Homes Under the Hammer star Clive Emson has died aged 79.
The beloved auctioneer made regular appearances on the popular BBC property show fronted by Martin Lewis for more than 20 years.
He died peacefully on Wednesday with his family by his side, according to Kent Online.
Emson, whose iconic mantra was “have gavel, will travel”, owned Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers, an empire spanning from Kent to Cornwall.
The businessman was awarded an MBE for services to vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in Kent for his work with various charities.
He became a household name in daytime television thanks to his numerous appearances on Homes Under the Hammer.
Emson previously 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.”
He said the show had served to make the auction house a more respected place to buy property and land, saying “there was a perception that they were frequented by dealers and crooked people”.
Emson has two children - James, 52, and Rebecca, 55, who both work at his company - with his late wife Sue.
Sue, to whom he was married for 50 years, died six years ago.
Emson opened offices in Maidstone Kent as well as Exeter, Devon, Chelmsford, Essex, and Fareham, Hampshire.
He took a back seat to running the company several years ago, preferring to spend time at his home in Monks Horton, Kent.
The TV star had a passion for vintage cars and invested money in a fleet of several classic British vehicles – including a vintage Bentley.
Home Under the Hammer is a long-running BBC daytime show, airing since 2003, which follows property developers buying, renovating, and selling homes purchased at auction.
It features experts like Martin Roberts, Dion Dublin and Martel Maxwell visiting, reviewing, and revisiting projects to see if they made a profit.
Series 29 is currently airing on BBC One, with series 28 and 27 featuring numerous celebrity special episodes.
