Edd China Left 'Wheeler Dealers' Because They Wanted to Simplify His Segments

After being part of the hit car show Wheeler Dealers for 13 years and nearly 200 episodes, mechanic Edd China decided to leave the show in 2017. His departure came as a shock to many fans of Wheeler Dealers, who had come to love Edd and his segments on the show.

While the program's other host, Mike Brewer, continued on as normal, many viewers miss Edd's presence. But why did Edd really leave Wheeler Dealers?

Edd's workshop scenes were best known for their tremendous detail. During his segments, Edd would often break down complex and complicated procedures so the average viewer at home could follow along. But with that extreme detail came extreme production costs, and as producers looked to cut the costs of the show, Edd's segments were scheduled to be pared down.

According to Car Throttle, after the program was picked up by Velocity, the company wanted to change Edd's segments to include less complicated processes, making them cheaper to film. But the mechanic wasn't OK with making his content less complex to save some money. So, unable to find a compromise, Edd decided to leave the show. 

Ant Anstead was set to take Edd's place as a co-host following his departure.

Instead of letting his fans hear of his departure through a third party, Edd decided to make a video on his own, telling viewers directly why he decided his time on Wheeler Dealers had come to an end. According to the video, Velocity decided Edd's segments were "too difficult to make."

"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," Edd wrote in the video's description.

"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 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, so I have come to the conclusion that my only option is to let Velocity get on with it, without me."

Edd thanked his followers for supporting him since the show's humble beginnings and admitted this goodbye would be hard, but necessary regardless. 

"It has been a privilege to meet and work with so many great people and, from the workshop to the joy rides, to be allowed to experience so many fabulous cars and amazing locations," he wrote. "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."