WHEELER Dealers host Mike Brewer has opened up on the horror “head-on collision” he had with a lorry on the way to work.
Mike, who has been a TV favourite for petrolheads for more than 20 years, was left “shaken and bruised” by the smash but thankfully escaped alive.
YouTubeMike Brewer has opened up on his horror ‘head-on’ crash with a beer lorry[/caption]
Twitter / @MrsMBrewerThe TV star was left ‘shaken and bruised’ but escaped with his life[/caption]
The star said that the crash happened when he was just 19 years old while on the way to his job as a motor salesman.
Embarrassingly it was while driving the company car – a Vauxhall Cavalier.
Even worse, he had only received the keys the previous day.
He told The Times: “It was the early 1980s… and I’d just started working for two of the most successful car dealers in the business in Tooting, south London.
“I was the new hot-shot salesman and I worked my way up until I felt confident enough to ask if I could take a company car home.
“On the way to work the next day, I overtook a cement lorry parked on my left and found myself hurtling into a beer lorry that had just passed another lorry on the other side of the bend.”
The next thing Mike knew, he was being woken up by a “dear old lady” as he was sprawled across the dashboard.
Amazingly, he walked away with “not a single scratch” on him, even though he had snaped the steering wheel clean off as he was thrown forward into it.
He told The Telegraph: “[The] lorry hit me head-on.
“I was very shaken and bruised, but I was alive.”
However, to add insult to thankfully minimal injury, a familiar face came down the road not long after.
Mike added: “The car was trashed and one of my bosses drove past as I was being sick.
“He gave me a horrible knowing nod and drove on, leaving me to walk the mile to work.”
Fortunately, the car nut managed to turn things around since then and now presents his own hit show all about cars.
Indeed, he recently shared a “sad and exciting” update on the future of Wheeler Dealers on the last day of filming for an upcoming world tour.
He even hinted at some new pieces being added to his own stellar car collection.
Meanwhile, Mike revealed the “worst car” he’s ever owned – picking out one from the early days of the programme.