“Wheeler Dealers” is one of the most famous and beloved car-centered TV shows of our time. Since it premiered in 2003, Mike Brewer’s knack for business, and Edd China’s impressive mechanical skills fitted perfectly together to make the show an instant hit, turning into a classic in the automotive TV niche.
Knowing all of this, it was shocking, to say the least, when Edd left the show in early 2017. Though his decision initially appeared to be entirely motivated by creative limitations, several controversies were born from his exit from Discovery, including some unkind allegations that Mike made about his former co-host in a video shared on YouTube by fans.
However, did Mike Brewer’s allegations hold any truth about Edd China’s exit from the show? or is this just an unfortunate situation caused by miscommunication and the apparent bad rapport between the former co-hosts? Keep watching to find out what were those alleged ‘bad things’ that Edd perportedly did while in “Wheeler Dealers”!
So, Why Did Edd China Leave “Dealer Wheelers”?
For any long-time fan of “Wheeler Dealers”, seeing Edd China exit the show also meant saying goodbye to some things they loved about the whole series, such as his lighthearted personality and detailed yet simplified approach to car mechanics.
While it isn’t rare for co-hosts to leave their TV shows after a considerable time, usually in search of new professional opportunities, many questions about the real nature of Edd’s departue were raised immediately Edd himself didn’t take long to utilise his YouTube channel to confirm the news, briefly summarizing the story of “Wheeler Dealers”, from its beginnings as an independently produced show to its move to the US under Discovery. As he explained in the video of March 2017, the latter change in production also meant that the show’s format had to be revised, resulting in a considerable cut of the technical parts of the show, to concentrate on easier to film segments, as the old UK-based format was considered too difficult to produce.
Not wanting to sacrifice what he considered to be the backbone of “Wheeler Dealers”, Edd decided to quit the show, and requested that the audience welcome Ant Anstead, as he would take his place as the show’s mechanic.
Mike’s Opinions on Edd
Edd China’s explanations about his departure from “Wheeler Dealers” were clear, and left a huge par of the audience satisfied, but others weren’t as convinced ,and that only got worse with time.
For a start, some months after Edd’s exit from “Wheeler Dealers”, a fan shared a video in which Mike was giving out autographs while on the street, as some fans conversed with him about Edd’s actions while in the show, with Mike affirming that his former co-host had done ‘some very bad things’ which had left Discovery no option but to stop working with him. He also added that he was pleased to be working with Ant Anstead, whom he described as a ‘real mechanic’ and accused Edd of losing his focus once he became famous.
Inevitably, Mike’s words left a bitter taste in the mouths of fans, with many demonstrating their annoyance at the “Wheeler Dealers”’s host’s opinions in the video’s comment section. Later in 2021, Mike revived the topic during an interview with Car Dealer Magazine, in which he affirmed that Edd had ‘taken out his frustrations’ with the way the show was being produced with the production crew, also accusing him of wanting to ‘work less’, which didn’t go well with Discovery, sort of reaffirming his early accusations of Edd doing ‘some bad things’ while in the show.
The Controversy
As it happened, many people assumed that not only was Edd sacked by Discovery for no reason, but also that Mike Brewer had something to do with it, which resulted in a massive outpouring of hate against “Wheeler Dealers” production and Mike. The animosity got to a point where angry fans of the show sent death threats and other gruesome messages to Mike and his family, leaving him no option but to request that Edd address the issue.
Wheeler Dealers' Mike Brewer fires back at Edd China criticism https://t.co/Hj1BD4s4DB
— hebrides (@SpurnHead) February 7, 2025
It didn’t take long for Edd to produce another YouTube video in which he condemned the hateful behavior directed at his former co-host, affirming that while their relationship wasn’t of the best at the time, they were going to ‘be fine’.
In an interview with Car Dealer Magazine in October 2023, Mike affirmed that the hateful treatment that he had received affected his mental health, leading him to ‘drink more than he should’ at times. He also affirmed that his family had been very strong in standing by his side in that situation, but that the death threats and other hateful messages were still constant.
All in all, there’s no denying that the whole situation got out of everyone’s hands. However, considering everything that went down regarding Edd’s exit from “Wheeler Dealers” and the contrasting opinions that he and Mike produced, it’s up to viewers to decide who to believe.
What Is Edd Doing Now?
Following his exit from “Wheeler Dealers”, Edd China has been focused on car and engineering-related projects. These days he’s very active on YouTube, his homonymous channel filled with very popular videos centered on his current projects, from automotive mechanics to inventions, in his unique style. His channel has over a million subscribers, and keeps on growing.
He also owns Grease Junkie, an online show in which his fans can purchase the mechanical parts he’s designed, and merchandise such as cups and gloves, which all indicates that he’s doing great these days.
What Happened To “Dealer Wheelers”?
Production changed to the US during the 12th season, “Wheeler Dealers” eventually returned to the UK in 2021. The move to its original production place was done before the release of the 17th season, and was described as a ‘logical progression’ of the show.
Regarding its hosts, Mike Brewer remains the longest-running star of the show. Meanwhile, the mechanic Ant Anstead stayed with the production from 2017 to 2021, when he left and was replaced by Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley. The change was drastically less dramatic than when Edd China left, with Ant deciding to leave the show to stay in the US with his family.
All in all, Edd’s exit from the show caused lots of controversy, but it’s great to see that everyone continued moving forward with their projects, regardless of negativity.
