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''Bargain Hunt'' is a British
television programme A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...
in which two pairs of contestants are challenged to buy
antique An antique () is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely to describe any object that i ...
s from shops or a fair and then sell them in an auction for a profit. It has aired on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
since 13 March 2000 in a daytime version, and from 22 August 2002 to 13 November 2004 in a
primetime Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to b ...
version. Bargain Hunt was originally presented by
David Dickinson David Dickinson (born David Gulesserian; 16 August 1941) is an English antiques dealer and television presenter. Between 2000 and 2004, Dickinson hosted the BBC One antiques show '' Bargain Hunt'', where he was succeeded by Tim Wonnacott. D ...
. From 2003 to January 2016 it was presented by Tim Wonnacott. In 2016 the format changed to a rota of hosts from a "team of experts" fronting the series.


Format

''Bargain Hunt'' has undergone various
TV format A TV format is the overall concept and branding of a copyrighted television show. The most common type of formats are those in the television genres of game shows and reality shows, though other genres (e.g., sitcoms) are also adapted. TV formats ...
s and rule changes since it premiered in 2000. Most episodes are 45 minutes in length, though 30-minute versions and one-hour "live" editions have also been produced. Two teams – designated the "Reds" and the "Blues" – compete. Each team has two members, who wear
fleeces Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal wool. ...
that correspond to their team's colour. The contestants in most episodes are members of the public, though some shows feature teams of celebrity players instead. At the beginning of the show, each team is given a set amount of money with which to purchase antiques. The objective is to find items that will earn the team a profit when later sold at auction. Each team is accompanied by an antiques trade expert, though it is the contestants' decision whether to heed the advice given by their expert. After the contestants have completed their purchases and presented them to the host, home viewers are shown a "what the auctioneer thinks" segment in which the auctioneer appraises the buys and gives the auction estimate. At the auction, as each item is sold, the host compares the auction sale price to the price originally paid by the team, with the difference being either subtracted from or added to the team's total. If the final total shows a profit, the team receives that profit in cash; otherwise, the team receives nothing. The profit/loss does not take into account
buyer's premium In auctions, the buyer's premium is a charge in addition to the hammer price (i.e. the winning bid announced) of an auction item, or lot. The winning bidder is required to pay both the hammer price and the percentage of that price called for by th ...
(commission) or
Value Added Tax A value-added tax (VAT or goods and services tax (GST), general consumption tax (GCT)) is a consumption tax that is levied on the value added at each stage of a product's production and distribution. VAT is similar to, and is often compared wi ...
(a governmental sales tax). The show is punctuated by footage of the host visiting a place of historical interest, such as a
stately home 300px, Oxfordshire.html" ;"title="Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire">Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a To ...
or museum, and talking about the items housed there. In the early David Dickinson-era episodes, teams were given £200 each, and could buy as many or as few items as they liked within the hour given to wander around a trade fair. The item rule was later changed so that teams have to buy three items. After Tim Wonnacott became host, the money was increased to £300, and a new feature called the "swap item" was introduced. Each expert chose an item of their own, and the team could replace one of their own choices with the "swap item" if they wished to. The host, when offering the option to a team, would often ask, "Swap or No Swap?" Originally, the experts were given an unspecified amount of money to buy the extra item; the rule was later changed so that the experts could only use whatever money was left of the team's £300 budget (the remaining money was referred to by Wonnacott as the "leftover lolly"). Under the revised rule, if a team used its entire budget, the expert could not choose a "swap item". The "swap" rule was changed again in 2006 (Series 14), becoming the "bonus buy". The expert is still given any "leftover lolly" to buy this bonus item, which is entered into the auction. Just after the auction of their own items, and before that of the bonus item, teams must decide whether the auction results of the bonus item should be added to their own auction lots. Teams can potentially add to their profit with the bonus item, but it can also subtract from a team's earnings if it loses money. In a series in 2014, an alternative bonus item was purchased by the expert with "Tim's Ton", (£100 provided by Tim). The teams then had to decide on whether to select the 'team's bonus buy' (bought with the leftover lolly), Tim's bonus buy (bought with Tim's ton) or neither. Tim would also make his prediction as to which bonus buy would make the larger profit or smaller loss (which he called Wonnacott's winner). Series 52 in 2019 brought a change to the rules with two challenges, the 'Big Spend Challenge' and the 'Presenter's Challenge' added. The teams have to spend at least £75 on one item, and buy an item relating to a specific category or has a feature. For example, something you see in a study or features flowers. The challenges can be done with one item. Other changes include the contestants introducing themselves to camera, rather than to the presenter, and the bonus buy is now revealed to the contestants in the auction room after the sale of the first three items. On average, the majority of contestants' items lose money: the teams are paying retail prices at fairs, whereas auction prices are generally lower. Large profits are fairly rare, though it is not particularly unusual for contestants to take home a small profit. Teams achieving the difficult feat of earning a profit on all three items are awarded a "golden gavel"; originally a wooden trophy, but latterly a lapel pin.


