Tea pots and glass bottles: fascinating facts about the BBC's Antiques Roadshow

Tea pots and glass bottles: fascinating facts about the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow

Newsroom

Last updated Jul 28, 2020

experts from Antiques Road Show stood round a table.

This summer BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow will be returning to our screens, with Newby Hall named as one of the eight venues.

This will be the roadshows 43^rd series, but the show may look a little different to previous years due to measures put in place. For Fiona Bruce, this is her 13^th year presenting the show.

Here are 10 fascinating facts you may not know about Antiques Roadshow:

There have been five hosts of Antiques Roadshow; Bruce Parker, Angela Rippon, Hugh Scully, Michael Aspel and Fiona Bruce.
The Roadshow has featured many celebrity owned objects; a diamond bracelet from Rita Hayworth, Marc Bolan’s guitar, even a loo roll rejected for use by the Beatles. A jacket once worn by JFK and valued on the show for £2-3,00,000 will come up for sale in the USA soon.
Legend has it that the greatest let down in Roadshow history was the evaluation of a glass bottle which the owner had paid handsomely for but was in fact an olive oil bottle from Tesco. The embarrassment was not shared on camera.
The highest audience figure for an Antiques Roashow was 15 million in the 1990’s. Even today a loyal 6 million regularly watch the show.
Perhaps the most moving object seen on the series is a small ring that was kept hidden under the tongue of Zedenka Fantlova who survived four concentration camps in World War II.
Graffiti artist Banksy’s donation to a Bristol boys club was valued by Rupert Maas and was later sold for more than £400,000 to a private collector.
The Roadshow has visited numerous international venues including Canada, Australia and major European cities. Even at the Australian events the Roadshow’s most dedicated follower, John Dallimore, clocked up the 9,500 miles to attend.
An important lost work by artist Richard Dadd came to light at the Roadshow in 1986. It was eventually sold to the British Museum for £100,000
A family teapot brought in by avid Roadshow fan Norah Ambrose during the programmes early years proved a life changing moment when she bought her council house on the proceeds of the sale.
Between 15 and 20,000 items are scanned at each show by the experts from which 50 are filmed for inclusion in the two shows made at each location.

The team at Antiques Roadshow invite you to uncover your hidden treasures for this summer’s series at Newby Hall. To get in contact, visit www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow.