David Dickinson (; 16 August 1941) is an English antiques dealer and television presenter. Between 2000 and 2004, Dickinson hosted the BBC One antiques show Bargain Hunt, where he was succeeded by Tim Wonnacott. Dickinson left the BBC in 2005, and since 2006, he has hosted the ITV daytime show Dickinson's Real Deal.

In April 2003, Dickinson hosted his own daytime chat show series, The David Dickinson Show and in 2017, he presented David Dickinson's Name Your Price for ITV.

Early life

Dickinson was born on 16 August 1941 in Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire, the son of Eugenie Gulesserian (born 1919 in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Lancashire), a daughter of Hrant Gulesserian, an Armenian textile merchant who had moved from Constantinople to Manchester in 1904. David was subsequently adopted by the Dickinsons, a local couple.

Television career

Dickinson came to public attention as an antiques expert on This Morning,

  • "Cheap as chips" (bargain)
  • "Always look for quality pieces" (wise advise) and, also in 2004, he appeared in the first series of Strictly Come Dancing.

In 2005, Dickinson appeared on the ITV reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!,

Dickinson explored his family background in an episode of the third series of the BBC genealogical documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? (2006).

In March 2014, Dickinson appeared in the eleventh series of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

He played the Emperor in the third episode of The Keith & Paddy Picture Show ("Return of the Jedi").

Personal life

Dickinson met his wife, Lorne Lesley, a cabaret performer, in a nightclub in the 1960s, and they married in 1968. As a wedding gift Lorne gave David an antique regency mourning ring, set with a rose cut diamond. Lorne is of African, Welsh and Scottish ancestry; she hails from Tiger Bay, Cardiff. The couple live in the village of Prestbury in Cheshire. They have two grown-up children, and four grandchildren, Aim'ee and Lauren, Miles and Finley. Finley appeared alongside Dickinson on the second series of Big Star's Little Star. Miles, who is now an entrepreneur, featured on Series 20 of BBC's Dragons' Den, becoming the youngest contestant to successfully secure investment from a Dragon.

References

  • Official David Dickinson website
  • Bargain Hunt BBC America (Archived)
  • Who Do You Think You Are? - David Dickinson BBC History, 17 February 2011