An extremely popular British car show is about to lose one of its co-founders. Discovery UK’s “Wheeler Dealers” has been in production with Edd China and his buddy Mike Brewer. The show is different from most “find it and flip it” car shows on US television in a couple of ways. One of the ways it differs from shows such as “Overhaulin’,” “Rust to Riches” and “Wrecks to Riches” is that it’s only Edd doing the restoration and repair work on the cars highlighted in the show, instead of a team of mechanics/technicians.
The Show’s Main Gist
“Wheeler Dealers” started in England and thus has a mostly European car feel to the show. In a standard episode, Brewer goes out and buys a car, such as a Maserati 3200GT or a Jensen Interceptor. There are the occasional pieces of American muscle, especially a few Chargers, but the main focus is cars which can be found regularly in the UK and Europe. Brewer buys the cars and China fixes them up. The guys then sell the cars, hoping to turn a profit.
Early Episodes Were Driven by China’s Personality
Brewer’s personality tends to rub some people the wrong way, while China’s is more reserved and humorous. The only shouting and screaming that appears in the show occurs when co-host Brewer is test-driving a car, either before or after the restoration magic performed by China. This “boisterousness” can be forgiven to an extent, though, because it’s just an expression of his joy and wonder at being behind the wheel of some mostly performance cars that are, at times, iconic.
Discovery Channel’s Velocity Takes Over… and Quickly Ruins the Show
One thing fans of the show cited as a main reason they love the show is that China takes the time to explain much of what he’s doing. We don’t get to see the huge overhauls with a minute part of it here and there on this show. We know the car is undergoing lots of work, but we don’t really know how much. However, there are parts of each England-based episode where China takes the time to explain what he’s doing and and how so viewers can take advantage of his extensive knowledge and save some money when doing the work on their own.
One example of this is when Brewer bought a Porsche 911 Targa, the Porsche 993. The car is equipped with a rear spoiler that deploys when the car reaches a certain speed or when the driver hits a switch. The tail wasn’t deploying, although we could clearly hear the motor running and see the spoiler vibrating as the motor tried to deploy it. China showed the viewer how to diagnose the problem and then disassemble the system to fix the problem. This wouldn’t happen on many car shows based out of the US.
When Velocity took over, they started to send the guys over to the US to find cars, sending them back to China’s workshop in the UK. The detailed explanations from China started to disappear. Velocity then moved them both to the US and the explanations all but disappeared. This upset many loyal viewers on both sides of the pond.
China Explains to Fans Why He’s Leaving the Show
China published a video on YouTube recently that explained why he was leaving the show. He said that when Discovery’s Velocity took over the show, production managers were heard to say that the show was “too difficult to produce in its current format” – that format being the one that made the show one of the most popular car shows on the planet. The format where China takes his time to explain something in detail for viewers.
China said that the corners he was asked to cut were asking too much of him. He feared they would detract from his integrity and that of the show. He just couldn’t do it. He went on to thank Mike Brewer for a wonderful 13 years of collaboration on the show.
He’ll be sorely missed. Ant Anstead will take over China’s position. China said in his video that he’s going to be posting more often on his YouTube channel and hinted at other things that may be in the works.
That’s a drag
What a shame. I restore cars, mainly concentrating on Hudsons and Studebakers and really liked “Wheeler Dealers”, when I first started watching it. I liked the chemistry between Edd and Mike along with the explanations and time they took to actually educate the audience. I stopped watching the other car shows mentioned. Too bad a really good thing had its format changed and has now come to Edd leaving the show.
Puts me in mind of ” I’m from the government and I’m here to help” !
stupid networks!!! It was a great show. Ya got to wonder if the boys at velocity ever heard of this of saying?
IF IT AINT BROKE LEAVE IT ALONE!!
Actually I was told “If it aint broke, don’t fix it.
I watched Wheeler Dealers all of the time (emphasis on watched). It was a great show. I even watched the reruns between seasons. Sorry Mike. No more Wheeler Dealers for me. I’ll wait for Ed’s new show. It’s bound to happen soon. I REALLY liked the show where they reworked the Sunbeam Alpine. I actually had one as my first car.
I agree. The show is lost without Edd.
This has been my ABSOLUTE favorite car show for years! Edd will be missed sorely. Velocity needs to reconsider this matter quickly. I will be watching whatever Edd does next!!!!
Another great show falls off the cliff. When will producers figure out that if it works leave it alone.
Yup,of course………….I first heard of this news on YouTube when Edd posted his video,maybe an hour before I watched it!!! Even within that hour though,the comment section was filling up rather quickly,with EVERYONE exclaiming how the Velocity channel has NOW become a JOKE to many (ME INCLUDED!!!) As it’s just as bad (if not WORSE) than MOST “reality-show” CRAP on REGULAR television!!! Everything is scripted and “oooooooh,what’s gonna happen NEXT? Find out after a commercial-break”!!! Pshhh,Gimme a break Velocity!!! When You start hiring people that WANT TO PRODUCE and be in charge of a “take your time,explain every step your taking and WHY ” show………..THEN maybe You’ll get me back as a viewer!!! Until then……….PIZZ OFF ya bloody Wanka’s!!! Lol.
Looking forward to what Edd does next, WD not so much. Too bad, it was a great show.
No Body can replace Edd the show will die with out him, His explanations are what drew me to the show, I am a mechanic and Edd is my GURU, I hope he appears on a similar show, I will be waiting and watching.
And I wonder why everything has gotten so complicated and lazy at the same time. Seems to me the producers lack work ethics!
I enjoy Velocity. WD and Chasing Classic Cars the most. WD is the best show I have ever seen for a car guy. Edd is smart, skilled, and just plain interesting. What they are doing is like what the Food Network has done. Used to watch shows that told you how to make a perfect roast. Now they have shows showing how fast people can make something with no interest in technique or skill. The dumbing of America.
To bad! One of a select bunch of car shows I actually watch.
Yeah, I start to lose interest when the salesman starts doing most of the talking and the real worker gets sidelined. Brewer isn’t too bad, but they end up paying China about $0.20 per hour he works on the car, assuming the split the “profit” 50/50. Brewer usually pays too much for the car as do most. They don’t amortize the cost of travel etc. properly. The only way the “make money” is the airtime.
watch the show all the time.When it changes will go somewhere else.Good luck Edd
Loved Edd, I watched for two reasons, the cars were not the typical cars restored on US shows and Edd was great a showing “How to”. Not really interested in car or house flipping shows that don’t show “how to”, rather watch YouTube channels that do.
Ratings are going to tank without Edd and his detail.
I’ve been a loyal fan for years–I’ll try the new pairing but I won’t tolerate an hour of loud antics, shouting, bleeped responses, the kind of thing that ruins other Velocity offerings for me. Ed, I hope you make a fortune with your next move–you have certainly provided me with hours and hours of very useful and interesting entertainment.
wheeler dealers will never be the same without ed china.
watched 1st new episode without him and it was sad.
not a big fan anymore. thanks alot velocity channel!!!!!
Edd was the show. Mike could easily be replaced ( there’s a
used car salesman on every corner ), but Edd was an ARTIST !
His skills are not easy to duplicate.
And he was such a pleasant , easy going chap !