Bargain Hunt legend Eric Knowles' life off screen from health battle to job loss

Eric Knowles
-Credit: (Image: (Image: BBC))


Bargain Hunt's very own Eric Knowles became a staple of the show following a serendipitous call from a BBC commissioning editor, who happened to be an old acquaintance. They shared roots in the North West and she was convinced that his straight-talking manner would make him a perfect match for the show. Eric reminisced: "Straight talking was the order of the day and she was convinced I would be perfect for BH."

His time on the show has been peppered with unforgettable moments, including a hilarious episode where his co-star Charlie Ross almost lost his cool with some particularly laid-back contestants. But before becoming a television favourite, Eric's journey into the world of antiques was quite unplanned. Reflecting on how he stumbled into the antiques scene, Eric believes it was destiny at play.

He said: "It was circumstance that saw my interest in history and architecture lead me out of redundancy with an engineering company up in my native Lancashire to a job in London as a porter at Bonham's auction house." Eric's tenure at Bonham's spanned over three decades, where he relished the ever-changing nature of auction house work, saying: "I was to stay with the company for the next 32 years. Working for an auction house guarantees that no two days are ever the same."

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Had fate not led him down the path of antiques, Eric mused that he might have found himself amidst the trees working for the Forestry Commission or spinning tracks as a radio DJ, according to the Express.

The antiques expert has also navigated through tough times, dating back to his younger days when his parents were fraught with worry over his health. He faced a daunting hospital stay due to concerns over a potential leukaemia diagnosis.

Eric opened up about a harrowing childhood experience on BBC's Matron, Medicine and Me, revealing his battle with an illness that was initially feared to be cancer - at a time when such a diagnosis was often seen as a "death sentence". The relief was immense when it was discovered to be glandular fever instead.

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On the programme, which delves into the history of the NHS, Eric also visited the daughter of the paediatrician who treated him in Burnley during those difficult years.

The story takes a poignant turn as Eric shares the heartbreak over the loss of his son Seb, who tragically passed away in a devastating accident. Seb, a 26 year old DJ from High Wycombe, lost his life following a horrific collision with a lorry on the M40 in May 2015.

Music was a special connection between Eric and his late son Seb, with the young man inheriting a passion for DJing from his father.