Tributes have been flowing in for Clive Emson, the auctioneer who brightened proceedings on Homes Under the Hammer for over 20 years.
It's reported that the star, who was 79 at the time of his passing, died "peacefully" on Wednesday with his family by his side.
Clive's former co-stars have been among those who paid tribute to the star, with Martin Roberts sharing a smiling photo of the late auctioneer as he posted: "So, so sad to hear of the passing of Clive Emson. He truly was the Doyen of auctioneers. God bless you, lovely man." In response, Lucy Alexander, who presented the show between 2003 and 2018, added: "What an absolute legend of a guy."
Another fan posted: "I met [him] a few times and always found him a really pleasant and quite funny," while a second commented: "That's sad news! He was great fun to film all those years ago."
Clive's career
Although he became a popular face on the BBC property show, Clive started from incredibly humble beginnings, only making £1.50 a week when he started as a junior estate agent. He left school at the age of 16, and reflecting on his education in an interview with KentOnline, he said: "It was not the best time of my life, and I was a nightmare for them."
He launched his first business, Clive Emson and Co., in 1973, heading the firm for ten years until it merged with Ward and Partners. When the business was acquired by Prudential three years later, Clive served as the brand's regional director until he resigned in 1979.
© YouTubeHe later joined the Homes Under the Hammer family, and speaking of his time before being on the show, he said: "There was a time when we were approached by TV companies every week. They wanted to put in a fake buyer, but how's that going to work? Once the hammer drops the property is yours."
Clive praised the popular show for changing people's perceptions about auction houses, saying it changed the "perception that they were frequented by dealers and crooked people".
Away from the show, the father-of-two was also involved in charity work, leading to him being awarded an MBE in 2019. At the time, he said: "It was a complete and utter surprise. I've kept the charity work under the radar."
Clive leaves behind two children, a daughter, Rebecca, 55, and a son, James, 52. His wife, Sue, died six years ago.
