It was exactly the worldwide popularity of Wheeler Dealers and sheer size of the audience, coupled with the lack of product placement and brand endorsements within the show which meant that Discovery US and Velocity Channel saw an opportunity for further exploitation of the brand and so after season twelve the show commission was taken over by Velocity Channel in the US, who decided to replace Attaboy TV with Discovery Studios in California.

Unfortunately, on Velocity’s first attempt at producing the show they found Wheeler Dealers ‘too difficult to make’, ‘at least in its current format’. In particular, the detailed and in depth coverage of my fixes in the workshop; what I consider to be the backbone and USP of the programme, are something Velocity feel should be reduced. The workshop jobs are certainly the hardest part of the show to make and reducing their substance and role in the show will save the production considerable time, effort and therefore money. However, this new direction is not something I am comfortable with and I feel my only option is to let Velocity get on with it, without me.

Wheeler Dealers has been an enormous part of my life since 2002, a real roller coaster of demanding challenges and triumphant moments. It has been a real privilege to meet and work with so many great people and to have so much fun going on wonderful joy rides in great cars in amazing locations. Leaving the show at the height of its success has been a really tough decision to make but I believe the time is right for me to spread my wings.

I would like to thank Attaboy TV, Mike, our incredible crew, and everyone who has contributed to making such a great programme for all of these years. A special big thank you must go to every one of our fans for watching the show over the past thirteen series, it has been great having you along for the ride, your appreciation means so much.

Mike and Velocity will continue to make Wheeler Dealers, apparently with Ant Anstead taking my place in the workshop, so new episodes will be on your screens in due course. Taking on the role of new mechanic will not be an easy one so please give Ant your support, I wish him the very best of luck. It will certainly be nice to see Mike turn up at the workshop with yet another wreck knowing I don’t have to do any of the work!

As for me, I am already working on some great new shows which will expand my world in new directions and, as I will have a bit of time on my hands, I’ll even start to put some things up on my youTube channel, so keep an eye out for that.

Discovery keep encouraging us all to: ‘make your world bigger’ – and that is exactly what I am doing. I can’t wait to get cracking on the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. More on that in due course…

Edd China.