Inside Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles' life from redundancy to health battle
Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles became a regular expert after he received a phone call from the commissioning editor at the BBC, whom he had known for a decade. Both hailing from the North West, Eric explained: "Straight talking was the order of the day and she was convinced I would be perfect for BH."
He has had many career highlights from his time on the antiques show, recalling the moment his co-star Charlie Ross was "sent into a state close to total meltdown" by two young and laid-back guests. His career did not begin in antiques, however.
On why he chose a job in the antiques world, he said it was largely a matter of fate, explaining: "[It was a matter of] 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.
"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."
Had he not followed a career in antiques, he believed he would have either spent time outdoors for the Forestry Commission or working in radio as a DJ.
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Eric Knowles has been a Bargain Hunt host for many years (Image: BBC)The antiques expert has been through a lot in his time, dating back to his childhood when his parents believed he would be fighting for his life.
He was hospitalised following a cancer scare, with his family and medical experts believing he could have leukaemia.
After weeks of testing, Eric was finally diagnosed with glandular fever, sparing his family from the idea of cancer that was, in that time, considered a "death sentence".
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Eric opened up about his childhood illness in the BBC programme Matron, Medicine and Me, where he looked at the development of the NHS over the years.
He revisited his past by paying a visit to the daughter of a paediatrician from Burnley who treated him when he was a child.
Eric has two sons himself, called Seb and Oliver, but Seb tragically died in a road accident in May 2015.
The 26-year-old, who was a well-known DJ in the High Wycombe area, was involved in a collision with a lorry on the M40.
Eric and Seb both shared a passion for DJing.
Bargain Hunt airs on weekdays on BBC One at 12.15pm
Inside Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles' life from redundancy to health battle
Inside Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles' life from redundancy to health battle
Inside Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles' life from redundancy to health battle
Inside Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles' life from redundancy to health battle
Inside Bargain Hunt's Eric Knowles' life from redundancy to health battle
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