Edd China

Early life

China had an interest in cars and all things mechanical from an early age. He was educated at King Edward's School, Witley, and holds a degree in engineering product design from London South Bank University. While at university, China created the Casual Lofa (driving sofa), which was his first major project of note. It was built to raise money for a Raleigh International expedition to Belize.

Television career

1994 – Following the success of his creation of the Casual Lofa, his first job in television was as a special effects technician on Father Ted.
1998 – China appeared as a guest on Top Gear Live, driving the Casual Lofa at the Silverstone 'Live Arena'. The same year, China and the Casual Lofa were also featured on Jeremy Clarkson's DVD The Most Outrageous Jeremy Clarkson Video In The World.... Ever!, where the Casual Lofa was raced at the Thruxton Circuit, in a manner similar to Wacky Races. China was also featured on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast three times over the years, driving the Casual Lofa, Bog Standard and Street Sleeper.
2000 – China was a guest on Scrapheap Challenge (known as Junkyard Wars in the United States) in an episode featuring driving beds and sofa cars. In the same year, China was featured in an episode of the television show This Is Your Life featuring Madness front man Suggs. China drove presenter Michael Aspel around old haunts, and delivered Aspel to the television studios on the Casual Lofa.
2001 – China was interviewed about all of Cummfy Banana's vehicles on ITV's Pulling Power.
2002 – China was resident designer on the BBC series Panic Mechanic, and was also a guest on Top Gear feature "Build a Bond Car On A Budget", where he showcased a Rover 800 (purchased for £200) that had been modified with budget Bond-esque gadgets, such as an ejection seat, for just £100.
2005 – China was a celebrity guest on BBC show Ready Steady Cook for a Children in Need special.
2006 – China was interviewed on ITV's This Morning about his Cummfy Banana vehicles.
2007 – Owing to his Guinness World Record attempts, China was featured in many programmes including Fifth Gear, Pulling Power and This Morning showcasing his creations.
2008/2009 – China was a guest on The Culture Show, being interviewed and driving Arthur Smith and various other performers around the Edinburgh Festival.

He, along with Penny Mallory, Tony Mason and Alex Riley presented a television mini series for the United Kingdom that examined the history and culture of classic cars, and geared toward classic car enthusiasts called Classic Car Club for Discovery Channel, which premiered in 2005.

On 21 March 2017, China announced on his YouTube channel that he had departed Wheeler Dealers, due to disagreements with the direction of the program.

Other work

China owned an MOT and servicing garage in Bracknell, called Grease Junkie, which was voluntarily wound up in August 2016, due to his prolonged absence from the business while working in America. The garage reopened in April 2017 as a Motest. Following the success of his creations as a special effects technician, on the comedy television programme Father Ted, China set up Cummfy Banana Limited, in March 1999, as an outlet for his extreme creations and world record attempts.

Guinness World Records

In 2012, China, and driver from the BTCC, Tom Onslow-Cole, were part of an eBay sponsored challenge, to convert a milk float into a drag racer, which then achieved a place in the Guinness World Records, for the world's fastest milk float.