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Wheeler Dealers Without Edd China - We Vote Thumbs Up

We've watched the first three episodes of Wheeler Dealers without our beloved Edd China, and discovered we still love the show.
Ant replaces Edd on WHeeler Dealers - We say thumbs up.

If you are like us, you are a long-time fan of Wheeler Dealers, now shown on Velocity. When Edd China departed last year (pushed out was the general feeling), we were angry, and vowed never to watch again! But then we did watch. And we liked it.

Edd was a huge part of Wheeler Dealers, and certainly as much a part of the show as Mike Brewer. Edd brought all the technical knowledge of a career's worth of hard-earned tricks and tips to the audience in a way that made even the most impossible jobs seem approachable, and in some cases, downright easy.

We really didn't want to like this new guy, Ant Anstead. He had been in the running for a gig on Top Gear, a show that could not be more different from Wheeler Dealers, and that made us like him less. However, now that we have watched a few episodes, Ant is a pretty likable guy. It hasn't hurt that the first few cars were interesting. The second-generation Supra and the Ford Escort RS in particular.

The show has evolved quite a bit. There is less wrenching and more of mike searching, the hosts hugging each other and other people, less long sleeve shirts and more army cargo pants. Heck, the show now even accounts for labor time when it does its profit and loss accounting we all wait for in the last five minutes.

On a Wednesday night, when there are no sports on TV, and that remote is sitting there, we find ourselves pretty well entertained by Ant and Mike. What say you?

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Comments

Hugo (not verified)    April 3, 2018 - 3:08PM

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Edd was the reason to watch this show. Shame on the production company to want to dumb it down and show less technical stuff. I will NEVER watch this parody.

Richard henderson (not verified)    April 26, 2018 - 6:26AM

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I must disagree with the reviewer. I didn't realize how much of the show was Edd China and their European location. Moving to the US, the lousy choice of vehicles, and finally Ant (I really don't like him; he's too put-on and fake), has caused me to stop watching the show. I would be surprised if many other viewers who liked the show then still like it now. The cost savings Velocity has impressed on Wheeler Dealers will, I think, doom the show.

Manny P (not verified)    January 31, 2020 - 5:37PM

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There were two minted programmes on TV ; namely Wheeler Dealers and Car SOS. They were virtually identical in delivery, but the common denominator was involved, astonishingly good mechanics and absolutely wanky , fuckwit frontmen !

To have Big Ed and Fuzz have their own programme is the stuff of dreams. I’d even spend some of my retirement money to buy a project, because you know it would be the best.

Phil Harold (not verified)    February 20, 2020 - 6:03PM

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Sorry, I have watched Wheeler Dealers from the beginning and enjoyed Mike and Edd develop into a class partnership, sorry to see them go their separate ways, think the production company have made a big mistake, no one can replace big Edd , do not like new program, will not be tuning in again.

Stephen (not verified)    March 5, 2020 - 5:16PM

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I was a big fan of Wheeler Dealers but the show was made by Edd China not Mike Brewer he was just the plonker buying the cars which anyone could do...Edd was the man who built and made good the sometimes crap cars he was brought, his expertise and tips were fantastic...the new guy Anth is no where near as good and has zero personality...I won't be watching it again

Kevin (not verified)    December 29, 2020 - 11:11PM

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I refer to brewer as “captain bullshit”. He is the epitome of the used car salesman. All “blah,blah,blah” and no substance. How this fat piece of shit is still “featured” on any serious program is mind boggling. For me, when captain bullshit appears, the channel is changed. Eat that you stupid programmers.

Leslie (not verified)    May 9, 2020 - 5:36AM

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The dropping of Edd (who was genuine and interesting) and move to America may be lining Mike Brewer's pockets, but has made Wheeler Dealers into a 'watch occasionally' programme?? Ant Anstead comes over as know it all and disingenuous, and for example making a manifold from scratch when you could buy one off the shelf, reflects the lack of direction?? Lastly, the fact that Mike now does some work on the cars must demonstrate that he is worried about losing another mechanic??

Mirek (not verified)    August 6, 2022 - 4:39AM

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I don't understand the hatred from people towards Ant. The accusations against him being "fake" are ludicrous. Edd was excellent and so is Ant and his consecutive replacement Marc Priestly. Ant refurbishing salvageable parts instead of buying "off the shelf" is both entertaining and cost cutting.
Imo the show did not lose it's appeal or quality at all by replacing the mechanics. It's as enjoyable as always.

Sam Langdon (not verified)    February 14, 2021 - 12:27PM

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I think the show is still entertaining and Ant is likeable, but it's not the same without Edd and does come across as more staged. I'm curious to see what the new season will be like with Marc Priestley in the UK.

Jim Ledger (not verified)    May 14, 2021 - 5:16PM

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I like many refused to watch the Ant episodes when they ran 1st time
However I happened to zap into one mid program and I think he’s good, not Edd but good
Shame Brewer is still there but you can’t have everything
I’ve since watched all the Ant Episodes and he gets a thumbs up

Richard (not verified)    May 12, 2022 - 9:20PM

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Can't stand arrogant Anstead. What did he call himself? The Master Mechanic. If he was a bar of chocolate, he'd eat himself.

That said, WDs lost it's way when they first moved to the US. Too staged, many episodes Mike was doing some of the repairs and Edd would mysteriously disappear for 15 mins of each episode: the Chevy Luv episode was the perfect example. WDs became more of the Mike Brewer car repairs show.

Edd would always explain in layman's terms how to repair the car, something Anstead never did (although I think I've only seen about episodes of the Anstead roadshow). What average person can fabricate a whole exhaust? I certainly can't.

This proves every dog has its day. WDs was past it's best before they moved Stateside.