will see Jay Blades explore the extraordinary history of his West Midlands home.

As viewers saw in the East End series which concluded tonight/yesterday, Jay was born and raised in London. Following a difficult time in his life Jay left the capital, and immediately felt at home in the West Midlands, choosing to start a new life there, eventually launching a business in the community and putting down new roots.

In this three-part series, Jay travels through Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and beyond to uncover the fascinating history of an area which has had a profound effect on the development of Great Britain.

Jay discovers just how much the nation owes to the West Midlands. Not only is it the home of Wedgwood but it’s also the birthplace of the industrial revolution, the home of Wedgwood, the Olympic Games, the theory of Evolution and even the Balti.

Jay said: “Everyone thinks of Cadbury’s chocolate, canals and Peaky Blinders when you say Birmingham and those things are true but also so much more.

“I’ve lived in the West Midlands since 2015. It’s often overlooked but the reality is that without the humble West Midlands, the history of the UK, indeed the world would not have been the same.

“Filming has been fascinating, surprising and eye-opening in equal measures – I love Birmingham and the Black Country. Sharing this series with you will be an utter pleasure and a tribute to the place I am proud to call home.”

Daniel Pearl, Commissioning Editor, Non-Scripted UK Originals Channel 5/Paramount+ said: “Jay has the most incredible ability to unpack history in a way that brings stories alive for the viewer. His friendly charm and insightful exploration of the areas so close to him personally, make him hugely popular with viewers and we’re delighted to be exploring the powerhouse region of the West Midlands with him.”

Executive Producers for Hungry Jay Media are Dan Baldwin and Melony Smith.

Dan Baldwin added: “Working with Jay is always a pleasure. He is a brilliant broadcaster and quickly becoming one of the nation’s favourite faces.”

Series Producers for Hungry Jay Media are Adrienne Doyard and Lauren Bennie.