蜜芽传媒

How do you find life on the road with Bargain Hunt?

We are like one big happy family! So much goes on in a short amount of time, and there is an incredible team behind the scenes who are not only a dream to work with but are also enjoyable when the cameras stop rolling at the end of a busy day.

What is your favourite part of your role?

Meeting the contestants. Their nerves, adrenalin and excitement! And everyone has a lovely story of how and why they are there. Off camera we are chatting away and it’s so interesting to see the difference in them before and after the shop… from “Why did we buy that” to “I’m so glad we bought that” and everything in between.

Why did you choose a career in antiques?

I wanted to follow my biggest passion and to be my own boss. I grew up with antiques dealers for parents, and I was immersed by my mid-teens. After university, I worked in the corporate world, but it just wasn’t for me, so I continued to help my parents at their Portobello Road shop at the weekend to make up for this. What seems like a lifetime ago now, I took the plunge and left the office job behind and set up as a dealer under my
own name. I never looked back.

What would you do for a living if you weren’t working in the antiques trade?

I would have loved to be a curator for a museum, so still surrounded by antiques, antiquities – let’s call it old stuff – and getting to handle it, but definitely not about trying to get a profit!

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work in antiques?

I would say specialise in an area, but to do that start with an array of the sort of things you like and that will help you to see what you enjoy handling and what sells better. Just because you’ve always collected a certain type of thing, it doesn’t mean that you should deal in it too, but it helps to like what you buy and sell. It’s great to buy with your heart but make sure you give your head the space in making the decision. And anyway, it’s by making mistakes that you will learn, so don’t be afraid to take a gamble – and it may just pay off.

How did you get involved in Bargain Hunt?

I started working on Antiques Roadshow in 2018 and then on Antiques Road Trip in 2020, so I was extremely excited when I was invited to join the Bargain Hunt expert team in 2024 - it really felt like I’d scored a hattrick!

Which fairs do you particularly like shopping at when bargain hunting?

Newark, Ardingly and Shepton Mallet are my favourites. I cut my teeth buying at these fairs, so it always feels like home when I go back. They all have an amazing variety, and I love a good rummage - and a cheeky haggle, obviously.

What’s the most profit / greatest loss you’ve made at auction?

Ha! You will have to wait and see!

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Devouring a massive slab of milk chocolate in one sitting. Followed by a power nap!

How do you spend your free time?

I go to the gym weekday mornings before starting work. I like high intensity interval training and spin classes to get me off to a good start. At the weekends, it’s more about forest walks with the dogs and gardening.

Do you collect anything?

I have collected many types of ceramics over the 35 years I have been in and around the trade. The great thing about being a dealer is that I can change what I collect, and my stock is like a collection in itself. I get to handle, buy and sell a wonderful variety of porcelain and pottery, and it is always exciting to discover something I have not seen before.

Why do you think Bargain Hunt has such appeal?

It is a great format, and anyone can get involved from their armchair. I wonder how many people watch it and say, “I never knew that’” or “I’d have bought the other thing instead of that”? You don’t have to be an antiques know-it-all to enjoy it, and hopefully us experts are able to give you some things to look out for. And at the end of the day it is all about being absorbed in some light-hearted fun competition for 45 minutes in your day, and who doesn’t love that?!

Why would you encourage anyone to appear on Bargain Hunt?

To have fun! The competition aside, you cannot fail to have a lot of fun and laughter – and maybe even some tears (hopefully of happiness!). The thrill of the shop and then the excitement of watching your buys going under the hammer. Do it for the adrenalin rush, it’s the best feeling! Of course, everyone wants to win but the experience of taking part is something that stays with you forever, whatever the final scores are. Oh, and you get to be on the telly!