[Archive 2009-03-14] British TV presenter Rico Daniels tells Wikinews about being 'The Salvager'

Historical archive — originally published 2009-03-14. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Rico Daniels is a British TV presenter living in France who is known for his two television series — The Salvager — whilst he still lived in the UK and then Le Salvager after he moved to France. Rico has been in a variety of jobs but his passion is now his profession - he turns unwanted 'junk' into unusual pieces of furniture. Rico's creations and the methods used to fabricate them are the subject of the Salvager shows.

I grew up in Basildon New Town very close to the enormous spoil heap that later became the green hills of Gloucester Park. There was all sorts of stuff dumped by developers and local businesses that was pure treasure trove to all the London kids that had moved down there. I suppose I was actively seeking play material from as young as 5 I suppose. My dad had big plans for me and tended to buy me "educational" stuff for Xmas. Things like encyclopaedias, microscope, chemistry set. That sort of stuff. Great for the brain but not what you'd call a toy. I ended up playing with my dad's tools and using whatever I could drag off the spoil heap as material.

I dont look at junk as junk. To me its raw material like any other but with added benefits. I like to preserve the patina of age and sometimes decay where it brings an interesting element to a build. Faded paintwork and oxidised metal are dripping with history and add shedloads of character to anything they're included in. Materials obviously have to be sound and usable otherwise you'd just be using crap to make more crap.

((WN)) What differences are there between salvaging in your home of France and back here in Britain, and what simply doesn't change when you cross the border?

The advantages of France as a source of build material is that there are so many more opportunities to chance on stuff that may be 2 or even 3 centuries old. Hand made hinges and latches, ancient oak boards etc. My favourite hunting places are the ashes of old farmers fires . I pull out astonishingly interesting bits of hand forged ironwork. The thing that stays constant from one country to the other is that people can have amazingly good stuff but see little or no value in it leaving the field wide open for anyone that has a little vision.

((WN)) You say on your website that you are working on an idea for a new show. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Theres not much I can say about doing a new show apart from the fact that whatever I did I would insist on retaining my integrity. My shows have all been optimistic and upbeat which I would have thought the essential ingredients of any TV to take us through a recession. Don't think I could do the nasty vote -the -others off type show. I certainly wouldn't be happy adhering to the clicheed scripts so many celebs seem happy to stick to and you will never see Rico Daniels wearing a frock on the Paul O Grady show. Seems a step too low for a bit of cash.

((WN)) When you go out looking for materials, presumably you never know what you're going to find. When you look at what's available, how do you come up with a vision of what you're going to make from it?

The best work I do grows over time. I have hundreds of galvanised boxes full of "components". I like assembling the elements of a build to be like a piece of art. TV demands a faster pace than I normally like which was fun though at some point I would like people to see what can really be created with a bit of care and careful planning.

((WN)) You are also into a bit of axe throwing, I understand. Do you ever do this competitively?

Source and licence

Text adapted from British TV presenter Rico Daniels tells Wikinews about being 'The Salvager' by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.