Edd China leaving Wheeler Dealers

Pat

Supporter
This is really a disappointment. The whole reason I watched the show was Edd's repair insights and top tips. I learned something every episode. It even made Mike Brewer's obnoxious antics minimally tolerable.
I suspect the Velocity Channel will soon note that the change in format will result in plunging viewership.

Edd China on leaving Wheeler Dealers - YouTube
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
It was one of my favorites, too! Edd explained his workings as he refurbed the projects in simple language that I could understand (except for anything electronic, which is an area in which I have no experience). I was a bit perplexed when the show "moved" from Great Britain to the U.S., but still watched every episode I could catch.

Edd's expertise and contributions to the series will be sorely missed.

Sadly, no cheers for Velocity, which seems to have run him off.

Doug
 

Keith

Moderator
I haven't watched TV for a couple of years and had no idea this show had moved to the USA. It seemed to be a good fit for parochial olde Englande but surely not for the holy grail of shade tree mechanics. Quite shocked really.

Yes Edd was a bit of a treasure whereas 'dodgy Mike' always seemed exactly that, a bit dodgy.

If Edd has left the show I'll wager it was for a better offer. The camera liked him and his methods were straight forward and understandable. I never knew how much I didn't know until I watched Edd at work.

The only mystery to me was how on earth he fitted in some of the smaller sports cars.. :shocked:

Best of luck to him - I had no idea the show had got so huge!

Reading between the lines I suppose you can from henceforth expect short skirts, product placement and micro thin minuscule meaningful mechanical content..And so the world gets a little dumber. When will they learn?
 
What a shocker and such a shame. WD has been one of my favorite programs due to the relationship between the two characters and Edd's simple, confident inducing and inspiring repairs to just about anything on wheels. Edd made it look so simple and that, to me, has always been the sign of a real pro. Sad to see him leave but hopefully not the last time we'll see him on the air.
 
I like Wheeler Dealers as well, Edd's replacement Ant Anstead did a show called For The Love of Cars over here.

In the series Philip Glenister (our own Dirty Harry but without the the most powerful handgun in the world) and Ant pick up on other people's car restoration projects that have gone unfinished due to various reasons such as unemployment, declining health, or the untimely death of the restorer. Once the car is restored and placed on auction, all proceeds go to the previous owner for charitable purposes.

The last program in the series shows the cars being auctioned and they quite often break record prices. In my opinion the standard of restoration is top class, especially the Aston Martin DBS they did.

If they allow Ant to do what he did on For The Love of Cars then I don't think all is lost, but it is a big if.
 

Mike Pass

Supporter
Edd China is one of the good guys. I fondly remember his road legal motorised sofa and garden shed from before WD. However a while back I was sent a viewer opinion form by Sky TV asking for my opinion of Wheeler Dealers. I replied that I very much enjoyed Edd's section but could not stand the motormouth MB as I considered that he was a bullshitter and a gobshite. Strangely I received no further communication on the subject.
Cheers
Mike
 

Keith

Moderator
Edd China is one of the good guys. I fondly remember his road legal motorised sofa and garden shed from before WD. However a while back I was sent a viewer opinion form by Sky TV asking for my opinion of Wheeler Dealers. I replied that I very much enjoyed Edd's section but could not stand the motormouth MB as I considered that he was a bullshitter and a gobshite. Strangely I received no further communication on the subject.
Cheers
Mike

Kind of agree but in a way MB was the perfect foil for Edd. I think the contrast made the program work. Two nice guys on one show? Nah...

BTW was China his real name? If so, the guy was born a star!
 

Malcolm

Supporter
I can confirm China is his real surname.

I drove the sofa around Silverstone on a charity day but chickened out at 45 mph, but that was the early 3 wheel version not the current I believe 4 wheel version. 87 mph must be seriously scary!
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Doggoned pity that Edd is leaving. He made that show what it was. Without him, I don't think Mike Brewer stands a chance.
Sort of like swapping out Sean Connery for George Lazenby as James Bond. It took them a long time (years) to find an almost suitable replacement in Daniel Craig.
 
If you want to watch some interesting wrenching action, presented with humor, and with the possibility of really learning something, try the guys at Bad Obsession Motorsport on YouTube. Nik Blackhurst and Richard Brunning are talented guys with real motorsport backgrounds and put on an interesting show. They are doing a series called Project Binky wherein they rebuild a rotten old Austin Mini to accept a 4WD drivetrain from a Toyota GT4 Celica. Go here and start watching from episode 1. I have found them to be an inspiration. They get into things Edd and Mike would never touch, like explaining Ackerman steering geometry. I also like that the proceeds go to them.

Project Binky – Bad Obsession Motorsport
 

Jeff Young

GT40s Supporter
Really refreshing to see Edd's honesty in why he left, and decision to do so despite big dollars for him. Very cool.

I enjoyed watching Mike hunt down parts and such but the meat of the show was Edd's work. Not sure they have a show without it, although when I tuned in this year to see them working Humvees and a 20s Cadillac in the US, well, the US term is "shark jumped."
 
Back
Top