Bargain Hunt expert James Lewis has married a man 18 years his junior after splitting from his wife. The 53-year-old TV antiques auctioneer wed Ed Otter last September in an intimate ceremony with 50 guests, including his 17-year-old daughter Arabella from his first marriage.
Speaking at the Born Free Foundation's Footsteps to Freedom Ball in London, Lewis revealed he met his husband 15 years ago playing pool in a Derbyshire pub. 'Was it love at first sight? Pretty much, yeah. I had split up from my wife, my daughter's mum. And I was just ready,' he said.
The couple considered eloping to Yellowstone National Park but decided to include Arabella, who calls both men 'Dad'. Lewis said: 'She said, can we have a wide aisle, and can you both walk me up? So we couldn't do it without Arabella.'
The wedding came days after a health scare. Lewis, who has survived two cardiac arrests, said his heart rate soared to over 250 beats per minute on his wedding day. His cardiologist warned him to avoid high-stress situations, but Lewis said: 'I'm not intending to get married again, but there will be more charity auctions.'
Lewis, who founded Bamfords Auctioneers with his parents in 2002, praised Ed's easy-going nature. 'Working with Ed is a lot easier than working with Annabelle. Ed is just really easy, incredibly kind. We just get on very, very well,' he said.
Despite his health battles, Lewis remains committed to charity work. After his 2019 cardiac arrest, he completed a Guinness World Record charity auction for Born Free, raising £250,000. 'You either keel over and give up, or you just keep on going,' he said.
