My grandad watches Bangers and Cash religiously. Every Thursday at 8 pm, he’s glued to the telly watching Derek Mathewson and his lads flog old motors. Never misses an episode.
When I asked him what’s so special about it, he just goes, “Derek’s proper old school, innit? Knows his stuff, doesn’t talk rubbish.”
That’s Derek Mathewson in a nutshell, really. No flashy nonsense, just honest car dealing with a Yorkshire accent.
Started Flogging Cars in 1970
Derek Mathewson’s age is 74, as he was born on October 13, 1951. He’s been in the motor trade since 1970, which is mental when you think about it. That’s 55 years of buying and selling cars.
Started in Bedfordshire selling modern stuff. Kias, Skodas, your standard car dealership fare. Nothing glamorous, just shifting motors to pay the bills.
My uncle did car sales in the 80s. Said it was brutal work – long hours, dodgy customers, constant stress about hitting targets. Derek stuck with it, though, and built up his reputation as someone who knew cars inside out.
By 2011, he’d moved to North Yorkshire and set up Mathewsons Classic Cars in Thornton-le-Dale. That’s when things properly took off. Focused entirely on vintage and classic motors instead of brand-new Kias nobody really wanted.
The Family Business
His sons, Dave and Paul Mathewson, work with him. Three generations of Mathewsons now run the auction house. Dave handles the mechanical side, Paul does the auctioneering, and Derek’s the face of it all.
Derek Mathewson’s wife, Sue, was by his side for decades. They raised the lads together and built the business from nothing. But things changed recently.
Reports say Derek and Sue split up, and he’s now with Derek Mathewson and Vicki Ivens, who works in the company’s marketing team. Vicki’s been spotted with him at events, including that Northern Ireland trip in March 2025, where they looked at private car collections.
Family businesses get messy when relationships change. But the Mathewson lads seem to have kept things professional, still working together despite personal stuff.
Bangers and Cash Made Him Famous
The show launched in 2019 on the Yesterday Channel. Nobody expected it to be massive, but it just… worked.
Average viewing figures hit 500,000 per episode. That’s proper good for a daytime show about car auctions. Some episodes pull over a million viewers.
What makes it watchable is the honesty. Derek doesn’t pretend rusty old bangers are worth loads. If something’s knackered, he says so. If a seller’s asking too much, he tells them straight.
There’s this bit where someone brings in what they reckon is a rare Mercedes. Derek takes one look and goes, “Mate, that’s been bodged together from three different cars.” Brutal but fair.
The authenticity is what people love. Andy Johnson from the production company said, “You cannot get any more authentic than the Mathewsons.” No fake drama, no manufactured arguments, just real car dealing.
My grandad reckons half the “reality” shows on telly are scripted nonsense. Says Bangers and Cash feels proper because it is proper.
His Car Collection Is Bonkers
Derek’s got over 100 classic cars in his personal collection. Not for selling – just for him.
Five Aston Martins, including a DB6 and a Vantage. A 1965 Ford Mustang. Porsche 911. Jaguar E-Type. 1958 Cadillac Series 62. The list goes on.
His favourite? The Mustang, apparently. Though he’s said Aston Martins are the best-looking cars ever made, even if they’re “not as well built as they’d like you to think.”
That’s classic Derek – loves something but still calls out its faults.
He’s also mad about old British commercial vehicles. Morris, Austin, and Bedford vans from the 50s and 60s. Said they remind him of his youth.
Some of his collection sits around the showroom walls in Thornton-le-Dale. You can see them when you visit for auctions. It must be weird buying a car whilst sitting next to Derek’s personal Aston Martin.
Derek Mathewson Pub Ownership
Derek also owns Derek Mathewson’s pub, The Moorcock Inn, in North Yorkshire. Proper countryside boozer, popular with locals and tourists.
Running a pub alongside an auction house and filming a TV show? The man doesn’t sit still.
My dad always said the best pubs are owned by people who actually care about them, not big chains. Reckon The Moorcock Inn fits that description.
The Northern Ireland Trip This Year
In March 2025, Derek visited Northern Ireland for the first time. His mate Derek Clarke (another car dealer) invited him over to check out the classic car scene there.
Derek was blown away, apparently. Said the number of vintage cars in private collections was “almost unbelievable.” He valued one rare MG Metro at £400,000.
Visited loads of private collections across the region. JKC Coleraine, Joey Hyndman’s Mini collection in Castlerock, and Jackie Cochrane’s rally workshop. Massive crowds turned out to meet him.
He hinted afterwards that Northern Ireland “could become the perfect setting for future episodes.” So we might get Bangers and Cash: Northern Ireland soon. My grandad would love that.
The Money Side of Things
Derek Mathewson’s net worth is substantial. Mathewsons runs regular auctions selling hundreds of cars yearly. Everything from £500 bangers to six-figure classics. They’ve sold Ferraris, rare Jaguars, and vintage Bentleys.
The TV money’s decent too. UK factual shows pay between £1,000 and £3,000 per episode, depending on success. With multiple series and a spin-off (Restoring Classics), that adds up.
But Derek doesn’t seem fazed by it. Still drives his own classic cars, still works the auctions, and still gets his hands dirty. Not swanning about pretending he’s retired.
What Makes Him Different
Watched a few episodes with my grandad recently. What struck me is that Derek never oversells anything.
The bloke brings in his dad’s old Triumph. Clearly sentimental value. Derek gives him an honest valuation, explains what needs fixing, and doesn’t promise the moon.
The car sells for less than hoped. Derek goes over and has a proper chat with him. You can see it matters.
That’s rare on telly these days. Most shows want drama and tears. Bangers and Cash just wants to shift motors fairly.
Derek’s catchphrases have become legendary, too. “Best job in the world!” “She was running smooth as silk until she blew up!” “I’ve had it on good authority…” My grandad quotes them constantly.
Still Going Strong at 74
Derek Mathewson is 74 now but shows no sign of stopping. Still appears in every episode, still runs the business with his sons, and still loves what he does.
He did a live show in July 2025 at Gawsworth Hall. “All Bangers and Cash!” tour, where he shared stories and answered audience questions. Sold out apparently.
In February 2025, they filmed at Mother Shipton’s Cave, picking up a fake vintage bus (actually a converted 1980s Transit). Derek donated his flat cap to be petrified at the famous well. It’ll sit there alongside Jonathan Ross’s underpants in the Cabinet of Curiosities. Proper random that.
The show’s now being watched across Europe and America. Northern Ireland’s become a massive viewer hotspot. Derek’s become this unlikely international star, all because he’s good at spotting a decent motor and talking straight.
Why People Rate Him
My grandad’s 78, the same generation as Derek. Reckons Derek reminds him of how things used to be done – handshake deals, honest assessments, your word meaning something.
Whether that’s nostalgia or truth, I don’t know. But there’s definitely something refreshing about Derek’s approach.
No social media performing. No fake enthusiasm. Just a Yorkshire bloke who loves old cars and built a proper business around that passion.
Derek Mathewson won’t write an autobiography claiming to be a genius. Won’t do a tell-all about his personal life. He’ll just keep flogging classic motors, filming his show, and enjoying his collection.
And at 74, still working full-time in the business he built from nothing? That’s proper Yorkshire grit right there.