star Mike Brewer has admitted a "clause" robbed him of payouts when a historic was stolen by TV crews in June 2023.

Production teams were left devastated after a Ford Fiesta Mk1 was after the finishing touches had been applied.

The model was set to be unveiled at a special Ford event by Mike and co-host Marc Priestley

Mike issued a social media but a year and a half later the Mk1 has never been found.

After being pestered by fans for more details, one joked that the theft sounded like an "insurance job".

However, Mike revealed he lost out on insurance payments due to a simple clause in his policy, leaving the TV star to suffer a loss.

@brierleym76 said: "It won't be found, we're not looking for it. Insurance job."

Mike quickly replied: "That would be nice. They never paid it out as they found a clause!"

Mike didn't name the car insurance company behind the move despite fans begging for information so they could "boycott" the firm.

Other fans came to Mike's defence, calling out insurance firms for making life difficult for consumers.

@rocknroller912 posted: "I sometimes wonder why we are forced to have insurance. There's always a clause."

@Alex_Bobsleigh posted: "What a pity they found a clause! How convenient for them."

@pruley5 remarked: "Wow! But I'm not surprised."

Mike previously compared the theft to "losing a child" after the hours spent restoring the model in the Wheeler Dealers garage.

He explained: "The truth is for me and Elvis this is a bit raw. I can't think of another Wheeler Dealers car that both of us dedicated so much love, care and attention to."

Speaking previously to Express.co.uk, Marc added that he and Mike

He explained: "We had just got it finished, So it's perfect. It was in its most perfect state since it rolled out of the factory and it was the very next morning.

"It took the production team, they found it first, it took them half an hour to convince Mike and I that they weren't just trying to wind us up. It really had gone.

"It was such an unbelievable set of circumstances, totally devastating and heartbroken."