The Repair Shop host Jay Blades says he’s had to overcome feelings of ‘shame’ while learning to read in his fifties, but that every time he get’s a word right he’s like ‘a kid at Christmas’.
After struggling for literacy his whole life, the presenter was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia when he was 31 years old while studying at Buckinghamshire New University. It turned out that he had the reading ability of an eleven year-old child.
Jay, 51, who lives in Wolverhampton, confronted his struggles for a forthcoming BBC One documentary, which saw him join forces with other people learning to read with the help of a charity.
Jay, who uses a PA for email reading from TV producers said learning phonetically was like going back to school.
Jay Blades of The Repair Shop said that while he felt shame when learning to read, but that each time he does it correctly, he feels like a kid at Christmas.
He admitted that he felt shame. It’s frightening to admit your vulnerability. Every time I can get one word right, I feel like a child at Christmas.
When Jay was diagnosed with dyslexia as a mature student he began using an exam scribe and text-to-speech technology and now when he sends phone messages he tends to send voice notes or dictated texts.
He stated that during the three-year period of his BBC hit show The Repair Shop, the host never received the summary written by each interviewee before filming.
The beauty of dyslexia and the 20 years of community involvement is that it allows you to use your emotional intelligence to create a story. He stated that it was “my role”.
Jay (pictured in This Morning 2019), a 51-year-old Jay who lives in Wolverhampton confronted his difficulties for a BBC One documentary
Jay will be working alongside a charity which organizes volunteer coaches who work with readers one-to-one using a system that originated in prisons.
Presenter Will discuss how literacy struggles have affected his life. He was placed in the learner’ class at school and received an important letter. Then he had to go out to the streets to get it read to him.
Jay expressed concern about the BBC documentary, saying: “Learning to Read is going to the most difficult challenge for me.”
“On this trip I will be meeting people who cannot read for any reason and hopefully, helping them. This film would inspire millions more adults who are in the same position as I am.
Jay Blades: Learn to Read at 51 will air on BBC1 & be on iPlayer shortly