I was really disappointed to hear that Edd had left the show. But I've been hooked on the show for years, and decided to watch the past 2 seasons with Ant as the new mechanic.
To be honest, I think Ant has a strong personality of his own, and brings his own talents and spin to the show. It's still a great show and worth watching.
I do miss Edd, and I enjoyed him for years on this show. I was going to pout and boycott the show when he left. But I'm glad I stuck with the show and gave Ant a chance.