Retiling my fireplace advice please!

[johnwo00]

Hi all

Looking to DIY my fireplace which currently has a lot of broken brick. Any advice on

(1) how to remove the black cast iron pieces [photo 1]

(2) should I board over the brick before tiling or tile directly over the brick? I want to tile over the brick to make it look like photo 3

The fireplace is only for aesthetics

 

[Wayners]

Use cement board and cement tile adhesive. Then a few screws and wedi washers.
Tile over with cement adhesive.

That's how I'd do it