The real reason why Bargain Hunt star Tim Wonnacott left the show after 12 years and where the TV presenter is now

Former Bargain Hunt presenter Tim Wonnacott's shock exit from the programme made headlines back in 2015.

Tim, 73, starred on the popular show for more than a decade between 2003 and 2015 after replacing David Dickinson, before deciding to step down.

The antiques expert and presenter fronted more than 1,000 episodes of the British show, becoming a familiar and well-loved face for viewers - which made his swift disappearance even more out of the blue.

So why did he decide to leave the show he became best known for? 

Here, MailOnline looks at why beloved Bargain Hunt presenter Tim Wonnacott chose to leave the programme behind almost a decade ago and what he's been up to since.

Why did Tim Wonnacott leave Bargain Hunt? 

The star announced his shock decision in a statement released on November 25, 2015.

It read: 'I am pleased to have been part of Bargain Hunt for so many years and have thoroughly enjoyed every one of my, roughly, 1,200 programmes hunting out bargains with the contestants.

'Alongside continuing to voice Antiques Road Trip for the BBC, I look forward to developing new programme ideas.'

The BBC also released a statement, which read: 'We would like to thank Tim Wonnacott for his dedication to Bargain Hunt over the last twelve-years and for the great expertise that he has brought to the show in that time. 

'Bargain Hunt will be moving in a new direction next year utilising a team of experts who present a number of shows each. Tim continues to work with the BBC on Antiques Road Trip.'

Although the statements make the exit seem straightforward, Tim reportedly departed from the programme after a confrontation with producers and alleged complaints from staff at BBC Bristol.

It was reported that he was probed by the BBC amid reports staff had accused him of picking on them while filming the antiques show and stepped down after allegedly being suspended following the disagreement.

A source at BBC Bristol told The Mirror: 'I've always found him fine to work with. But some staff have been unhappy and made a complaint.

'The word bullying has been used and the BBC has to take these things seriously and check them out.'

Although it was never confirmed why he actually left, the presenter's official departure was announced in November 2015, leaving fans confused.

The BBC refused to comment on 'individual staff matters' or any more specifics of the suspension, while at the time Tim only said he is off the show for 'personal reasons'.

What is Tim Wonnacott doing now?  

Although viewers no longer see Tim's face on Bargain Hunt, he never left the world of TV.

The star still works with BBC One to narrate Antiques Road Trip, as well as its celebrity spin off version, which is a role he has held since 2010.

His voice was also heard on a 2020 Channel 5 documentary called When Classic TV Goes Horribly Wrong - a compilation of TV fails.

Other TV appearances of Tim's include Restoration on BBC One, Test The Nation, Ready, Steady, Cook, and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is.

Away from his work, Tim spends time with his wife Helen, who he's been married to since 1984, and their three children - Alice, Fred, and Brian.

In 2018, the former Bargain Hunt presenter put his luxury country estate on the market for £2.75million as he prepared to up sticks and move to Australia.

The couple were selling the two properties that sit on their 10-acre stretch of land in Horsham, West Sussex, and told The Telegraph at the time that they were planning to move down under to make more TV programmes.

'I'm looking forward to it. But I'll always regard England as my home,' he said at the time.

However, if his social media accounts are to go by, it looks like Tim is back on British soil and attending auctions in the UK. 

He often shares snippets of what he's up to on his X (formerly Twitter) account, including the rare finds he's bagged along the way.