Tim Wonnacott
Tim Wonnacott, at Olympia Exhibition Centre on January 21, 2014 in London, England. Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images

The future of Bargain Hunt host Tim Wonnacott is unclear following reports he has been suspended from the show in an alleged disagreement with producers. The 62-year-old presenter and antiques expert had a "bust-up" with the producers on Friday, 11 September, The Sun reported. According to the newspaper, BBC bosses decided to suspend him pending an investigation, but he is said to be unlikely to return to the daytime programme.

A source told the Sun: "Bargain Hunt comes across as a really upbeat and friendly show, but off camera there is a lot of tension. Tim is very old school and definitely not scared to voice his opinion. He can come close to the line."

The Sun quoted Wonnacott, who has presented the show since 2003, as saying he was "not doing Bargain Hunt at the moment for personal reasons". The presenter recently fronted The Great Antiques Map of Britain on BBC Two and was a contestant on last year's Strictly Come Dancing series.

The BBC did not confirm the suspension, but said: "Tim is not currently in production on Bargain Hunt. We wouldn't comment on individual staff matters." It added that guest presenters have been recruited to shoot the remaining half of Bargain Hunt's current series.

The news comes just seven months after Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson was dropped from the popular BBC motoring show following an internal investigation that found he had carried out an "unprovoked physical attack" on producer Oisin Tymon.

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