David Dickinson presented Bargain Hunt from 2000 to 2004, becoming a household name on the hit BBC programme. The show pits two teams against each other to find the best bargains that yield the most profit. In 2004, Dickinson announced he was stepping down after four years, with Tim Wonnacott succeeding him. Dickinson officially left the BBC in 2005.
Move to ITV
Although there has never been an official confirmation on why he left the series, it was most likely to pursue other projects, as he made the move to ITV. In 2006, Dickinson joined the rival broadcaster to launch Dickinson's Real Deal, a show in which he guides members of the public as they attempt to sell their collectable items for the highest price.
Retirement Rumours Denied
In 2023, it was alleged that Dickinson had decided to step away from the ITV series after 15 years on air to spend more time with his wife, Lorne Lesley. An insider told MailOnline that it was an "open secret" that Dickinson would be leaving the show, adding that he had "absolutely adored" fronting it for 16 years. However, Dickinson immediately shut down the claims, with his representative telling the Mirror: "David has no plans to retire from Dickinson’s Real Deal, a show he still very much enjoys making, and is hugely looking forward to working on the upcoming series later this month."
No Plans to Retire
In 2025, Dickinson confirmed he had no plans to retire anytime soon, telling MailOnline: "I’ve had a handsome living and a great lifestyle out of it. So I’m going to say I’m delighted and I will keep doing that as long as there is demand for me to do something." He also addressed reports that he was quitting Dickinson's Real Deal, describing the story as "totally fake". The antiques expert said: "I presume it would be someone who would probably like to take my position on that show, but I never found out who it really was. I went on to Loose Women and said, 'I’m still here, I’m still kicking, I’m still working and the rumours are totally fake.'"
