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North Wales Live
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Salvage Hunter Drew Pritchard's major 'all good thing must end' announcement leaves fans stunned
Drew Pritchard, the North Wales 'rock star' of Britain's antiques trade, has shocked fans by calling time on his Salvage Hunter career. Having presented 245 episodes of the hit TV show over 14 years, his 20th series – already filmed – will be his last. The Conwy-born dealer hinted he may be quitting TV altogether, preferring instead to focus on the restoration of his Georgian town house in Bath, Somerset. Drew is also hoping to spend more time with his other great love – 'messing around with my old cars'. The antiques guru has been hailed a 'junkyard genius' for the way he finds treasures in other people's scrap. Having made his TV debut in 2011, he said his Salvage Hunter stint had been an 'incredible privilege'. Drew announced he was bowing out in an Instagram video filmed at his house in Bath, which he moved into two years ago after selling his 1820s townhouse in Conwy town. Disappointed fans begged him not to go, saying that getting a new presenter would be like 'replacing the shark in Jaws with a dolphin'. Salvage Hunters, produced by Curve Media, and shown on Quest TV, followed Drew as he travelled Britain in search of antiques from shops, fairs and mansions to restore and resell from his Conwy base. Along with his old house, much of his collection was sold to fund the purchase and renovation of his 'dream' period property in Bath. Perched on a vintage leather armchair, and wearing his trademark black glasses, Drew said: 'They say all good things must come to an end, and the next series of Salvage Hunters, which we shot last year and airs in the autumn, is my last. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now 'When I got the gig to do Salvage, I was determined to give as an honest representation of the antiques trade that I possibly could. I strived to represent the fun and the excitement and the history and the beauty of it all – and the hard work and the living that is to be had from it. "So, what am I going to do next? Well, I'm just going to continue what I've always done, which is to continue antiquing, and I'm going to carry on messing around with my old cars, and I'm going to finish my house.' Salvage Hunters has become a global hit attracting 22 million viewers in 52 countries. For the teenager who left Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy at 16 with no qualifications, being picked to front the show was transformative, cementing his reputation as a respected antiques dealer while turning him into a TV personality with fans around the world. Over the years, some 19 expert co-presenters have joined Drew on the show, including ex-wife Rebecca. Several, like Alister Dryburgh and Viki Knott, have become firm friends in their shared quest to uncover hidden gems. Though he's leaving, Drew is sure the show's magic formula will continue to lure viewers. He said: 'The programme is now in the very safe hands of some really good dealers, some good friends ... Al and Viki and one new dealer that's not been announced yet. Please give them a chance, OK, like you did with me. Trust me, please do, it'll be worth it." Thanking viewers for their support, Drew added: 'The production team on Salvage has been like a family to me these last 15-16 years. In fact, there are many crew who have been with us from day one. That is a very special and rare thing in television and I would like to thank everyone at Curve for their tireless work. 'It's been an incredible privilege for me to grace your screens and I can't really thank you all enough for it, I really can't. So everyone, take care, thank you so much.' Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Fans saluted Drew for the way he transformed people's approach to home interiors. More than that, the man with the Midas touch was celebrated for changing perspectives through his 're-use and renovate' mantra. Applauding Drew, an antiques emporium said his successor has big shoes to fill. Its owner said: 'Thank you for educating us for free and for making millions of homes around the world less boring. It was more than just fronting a TV show, you created a movement taking commercial items and using them to decorate your home. 'It's going to be incredibly hard for anyone (else) to bring something new to the table. I can't help thinking it's going to be like replacing the shark in Jaws with a dolphin. We shall see!'
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Salvage Hunter Drew Pritchard's 'mammoth' new project hits screens in ultimate test
Salvage Hunter Drew Pritchard is putting his 'years of graft, knowledge and vision' to the ultimate test in his latest project. The TV star has embarked on a 'mammoth journey' to renovate a Grade I listed Georgian town house and the early stages will be shown on a brand new Salvage Hunter series starting on Wednesday night, February 5. Having closed his antiques store in Conwy in May 2022, he later announced he'd bought a five-storey property in the historic Somerset city of Bath. While admitting it was the 'most exciting' project he has ever worked on, it was not without its challenges – according to Quest TV, the property needed "urgent and costly repairs" even before he could think about replacing the roof and 20 windows. Drew had said it is the most financially risky project he's ever embarked upon. Despite the prestige location in St James' Square, the grand old property had seen better days, having been converted into five flats in the early 1970s. READ MORE: Salvage Hunter Drew Pritchard's English 'gamble' and how disaster took him back to North Wales READ MORE: What inspectors found beneath dense thatch cloaking iconic North Wales tearoom The 1790s terraced house was full of 'bodged repairs', he said, noting despairingly how 'every inch was painted in white gloss'. It needed a complete overhaul – he described it as the 'worst house in the best location'. Despite this, it was love at first sight - Drew bought it after going to an open viewing and making an offer on the spot in the summer of 2022. With help from Bath architect Rhys Brookes, he's determined to restore the property to its former glory, looking to restore the building's original paint finishes, install reclaimed radiators and find period bathroom features. No detail is being spared in the quest for period accuracy. Among those he's leaned on for help was Charles Brooking, an architectural historian and collector whose artefacts formed the basis of The Brooking museum in Whitchurch, Hampshire. In 2005, Drew gave The Brooking a large cross-section of domestic stained glass from houses in North Wales. With his own period property to restore, and in need of 1790s door furniture, he turned to the museum for guidance. He visited with a film crew in tow. In the Cranleigh Magazine, Mr Brooking wrote: 'Fortunately we hold some important examples, ranging from humble to grander varieties. Having photographed the appropriate door handles and locks of the types used both in the 'polite' and secondary areas of Drew's house in the 1790s, he is hoping to track down similar examples.' Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now St James' Square was built on orchards and gardens tenanted by residents of the nearby Royal Crescent. Most of the properties were completed by 1794, all arranged around a 360ft by 250ft grassed area which, until 2002, was grazed by a flock of sheep for a month each autumn. Perhaps its most famous property is Number 35, once home to William Savage Landor, a close friend of Robert and Elizabeth Browning. Another friend was Charles Dickens, who stayed on several occasions: reputedly, while staying there in 1840, Dickens first conceived of Little Nell and fleshed out the plot for the Old Curiosity Shop. For the new series, Georgian Britain is unpicked by art historian Dan Cruickshank. Filmed at his historic Spitalfields home, Dan dives into the world of Georgian architecture, uncovering the craftsmanship, character and hidden stories behind these iconic buildings. Drew's previous forays into period property restoration included a Methodist chapel in the Conwy countryside, which he bought in June 1995. Nine years ago, after his divorce, he moved to a 1820s Regency cottage just outside Conwy town's walls. Although it was dubbed 'Chateau Despair' by a friend, Drew said he grew to love the place after giving it a complete renovation. But the Bath project is on another level. To stock it, Drew transferred some of his collectables from Conwy – but he was left combing the UK for period fixtures and fittings, having pledged to use only reclaimed, salvaged, recycled and antique materials. With his eye for detail and flair for design, few would bet against him achieving his goal of 'putting back the soul of this historic building'. Salvage Hunters: Georgian House Restoration starts on Wednesday, February 5 at 10pm on Quest TV. The series runs to five episodes. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Find properties for sale or let near you
