The Bidding Room

Original version

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

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Factual: Antiques

Sellers come face to face with five dealers who battle it out to make the highest bid.

Nigel Havers presides as sellers come face to face with five dealers who battle it out to make the highest bid.

Nigel Havers presides as members of the public with interesting items to sell come face to face with five dealers who bid against each other to try to bag themselves a bargain.

Before facing the dealers, each seller has their item valued by auctioneer Simon Bower. Simon also gives them top tips on the history and key characteristics of their piece, so that when they enter the bidding room, they have all the information they need to try to haggle the best possible price from the dealers.

All the dealers are spending their own money but have no idea what the sellers have brought in.

Series 4

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Nigel Havers

Simon Bower

Rae Gilder Cooke

Claire Egerton-Jones

Ricochet Limited

The Bidding Room: Series 4: Episode 5

Episode 5

BBC One - The Bidding Room, Series 4, Episode 5

Five dealers bid to buy a 1930s sign, a toy car, retro ad posters and a guillotine.

Nigel Havers hosts as five dealers bid against each other to buy items brought in by the public, including a 24-foot table, a 1930s sign, a toy car, retro ad posters and a guillotine.

Nigel Havers welcomes five more sellers to the Bidding Room, where they try to sell items to professional dealers who are on the lookout for interesting pieces, with help from expert Simon Bower.

Jane and daughter Ceri have decided to sell a 24-foot-long table that has been in their family for over a century. The table, which is on wheels, began life in a sailing loft on Swansea docks and was used to stitch sails. Will any of the dealers go for this massive industrial piece?

Adam has brought in a sign you may well have seen at the front of a queue. It's an illuminated ‘ladies’ sign from the 1930s, but will the dealers be lining up to spend a penny and take it home?

Peter has reassembled a pedal fire truck he found in a neighbour's garage. The style of it looks early 20th century, though it’s a much more recent model. Will the dealers fall for its timeless charm?

Maria wants to sell a set of Birds Eye advertising posters she rescued from the skip at work. With retro advertising prints ever popular with collectors, will our dealers see the potential and want to shell out for the frozen pea ads?

Lastly, returning seller and part-time magician Gary has with him a macabre theatrical prop - a guillotine. He has a showstopping trick up his sleeve, but will the dealers go for his one-off piece?

Today's dealers are Ian, Jacqui, Adi, Jo and James.

The Bidding Room: Series 4

BBC One

Nigel Havers hosts as five dealers compete to buy items brought in by the public.

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