BBC Bargain Hunt star Eric Knowles’ heartbreak after young son dies in tragedy

Eric Knowles, a respected antiques valuer known for his appearances on BBC's Bargain Hunt and Antiques Roadshow, has remained largely private about the tragic death of his son, Sebastian, affectionately known as Seb. The 26 year old lost his life in a car accident on May 1, 2015, when his Mercedes collided with a lorry on the M40.

Following the devastating incident, Knowles took bereavement leave and cancelled several scheduled appearances through his agent. The collision occurred between junction 1A and junction 2 on the northbound carriageway, near Beaconsfield.

Thames Valley Police confirmed that the 53 year old lorry driver was uninjured, but sadly, Seb did not survive. As news of the tragedy spread, tributes to Seb and condolences to his family flooded in, reports the Express^[1].

Eric Knowles shared several heartfelt messages on his Twitter feed, responding to one user: "Thank you so much for your kindness, Seb's Dad."

Four months after his son's passing, Knowles expressed his gratitude for the support, writing: "Just a much belated but heartfelt THANK YOU to all out there for your kindness and words of support with regard to our son Sebastian."

A heartfelt THANK YOU has been extended by a grieving family for the outpouring of kindness and support following the tragic loss of their son Sebastian. An inquest into the fatal incident revealed that Seb had been driving in the motorway's middle lane before veering into the inside lane, where his vehicle collided with a lorry.

Coroner Richard Hulett noted there was "no obvious reason" for Knowles to change lanes, raising the possibility that he might have dozed off or been distracted by something on the road. The investigation found that Seb's Mercedes was travelling at an estimated 96mph prior to the crash, and a post-mortem examination showed no signs of alcohol or drugs in his system.

At the time of his untimely death, Seb was working as a bank manager at the Gerrards Cross branch, where he was seen as "a rising star" and held in high regard by his colleagues. He was also known as a respected DJ in High Wycombe, regularly playing sets at the Royal Holloway University Student's Union.

His love for music was a shared bond with his father, an antiquarian, who once mentioned that if he hadn't pursued a career in antiques, he could have been a radio DJ himself.

References

1. ^{^} the Express (www.express.co.uk)