Why did Edd China leave Wheeler Dealers? Explained

Wheeler Dealers is a TV show about restoring old cars and fixing them up for profit. The show has been around for a long time, with 17 seasons and almost 250 episodes.

The show was originally hosted by Mike Brewer and Edd China, who are both lifelong car enthusiasts.

The current version of Wheeler Dealers features series regular Mike Brewer and Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley, a former F1 race mechanic. 

While Mike has been with the show from the very beginning, there have been three different mechanics so far: Edd China, Ant Anstead and Elvis.

Both Edd and Ant left Wheeler Dealers for separate, personal reasons.

Edd China was a much-loved co-host on the 13 seasons of Wheeler Dealers that he appeared in.

So why did he leave? Are Edd and Mike still on speaking terms? We’ll answer those questions in today’s article. Strap in!

Why Edd left Wheeler Dealers

Edd China left Wheeler Dealers because he was unhappy with the new direction of the show. A change in production company meant that Edd’s workshop segments were to be cut down.

There has been a lot of speculation over the years as to the exact reason why Edd China left Wheeler Dealers.

Edd China himself claims that a switch of production company caused issues with the show. 

According to Edd, Velocity Channel’s first attempt at producing the show was deemed ‘too difficult to make’ in its current format.

They experienced difficulties in filming Edd’s in-depth fixes and mechanical repairs.

As a result, Velocity Channel suggested that the workshop segments be scaled down and reduced.

Edd was not comfortable with the new direction for the show. He believed his workshop segments to be a key element of Wheeler Dealers that audiences enjoyed.

He did not want to cut corners and ruin the integrity of his work.

In 2017, Edd came to the tough conclusion to leave Wheeler Dealers for good.

What is Edd China doing now?

Edd recently launched his very own YouTube series – Workshop Diaries. The series is filmed in his state-of-the-art workshop in Buckinghamshire.

New episodes are released every Friday and showcase Edd working on a range of vehicles and inventions.

Take it from us: Workshop Diaries is the perfect watch for those who dearly miss Edd’s workshop segments and unique fixes.

To date, Edd has battled with rusty Range Rovers, vintage Ford Mustangs and even a motorised orange!

Edd is also well known for his eccentric inventions and projects.

He proudly holds the Guinness World Record titles for the world’s quickest toilet, bed, and shed. He also owns a huge motorised shopping trolley.

It’s safe to say that Edd has kept himself busy since leaving Wheeler Dealers!

Why did Ant Anstead replace Edd?

With Edd China officially leaving Wheeler Dealers in 2017, it was up to Mike Brewer and the production crew to find another suitable mechanic who had plenty of knowledge and on-screen experience.

Ant Anstead was chosen to step up and take Edd’s place. He officially joined the show in 2017.

There are a number of possible reasons why Mike and the Wheeler Dealers team chose Ant Anstead to replace Edd China.

Firstly, Ant has an accomplished track record in automotive television.

He has his own television production company and has hosted a number of automotive television shows in the past.

Furthermore, Ant has significant experience as a world-class mechanic. Whilst Ant’s original career was in the Police, he left the force in 2005 to pursue his dream of building cars.

Ant has successfully built a number of one-off models and bespoke cars for clients across the world.

Ant’s blend of television experience and automotive knowledge made him a great candidate to carry the Wheeler Dealer’s torch through to 2020, when he formally announced his departure from the show.

Is Edd still friends with Mike Brewer?

In the days after posting a video confirming he had left Wheeler Dealers, Edd had to clear the air regarding his friendship with former co-host Mike Brewer.

In the video, Edd explains that he is still friends with Mike.

Whilst they might not be the closest of friends anymore, Edd and Mike evidently still have mutual respect for each other as television presenters and automotive experts.

Furthermore, Edd felt he had to discourage fans from sending death threats and hatemail to Mike and his family following his departure from the show.

Edd clarified that it was a ‘slight disagreement’ which caused him to leave Wheeler Dealers, and that any hate directed towards Mike was ‘not cool’.

In a recent interview with Jonny Smith on The Late Brake Show, Mike claims he tried to reach out to Edd numerous times after his departure. Unfortunately, it looks like Edd is not interested in keeping in contact with Mike at this point.

So, will Mike and Edd be reuniting to collaborate on a project in the near future? As always, we will have to wait and see. Hopefully, the guys can work out any differences they have and reunite soon.

In any case, both men are busy with projects and commitments as we cruise through 2023.

Summary

Of course, many lifelong Wheeler Dealers fans were left crushed by the news of Edd China leaving the show for good. It’s understandable – we were too.

But the show has continued to evolve and build an even larger fanbase. It has even returned to the UK for season 17, which has pleased many of the veteran fans.

Edd is also getting stuck into his own projects, including his YouTube channel. It’s great to see Edd back on the screen!

What is your favourite season of Wheeler Dealers? Let us know below!