BBC’s Antiques Roadshow is coming to Battle

Popular BBC programme Antiques Roadshow will be coming to Battle later this year.
Fiona Bruce, Antiques Roadshow host. SUS-190222-114239001Fiona Bruce, Antiques Roadshow host. SUS-190222-114239001
Fiona Bruce, Antiques Roadshow host. SUS-190222-114239001

Fiona Bruce will be filming the popular show at Battle Abbey on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

The Roadshow brings together a team of the country’s leading authorities on arts and antiques to offer free valuations for family heirlooms or car boot bargains.

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Each Roadshow event attracts around 4,000 people, who come along to find out if they might own a missing masterpiece and find out the priceless history of their items. Whether it’s a £100,000 painting or a £5 cup and saucer, everyone gets an expert opinion on their treasure.

Fiona Bruce, Antiques Roadshow host. Photo by Anna Gordon. SUS-190222-114215001Fiona Bruce, Antiques Roadshow host. Photo by Anna Gordon. SUS-190222-114215001
Fiona Bruce, Antiques Roadshow host. Photo by Anna Gordon. SUS-190222-114215001

Around 15,000 items are valued at each show by Roadshow experts from which around 60 are filmed for inclusion in the two shows made at each location.

Last year the specialists discovered unseen masterpieces by Mexican artist Diego Rivera worth £100,000, jewels from the Titanic and a unique Brooklyn Dodgers baseball with a value as extraordinary as its story.

Antiques Roadshow is one of the BBC’s most popular factual programmes and around six million people regularly watch on Sunday evenings.

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Fiona Bruce has presented the show for the past 12 years. She said: “So much of what you see on the Antiques Roadshow is about the story of an object and its owner as much as about its value. We are never short of people bringing along items that tell a hell of a story, which can be very exciting, poignant or funny, sometimes, all three. Or it can tell us something about ourselves.

Battle Abbey ENGSUS00120140901122307Battle Abbey ENGSUS00120140901122307
Battle Abbey ENGSUS00120140901122307

“Even after all these years people still have the most amazing things tucked away in their attics and garages and I can’t wait to see what they pull out of their bags and trolleys in 2019.”

Some of the most fascinating finds to come to light over the years include wristwatch owned by Lawrence of Arabia, which went on to sell for £34,000, a chest which was eventually proven to have belonged to Queen Anne and a leather jacket worn by John F Kennedy and valued at up to £300,000.

Many objects featured on the Roadshow have been found in strange places such as diamond jewels found sewn into an upholstered chair and two important paintings discovered by the new owners of a house in their loft.

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On Tuesday, July 9, Antiques Roadshow will be filming on the site of one of the most famous and significant battlefields in British history – the Battle of Hastings.

The Roadshow has not visited the area since 2003 and Robert Murphy, the series producer of Antiques Roadshow, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing the Roadshow to Battle Abbey and we can’t wait to see what treasures and cherished objects will emerge from the attic!

“It’s a free, entertaining family day out and a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes and be a part of one of the BBC’s most popular programmes. Our team of experts are on hand to help visitors discover the hidden history of their objects – you never know, it might just be your item that turns out to be something very special… and potentially very valuable!”

Entry to the show is free, everyone is welcome, and no tickets or pre-registration is required.

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Visitors are welcome to just turn up on the day but they can also share their stories about the special items they are bringing along.

Email [email protected] with your name, address, telephone number, a description of the item, how you come to own it and a photo. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any submissions without this information.

Alternatively, write to Antiques Roadshow, BBC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR.

More information, frequently asked questions, and parking information can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow or on the show’s Facebook page.

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