JAY BLADES RETURNS TO CHANNEL 5 WITH THE WEST END THROUGH TIME

Hungry Jay Media has been commissioned by Channel 5 to produce a new two-part series about London’s West End, presented by Jay Blades MBE.

Over two episodes Jay Blades’ West End Through Time, follows Jay as he discovers how the West End helped make London a world city, capturing the global imagination.

Despite growing up in London’s notorious East End, Jay has always loved the bright lights of the West End. Following on from his exploration of the history of his own manor in Channel 5’s Jay Blades’ East End Through Time and Jay Blades’ The Midlands Through Time, Jay will be going ‘Up West’ to find out what made it the iconic place it is today; a place most people think of as the centre of modern London and a magnet for visitors from all over the world. 

Meeting a host of experts and historians, he explores how the area was shaped by its close connections to power, royalty and wealth.

Home to royal palaces and world-renowned luxury hotels, Jay learns how the West End attracted all walks of life as it became a place of entertainment, and glamourous shopping streets.

Through fascinating stories, from an incredible discovery of a roman sarcophagus at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square, to how the world famous store Fortnum & Mason owes its existence to recycled royal candles and how the Savoy Hotel was stormed by angry East Enders in the Second World War, Jay discovers that there is much more to the West End of London than he could have ever imagined.

Jay said: “From the East End of London to the West Midlands and now the West End of London, I love these series uncovering eye opening, surprising, and extraordinary facts about where we live. London is fascinating and there is so much history to delve into across the West End, with spectacular stories that many people won’t have heard before. Like me, I think viewers will be a bit blown away by some of the revelations that are in store.”

Lucy Willis, Commissioning Editor at Channel 5 said: “Jay Blades’ East End Through Time really brought the East End to life for us last year so I’m really excited that he’s heading ‘up west’ now to tell the story and the history of the West End from his unique perspective.”

Dan Baldwin, Executive Producer, Hungry Jay Media added: “Jay’s natural curiosity and interest makes him the perfect person to go back through time and discover what makes the West End of London so special. Asking questions most people want to know, he is fascinated by the stories he hears and brings history to life”.

Jay Blades’ West End Through Time is a Hungry Jay Media production.