Sir David Jason Speaks About 'David & Jay's Touring Toolshed': A Candid Interview on Craftsmanship, Passion, and the Joy of Creating!

Step into the captivating world of craftsmanship and camaraderie as Sir David Jason, beloved TV icon, unveils a new dimension of his personality in the upcoming series "David & Jay's Touring Toolshed." Teaming up with the charismatic Jay Blades MBE, Sir David takes viewers on a delightful journey through the heart of the UK, exploring air shows, vintage festivals, and county fairs. As we eagerly anticipate the premiere on January 22 at 6:30 pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, we've managed to secure an exclusive peek into David Jason's thoughts on this heartwarming series and his lifelong passion for tinkering.

Interview with Sir David Jason

What can you tell us about David and Jay’s Touring Toolshed?

It’s a light-hearted way of being able to witness people’s hobbies and interests around the country, as Jay and I tour the UK visiting various county shows.

Why did you want to make a show about tinkering?

I think it’s really great to be able to encourage people of all ages to try their hands at different skills and past times as we are hearing so much more about being mindful and having different hobbies to help with our mental health.

When did your passion for tinkering and restoring begin?

I’ve always been interested in building models and tinkering with anything mechanical. As a teenager, I started to gain some knowledge about motorbikes and so I went about saving and buying a BSA B31 vintage motorbike. On its first outing, the frame broke and so I had to learn how to fix it and my passion kind of grew from there. Over the years, I’ve restored motorbikes and penny arcade machines amongst other things.

What are you most excited for viewers to see on the show?

That anyone can have a go, and everyone is learning all the time. Even the experts learn something new every day. I also like to think that it is a gentle roam around the country with Jay and I just enjoying the journey.

What made you want to team up with Jay for the show?

I met Jay after I made a surprise video for the Strictly Come Dancing team to play to him after he had jived to the theme tune from ‘Only Fools and Horses’. He was so blown away that we organised to meet up and we got on like a house on fire. We said it would be great if we could find a project to work on together and the rest, as they say, is history or, I would like to think, the future.

Tell us about a memorable ‘problem project’?

A couple of projects involved aircraft which I was particularly interested in, especially the guys who dismantled old planes at the end of their flying life and turned the parts, large and small, into pieces of furniture or ornaments.

What was the most memorable part about filming or one of your favourite memories?

I enjoyed it all and enjoyed seeing so many different parts of the country. I also enjoyed the location for the Midland Air Show and seeing all the different air displays go over whilst we were filming.

You and Jay appear to get on really well. Do you have any fun anecdotes from filming you can share?

Jay is such a genuine and warm fella, so it was good to get to know him more and hear about his journey to where he is now. I enjoyed coming up with ideas for ‘comedy businesses’ with him and trying to get him to do a bit of acting. He’s got such a gift of the gab, so every day was fun. During one quiet period he decided to ring up the Head of the BBC and inform them that he thought we were doing a great job and to standby for a second series.

As we eagerly anticipate the debut of "David & Jay's Touring Toolshed," we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sir David Jason for providing us with a rare glimpse into the inspiration behind this enchanting series. His passion for craftsmanship and genuine enthusiasm have added an extra layer of anticipation for the viewers. Tune in on January 22 at 6:30 pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, as Sir David Jason and Jay Blades lead us on a delightful exploration of creativity and camaraderie. We thank Sir David for sharing his insights and look forward to being captivated by the magic of the Touring Toolshed.