David Dickinson

By Simon Holden

David Dickinson

David Dickinson, 59, is the new doyen of daytime TV with BBC1's Bargain Hunt. The flamboyant antiques dealer tells TV Plus how he celebrates Christmas.

What will you be doing this year?

I'll be at home in Cheshire having a traditional Christmas with my family (David is married to Lorne Lesley and has two grown-up children, Robert and Katriona).

What will you be doing this year?

It's always been a happy time for me, right from childhood to the present day.

What would be your ideal festive season?

I love being at home, but my ideal Christmas would have to be somewhere hot. I've always wanted to lie on Los Ayalas beach on Mexico's Pacific coast. It's where the movie Ten (starring Dudley Moore)

And your ideal companion?

It would have to be my wife (Lorne Lesley), of course. We've been married 30 years and are still in love.

What is the worst Christmas present you have ever received?

It has to be from my daughter who was 14 at the time. She bought me a pair of purple suede winkle-picker shoes. They were fantastic but have never been worn.

And the best?

My late grandmother gave me this little bell based on the American Liberty Bell. It was cast about the 1870s. To me, it has great sentimental value.

What is your ideal viewing?

I love watching all the classic movies such as It's A Wonderful Life with James Stewart. I've seen it so many times but still enjoy it. I also used to like the old Christmas specials - the likes of Morecambe a

What would have you turning off the TV?

Soaps. I know they're very popular but I'm just not a fan. I'm so busy it's difficult to get into them.

What presents will you be buying people this year?

I'm buying my wife a car this year. She only passed her test recently and has been trundling around in an old Ford Fiesta. It won't be a sports car, but I want to get her something a bit smarter

What would you like?

I always like surprises - as long as it's not another pair of purple winkle-picker shoes. But my wife's a great shopper.

When did you stop believing in Santa Claus?

I suppose it must have been in my early teens. I can still vividly remember lying in bed as a child trying to get to sleep, with my parents putting a pillow case at the bottom of the bed.

When did you stop believing in Santa Claus?

These memories are still very strong. While bringing up my own children, I've tried to keep the magic alive.

Will you be making any New Year resolutions?

It will be to work even harder and have a successful year. The last year has been amazing but I appreciate you have to work hard in this job.

Will you be making any New Year resolutions?

I don't think there's any room for complacency. In showbiz, you can be the flavour of the month and next month, you're nobody.

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