Background and career
Edward John China (born 9 May 1971) is an English television presenter, mechanic, motor specialist and inventor, best known as being presenter and mechanic on Discovery Channel's television show Wheeler Dealers. He has also appeared on Top Gear, Auto Trader, Scrapheap Challenge and Fifth Gear.
China developed an interest in cars and mechanics from an early age. He was educated at King Edward's School, Witley in Surrey, and he holds a degree in engineering product design from London South Bank University. While at university, China created the Casual Lofa (driving sofa), his first major project. It was built to raise money for a Raleigh International expedition to Belize.
Following the success of his creation of the Casual Lofa, China's first job in television was as a special effects technician for Father Ted in 1994. In 1998, China appeared as a guest on Top Gear Live, driving the Casual Lofa at the Silverstone 'Live Arena'. The same year, China and the Casual Lofa were also featured on Jeremy Clarkson's DVD The Most Outrageous Jeremy Clarkson Video In The World.... Ever!, where the Casual Lofa was raced at the Thruxton Circuit, in a manner similar to Wacky Races. China was also featured on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast three times over the years, driving the Casual Lofa, Bog Standard and Street Sleeper. China was a guest on Scrapheap Challenge (known as Junkyard Wars in the United States) in an episode featuring driving beds and sofa cars. In the same year, China was featured in an episode of the television show This Is Your Life featuring Madness front man Suggs. China drove presenter Michael Aspel around old haunts, and delivered Aspel to the television studios on the Casual Lofa. China was resident designer on the BBC series Panic Mechanics a year later, and was also a guest on Top Gear feature "Build a Bond Car On A Budget", where he showcased a Rover 800 (purchased for £200) that had been modified with budget Bond-esque gadgets, such as an ejection seat, for just £100. In 2005, China was a celebrity guest on BBC's Ready Steady Cook, for a Children in Need Special. He also co-hosted the short lived Auto Trader television series alongside Brewer. The series was screened by Discovery Channel. China was a guest in 2007 on The Culture Show, being interviewed and driving Arthur Smith and various other performers around the Edinburgh Festival. He, along with Penny Mallory, Tony Mason and Alex Riley, presented a television miniseries for the United Kingdom that examined the history and culture of classic cars, geared toward classic car enthusiasts, and called Classic Car Club for Discovery Channel, which premiered in 2005.
China was hired by Discovery Channel and paired with television presenter Mike Brewer in 2003 specifically to make a new car programme: Wheeler Dealers. It became both China's and Brewer's most famous television work to date, and they presented the show together for 13 series, from 2003 to 2017. On 21 March 2017, China announced on his YouTube channel that he was departing Wheeler Dealers owing to disagreements over the direction of the programme. Six days later, in another video, China described how Brewer had telephoned him over the weekend saying that he, his wife and his daughter, were receiving significant online abuse, including death threats, because of China's leaving the show.
Following the success of his creations as a special effects technician on the comedy television programme Father Ted, China set up Cummfy Banana Limited, in March 1999, as an outlet for his extreme creations. In 2001, China was interviewed about Cummfy Banana's vehicles on ITV's Pulling Power. In 2006, he was interviewed on ITV's This Morning about his Cummfy Banana vehicles.
In 2009, China incorporated Grease Junkie Limited (whose website sells Wheeler Dealers and Grease Junkie merchandise) and became managing director. China owned an MOT and servicing garage in Bracknell, Berkshire, called Grease Junkie, which was voluntarily liquidated in August 2016.
