In an exclusive revelation, Bargain Hunt expert James Lewis has shared his joy after marrying a man eighteen years his junior, following his split from his wife. The popular TV antiques auctioneer, aged 53, tied the knot with Ed Otter last September in a small, intimate ceremony attended by just fifty guests, including his seventeen-year-old daughter from his previous marriage.
Chance Meeting Leads to Lasting Love
Speaking at the Born Free Foundation's Footsteps to Freedom Ball in London, the BBC star recounted how he met his husband fifteen years ago in a local Derbyshire pub. "I met my husband playing pool, of all things, in the local pub in Derbyshire," James said. "Was it love at first sight? Pretty much, yeah. I had split up from my wife, my daughter's mum. And I was just ready."
Family Takes Centre Stage in Wedding Plans
The couple initially considered eloping to Yellowstone National Park in America for their nuptials but decided against it to include James's daughter, Arabella. "We were going to run away, we were going to get married in the mountains in Yellowstone National Park, and then we thought, oh no, we've got to invite parents and my daughter," he explained. Arabella even requested a wide aisle so both James and Ed could walk her up the aisle at her future wedding, solidifying their close bond.
James confirmed that his daughter calls both him and Ed "Dad", adding, "He and Arabella get on so well. I'm very lucky." This family unity was a key factor in their wedding day, making it a heartfelt celebration.
Health Scare Mars Wedding Joy
However, the wedding was overshadowed by a terrifying health scare. James, who has survived two cardiac arrests in 2013 and 2019, revealed that his heart rate soared to over 250 beats per minute on his wedding day, dangerously close to another cardiac arrest. A normal resting heart rate for adults is typically 60-100 beats per minute.
"Last year, I had two instances when they said, your heart rate went up to over 250 beats per minute. That was very close to a cardiac arrest. And they said, what were you doing on May 8 and September 11? September 11 I was getting married," James disclosed. His cardiologist advised avoiding high-stress situations, but James humorously noted, "My cardiologist said, you should probably not do those sorts of things. I said, well, I'm not intending to get married again, but there will be more charity auctions."
Professional and Personal Harmony
James praised his new husband's easy-going nature, contrasting it with his previous marriage. Ed works as the Toys, Trains and Juvenalia Specialist at Bamfords Auctioneers, the company James founded with his parents in 2002 after being made redundant. "Working with Ed is a lot easier than working with Annabelle," James said. "Ed is just really easy, incredibly kind. We just get on very, very well."
Their shared passion for animals has also strengthened their relationship. "When we want to go somewhere on holiday, he says, how about here? And I go, yeah, love to," James shared. "And we'll say, where should we go at the weekend? Well, let's go and see if we can spot the beavers. And he's such a kind soul. He's fun, he's kind. I'm very lucky."
Charity Work and Personal Legacy
James has been a patron of the Born Free Foundation for twenty-four years, working alongside co-founder Dame Virginia McKenna. His dedication to wildlife rescue is deeply personal; his daughter Arabella is named after Bella the Lioness, a lion he was rescuing in Romania when he received the call that his ex-wife was going into labour.
"I literally drove back from Romania in a van, I dropped off the lion crate with Born Free and I came back with three dogs, four cats, that were zoo exhibits in Romania," he recalled. "And the lion that we were rescuing was called Bella the Lioness. So Arabella was named after Bella."
Despite his health challenges, James remains committed to his charity work. His 2019 cardiac arrest occurred just before a Guinness World Record charity auction for Born Free, which he still completed, raising a quarter of a million pounds for wildlife charities. "It's one of those things that, you know, you either keel over and give up, or you just keep on going," he said, reflecting his resilient spirit.
