Motoring guru Ant Anstead is relishing an amazing opportunity as he gets ready to start work as presenter of legendary car show Wheeler Dealers.

Anstead will replace Edd China on the long-running programme, which sees old cars being saved from the scrapheap, repaired and sold to a new owner.

China had fronted the series with Mike Brewer, who will stay on as Anstead’s co-presenter, for the first 13 seasons of the show.

Anstead is already a household name for motoring fans, having hosted For the Love of Cars with actor Philip Glenister, and Building Cars Live, with James May and Kate Humble.

And the 38-year-old is delighted to take up the mantle on such a prestigious show.

“The last week has been interesting – my phone has rang off the hook!” he said. “Wheeler Dealers is perhaps the most established of car restoration shows.

“Being given the opportunity to take on that show is just amazing really, and for me it’s always about the cars first.

“I really want to go down to the roots of what makes Wheeler Dealers brilliant.

“It’s about finding something special, making it great once again and putting it back on the roads, and I’ll do the very best I can, one car at a time.

“And I hope that people who watch it will recognise that I’m a car guy, I’m in it for the cars, and I hope they continue to watch.”

Anstead will also be taking part in the Silverstone Classic Celebrity Challenge Trophy Race at the motoring event in July.

He will appear alongside fellow motoring presenters Tiff Needell and Charley Boorman, as well as a number of famous faces from outside the motoring world, such as six-time Olympic cycling champion Jason Kenny, winter Olympic skeleton champion Amy Williams and Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis.

The world’s largest classic car show is on from July 28 to 30, and Anstead believes the variety of its appeal makes it one of the must-visit events of the year for petrolheads and non-petrolheads alike.

“The thing about the Silverstone Classic, although it’s got an obvious car and motorsport feel to it, it’s also got a family feel to it,” he said.

“There’s loads of stuff to do with the kids, you don’t necessarily have to be a car fan to enjoy this weekend.

“If you’ve got time that weekend, get a ticket, come down. Yes you can catch a bit of motorsport, but there’s loads of other stuff to do as well.”

The Silverstone Classic (28-30 July, 2017) provides the best historic motor racing, impressive track parades, infield displays from over 100 car clubs, live music, plus interactive driving activities and dynamic demonstrations over a packed three-day weekend.  For further details: www.silverstoneclassic.com