Velocity has given us all a sneak peek at the upcoming series of Wheeler Dealers – some six-months on since we found out that Ant Anstead would be taking over the spanner-spinning duties following the departure of Edd China.
The new trailer pokes fun at co-host Mike Brewer being abandoned by China, as he sits alone listening to Eric Carmen’s 1975 hit “All by Myself” in an old British sports car. He is then joined by Anstead, who asks where they’re going before telling Brewer to turn the music off.
Fans of the long-running car-based fixer-upper show were hit hard earlier this year, when everyone’s favourite mechanic Edd China announced that he was leaving.
At the time, China revealed that he decided to leave Wheeler Dealers because Velocity planned to reduce the ‘workshop’ aspect of the show in the upcoming season. “This new direction is not something I am comfortable with as I feel the corners I was being asked to cut compromised the quality of my work and would erode my integrity as well as that of the show,” he said. “So I have come to the conclusion that my only option is to let Velocity get on with it, without me.”
The other half of Wheeler Dealers, Mike Brewer, publicly countered Edd China’s claims. “There’s no way on earth that anyone has ever suggested that the mechanical content of the show is going to be reduced,” Brewer said. “Where that came from, I don’t know. It is not going to be reduced, Discovery channel are not going to change the format one iota.”
So can Wheeler Dealers survive without Edd China? We’ll all find out when the first episode of Series 14 airs on October 4th.
25 comments
There is no way that Wheeler Dealers could ever work without the interplay between Edd and Mike. It seems that American money and foolishness has struck again. Will they never learn?
Imagine one of the most successful and longest running TV shows ever, Only Fools and Horses. Could it have worked without either of the key characters, Del Boy or Rodney? Of course not!
Over the last few years of that comedy drama, Rodney had grown up and become the serious half of the duo. They became 6’6″ of likeable common sense playing against 4’6″ of likeable cockney wide boy. Does that ring any bells?
If Mike had stood alongside Edd and said NO to the cut in spanner time, we would still be watching the most successful car show ever. If the producers wouldn’t wear it, find a new company! With this hugely successful formula, British TV companies should be queueing up to back Mike and Edd together.
From a long term fan, Chris Lomas, Brixham, Devon
oh realy, so why has the first look at the Ant you tube video been withdrawn ? I only just found out about this video and withdrawing it does smack of a smaller number of viewers watching as more
likely? And many comments here are switching off and saying either Ed comes back or they will not be watching any more ? The main reson for that is stated as being far below the favored show was with Ed China ! There is a lot of withekd information and clear embarrasing criticism of the
desparate attempts to “” CARRY ON AS IF NOTHING HAS CHANGED “” And the inference that Ed is not a true mechanic is frankly the most stupid tactles lie. We all watched and learned an enormous amount from Ed ‘s balanced appproach to his engineering expertise and brilliantly patient descriptions , never takking down to people, always showing respect for the audience.
BOTTOM LINE, clearly the last few shows had off screen back stabbing and nastiness .
The old story , upstaging and negative rhetoric . whispwer whispper leading to destruction so good bye to what had been an innovative well produced show, with a unique format .
Michael…
New guy with his perfect white teeth and total BS persona – sickening. Don’t know who to blame but this show is ruined.
Ant is ok….but personally cannot stand to listen to him very long. I’m married into a British family but I can tell you they sound a bit different. He wants to make it in the USA.
Two parallel names for fluffy, superficial all-purpose TV presenters: Tim Lovejoy and Kate Humble = Mike Brewer & Ant Amstead.
Charisma deficient but reliable..
It’s a shame. The only watchable car show on any network and the greedy, moronic producers
have to go and ruin it. What don’t these people understand about “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”? The show was thoroughly enjoyable and I actually looked forward to each new episode. The new guy Ant seems ok, and has good mechanical skills but doesn’t quite fit and I personally can’t watch him (sorry Ant). Without Ed for proper balance and insight you really realize how loathesome Mike Brewer is to watch as well. I’ve been tuning out and only watching older shows. Can’t we please have one decent auto related show without the hicks, hacks, head games and unbearable personalities so prevalent and unwanted in shitty reality based programming? Usually only NBC can fuck up something so bad. Congratulations Discovery/Velocity-learning from the worst! Way to ruin a concept. Oh well, a good run and fun while it lasted-on to the next…..
Well I watched a couple form the new series and…. Ed was right, although Ant does his best to explain things, Ed got to grips with actual bit’s n pieces on the cars and this I am sure made recording things harder which Velocity wanted to make easier for them when it came to production. The end result is I haven’t watched any more of the new ones but still watch the old ones and have found the Car SOS programmes seem to bring back some of that hands on. Sure there is more guys getting stuck in, but the cars are some of the stuff that wheeler dealers cut their mustard on. Therefore I don’t think the new Wheeler Dealers works for me. Sorry guys.
Your post is 100% correct. Mike’s contribution always seemed contrived. The ending Deal is always very artificial.
Therefore, All I wanted to watch was the mechanic-ing. Everything else was artificial and a bit irritating.
Rest in peace, Edd China.
Is it allways going to be in the states? Ants good but It it ain’t wheeler Dealers anymore .
I think the main reason they shoot in the states is that the weather is favourable for the most part – instead of the constant drizzle they always seem to get in the UK.
Don’t like the new series without Edd. The US car types featured are largely irrelevant to most of us this side of the Atlantic. Indeed, series 13 with Edd was heading this way too unfortunately. They should’nt have called it Wheeler Dealers as it isnt a patch on the original!
Discovery aren’t going to change the format one iota, really?
New shows format is rubbish flashes through car fixes no in depth mechanical repairs shown and explained bring back Edd
Don’t like new format bring back Edd. Better still Edd, start your own show.
We hope he does – we’re patiently waiting.
Only Edd!
The idea was not to modify the cars. Fix them back to original and show regular people how to redo cars.
The new show sucks now! I hope someone gives Edd China his own show as he was the real star of wheeler dealers!
New show is fuckin crap
I’ve watched the new show and the chemistry with the new guy just isn’t there. Ed and Mike were ying and yang now you have two yings and the result is a big yawn.
I watched the new wheeler Dealers and found it very good sometime seeing a real mechanic work is a dream top show good luck will be watching
Edd was the show. Just like Top Gear became Top Flop the show Wheeler Dealers was to do with an authentic and interesting personality. Id Edd arises in another show I’d be into it.
Watched the show last night with the new guy Ant. Really was not impressed. I liked the in-depth coverage Edd China gave when he repaired the cars. Ant doesn’t go into any depth at all. Sorry Velocity, you lost a viewer to this hack job of a show.
I watched 2 episodes and the new guy is ok, but its not the same show. I predict its one and done. I watched because you got to see a real mechanic troubleshooting and repairing items. I didnt need a crayon drawing on how a turbo works.
The show is not the same without Edd. I changed the channel as soon as I heard the new guy.