Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson today admitted he and his wife had gone through ‘some difficult times’ but denied behaving ‘aggressively or unlawfully’ towards his family after he was charged with assault by beating and coercive behaviour.
The auctioneer, 45, who moved out of his £1.5million family home in Derbyshire earlier this year, is set to appear in court next month charged with seven alleged offences.
He broke his silence today to insist he was innocent, telling : ‘I deny all the charges. I have never behaved aggressively or unlawfully towards my family.
‘We have been through some difficult times in our marriage and it is extremely sad that this has become a criminal matter. I will be co-operating fully with the investigation and legal process.’
Police responded to a ‘domestic incident’ in June at the six-bedroom rural home that the BBC star shared with his wife, Rebecca Ludlam, and their two children. In August, it emerged he had moved out out of the property.
Charles Hanson with his wife Rebecca Ludlam and one of their children at their family home in Derbyshire
Hanson pictured with his wife Rebecca at their home. Today, he denied every behaving aggressively or unlawfully towards his family
The auctioneer, 45, said his marriage had gone through ‘difficult times’ but denied all the charges against him
Police said Hanson has been charged with seven offences, including two of assault causing actual bodily harm, one of controlling and coercive behaviour and two counts of assault by beating.
Hanson, a regular on popular daytime shows Bargain Hunt, Antiques Road Trip and Flog It! is understood to have moved out of his family home after local police were called to a ‘domestic incident’ – the details of which are not yet known.
A source told The Sun: ‘It is not the sort of place you expect police to turn up… It is a tiny village so a few people have been talking. It is all very shocking.’
Derbyshire police said: ‘The force was called to reports of a domestic incident at an address in Church Road, Quarndon in June.
‘A man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of assault and was released on police bail while enquiries continued.
‘On December 14, Charles Hanson was charged with seven alleged offences: Assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts; assault by beating, two counts; engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, causing assault/ill treatment/neglect or abandonment of a child/young person to cause unnecessary suffering or injury; and assault/ill-treat/neglect/abandon a child/young person to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.
‘The 45-year-old, of Ashbourne Road, Mackworth, was released on police bail to appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on January 10.’
Hanson and Ludlam, a diagnostic radiographer, originally met through friends in 2008.
They married two years later during a traditional service at All Saints Church in Mackworth, in front of 150 close friends and family members.
Guests included Bargain Hunt presenter Tim Wonnacott and experts Philip Serrell, David Barby, Jonathan Pratt and Kate Bliss.
Antiques and pictures of X-rays were laid out on tables at the reception.
Speaking in 2010, the auctioneer revealed he was late for his very first date with Ludlam but was instantly swayed by her natural beauty.
He told the Derbyshire Telegraph: ‘She is a beautiful, blonde, elegant and lovely lady. I’m used to dealing with beautiful things but Rebecca is the most beautiful treasure of all and I’m very lucky she is my wife.
‘We’re very busy people but we understand each other very well and I think we’ll be very happy together.’
Police said he has now been charged with seven offences, including two of assault causing actual bodily harm, and one of controlling and coercive behaviour
Hanson is a regular on popular daytime shows Bargain Hunt, Antiques Road Trip and Flog It!
Hanson is set to appear in court next month over seven alleged offences, including assault
They moved into their Derbyshire home nine years ago after purchasing it for a reported £920,000.
But a woman at the property has since said: ‘I can’t comment. But what I can say is that he’s moved out. He’s not here anymore.’
Hanson’s career began in 1999 at Christie’s as a valuer in the European Ceramics and Glass Department.
Trained as a chartered surveyor, he then made his first appearance on Bargain Hunt in 2002.
He set up an auctioneering business in Derbyshire in 2005 and launched Hansons London in 2018.
Earlier this year, Charles talked about his rise to fame and the mistakes he made throughout his career. ‘It was a sort of big thing to start my own,’ he told Daily Express.
‘So when I was 27 years old, I wasn’t married, had no dependents and you know, I made a few mistakes but you learn and you build it slowly.’
Trained as a chartered surveyor, Hanson then made his first appearance on Bargain Hunt in 2002
Hanson had lived at the £1.5million property in rural Derbyshire with wife Rebecca Ludlam and their two children since 2014
The auctioneer previously opened up about personal loss.
Prior to the birth of his daughter Matilda was born, he and Rebecca lost their newborn son, Tommy, in 2012.
He told Staffordshire Live at the time: ‘After losing Tommy, who was born asleep in September 2012, we were overjoyed to have Matilda, who was born in 2014, and who has a calm and relaxed nature, just like my wife.’
Rebecca, who is a radiographer, added: ‘What happened was terrible and it could not have come at a worse time for us.’
During the same year, Charles was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Speaking to The Mirror at the time, he said: ‘Being diagnosed with testicular cancer was a real shock. I’ve been fit and healthy for years so you don’t think something like that is going to get you. It had been a busy summer with filming and auctions, but last August, I had just got out of the shower when I noticed things felt wrong.’
Hanson set up an auctioneering business in Derbyshire in 2005 and launched Hansons London in 2018
Earlier this year, he talked about his rise to fame and the mistakes he made throughout his career