Edd China
Edd China | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Edward John China 9 May 1971 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Television Presenter Inventor Mechanic |
| Known for | Wheeler Dealers Top Gear Scrapheap Challenge Auto Trader |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) |
| Website | www |
Edward John "Edd" China (born 9 May 1971) is an English TV presenter, mechanic, motor specialist and inventor. He is best known as being presenter and mechanic on Discovery Channel's TV show Wheeler Dealers but has featured in numerous television programmes over the years, including Top Gear, Scrapheap Challenge and Fifth Gear.
China is managing director of two companies, Grease Junkie, an MOT and Servicing Garage, the website for which also sells Wheeler Dealers and Grease Junkie merchandise; and Cummfy Banana Limited, an outlet for his wacky automotive creations and world record attempts.
China holds many Guinness World Records, including the fastest shed, toilet, bed, milk float and the largest motorised shopping trolley in the world.[1]
Early life
China had an interest in cars and all things mechanical from a young age. He was educated at King Edward's School, Witley and holds a degree in Engineering Product Design from London South Bank University.
While at University, China created the Casual Lofa (driving sofa), which was his first major project of note. It was built to raise money for a Raleigh International expedition to Belize.
Television career
Guest Appearances
1994 - Following the success of his creation of the Casual Lofa, he got his first job in television as a special effects technician on Father Ted.
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.
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.
2000 - China was a guest on Scrapheap Challenge (Known as Junkyard Wars in the USA) in an episode featuring driving beds and sofa cars. In the same year, China was featured in an episode of the UK TV show This Is Your Life featuring Madness Frontman Suggs. China drove presenter Michael Aspel around old haunts and delivered Aspel to the television studios on the Casual Lofa.
2001 - China was interviewed about all of Cummfy Banana's vehicles on ITV's Pulling Power.
2002 - China was resident designer on the BBC series Panic Mechanic, 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 merely £100.[2]
2003 - China was a part of an expert team converting a Milk Float into a drag racer on Channel 4's Monster Garage.[3]
2005 - China was a celebrity guest on BBC show Ready Steady Cook for a Children in Need special.
2006 - China was interviewed on ITV's This Morning about his Cummfy Banana vehicles.
2007 - Owing to his Guinness World Record attempts, China was featured in many programmes including Fifth Gear, Pulling Power and This Morning showcasing his Cummfy Banana creations.
2008 & 2009 China was a guest on The Culture Show, being interviewed and driving Arthur Smith and various other performers around the Edinburgh Festival.
The double-deck cars in Top Gear (series 13 episode 6, British v Germans) were also manufactured by China.[4]
He, along with Penny Mallory, Tony Mason and Alex Riley presented a UK television mini series that examined the history and culture of classic cars, and geared toward classic-car enthusiasts called "Classic Car Club" for Discovery which premiered in 2005.
Other work
China owns an MOT and Servicing Garage in Bracknell, Grease Junkie. He does not work at the garage due to time constraints from his filming schedule, but has chosen the mechanics who work there with a view to providing superior service and ability than rival garages.[5]
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 and world record attempts.
Guinness World Records
| Date (yyyy-mm-dd) | Description | Record | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Fastest furniture.[6] | 140 km/h; 87 mph | Broken by China himself (2007-05-11) |
| 2005-11-09 | Largest motorised shopping cart "Trolleyshoppus Rex"[7] | 2,99 × 1,80 × 3,47 m; 9,8 × 5,9 × 11,4 ft (length × width × height) | Record |
| 2006-11-09 | Fastest office "Hot Desk"[6] | 140 km/h; 87 mph | Record |
| 2007-05-11 | Fastest furniture.[8] | 148 km/h; 92 mph | Broken by Perry Watkins (2010-09-05) |
| 2008-11-07 | Fastest mobile bed "‘Street Sleeper"[9] | 111 km/h; 69 mph | Record |
| 2011-03-10 | Fastest toilet "Bog Standard"[10] | 68 km/h; 42.25 mph | Record |
| 2011-04-11 | Fastest garden shed "'Gone to Speed" [11] | 94 km/h; 58.41 mph | Record |
Personal life
China has particularly keen interest in anything to do with design, science, mechanics and things that move (especially if they normally don't move). His most current projects include the design and creation of an electric production model of the sofa-car, as well as an electric vehicle-charging system for Vevox Systems.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Guinness World Records – Travel & Transport – Cars – Fastest Furniture
- ^ Top Gear series 1, episode 5. Retrieved 2008-06-20. Bbc.co.uk (1970-01-01). Retrieved on 2012-05-26.
- ^ [1]
- ^ The Double Decker Cruise Retrieved 2011-10-16. Greasejunkie.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-26.
- ^ [2] Grease Junkie
- ^ a b The Sun. 2006, 11 november. "The wackiest world records".
- ^ ABC News. "Going for the Guinness World Record".
- ^ Guinness World Records.com. 11 May 2007. "Records -> Travel & Transport -> Cars -> Fastest Furniture".
- ^ Fastest mobile bed, guinnessworldrecords.com
- ^ Guinness World record for the fastest toilet, Guinness World Records.com, 10 March 2011.
- ^ Guinness World record for the world fastest garden shed, Guinness World Records.com, 1 April 2011.