Production

Four or five programmes are usually made at each antiques fair and filming can take all day. Programmes are named after the locations where they are filmed. Programmes are not necessarily broadcast in the sequence filmed, and one set of episodes can be split across different series.


Bargain Hunt Famous Finds

A separate celebrity version of the show premiered on 1 December 2008 on
BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matte ...
featuring team pairs made up of one well-known personality accompanied by a friend or family member. The show is presented by Tim Wonnacott and the format is the same as the main show but Wonnacott's visit to see an antiques collection or
stately home 300px, Oxfordshire.html" ;"title="Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire">Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a To ...
is replaced by a feature where each celebrity contestant discusses antiques with him. Wonnacott might show them a borrowed collection of antiques brought along for the show that he believes would interest the celebrity (this may be related to the occupation of the celebrity), and in turn the celebrity shows Wonnacott an antique or collectable belonging to themselves. There is no suggestion of what to do with any profit if the teams make any, but most decide to give it to charity. Series 2 began on 30 March 2009 and ended on 3 April 2009.


Celebrity contestants


History

Originally a daytime show when launched in 2000 with game host
David Dickinson David Dickinson (born David Gulesserian; 16 August 1941) is an English antiques dealer and television presenter. Between 2000 and 2004, Dickinson hosted the BBC One antiques show '' Bargain Hunt'', where he was succeeded by Tim Wonnacott. D ...
. Later a primetime version, hosted by Dickinson, was also made (2002–2004), which was similar to the daytime show except that the teams' budget was increased to £500. It was on this version of the show that the record was set for the greatest profit earned on ''Bargain Hunt''. A team led by Michael Hogben purchased a Royal Worcester box at Ardingly Fair for £140; the item made £800 in the live primetime auction. When Dickinson gave up the daytime show to concentrate on the primetime version, his place was taken by Tim Wonnacott, an antiques expert already well known to UK viewers as a long-standing expert on the ''
Antiques Roadshow ''Antiques Roadshow'' is a British television programme broadcast by the BBC in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom (and occasionally in other countries) to appraise antiques brought in by local people ( ...
''. In April 2005 it was announced that the primetime version of ''Bargain Hunt'' had been axed; however the daytime version continued. Reruns of the daytime version (from the Dickinson era) also appear on BBC Entertainment and
BBC America BBC America is an American basic cable network that is owned by AMC Networks. The channel primarily airs sci-fi and action series and films, as well as selected programs from the BBC (such as its nature documentary series). Unlike the BBC's ...
. The show occasionally features well-known contestants, such as ''
'Allo 'Allo! ''Allo 'Allo!'' is a British sitcom television series, created by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, starring Gorden Kaye, Carmen Silvera, Guy Siner and Richard Gibson. Originally broadcast on BBC1, the series focuses on the life of a Frenc ...
'' stars Gorden Kaye and Sue Hodge. The show airs on the Australian Foxtel and Austar cable television channel, Lifestyle, at 6.30 pm weekdays. The show also airs on the Seven Network's digital station 7Two (Prime's 7Two, in Regional Areas), weekdays at 11am and 6.30pm. Several episodes recorded in late 2014 were presented by Anita Manning, Charlie Ross, Christina Trevanion, Natasha Raskin, Charles Hanson, and Paul Laidlaw whilst Wonnacott took part in the BBC 1 entertainment programme ''
Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...
''.


Christmas charity single

In December 2017, four of the ''Bargain Hunt'' antique experts Charlie Ross, James Braxton, Charles Hanson and Philip Serrell got together to create a Christmas single in aid of BBC Children in Need. The single was released digitally on independent record label Saga Entertainment and peaked at number 1 on the Amazon Rock Charts, number 1 on the Amazon Rock Best Sellers and number 1 on the Amazon Hot New Releases chart. It was a rock cover of the classic Christmas song " Sleigh Ride", written by Leroy Anderson & Mitchel Parish. It was recorded at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick.


Special programmes

Following the death of expert David Barby on 25 July 2012, the programme paid tribute to him on 1 October 2012 by showing a montage of clips featuring his appearances on the show.


500th programme

On 15 October 2007, the 500th show was broadcast. This show differed from a normal show in that both teams were made up of experts – the red team featured David Barby and Philip Serrell (described as the "old" team), while the blue team featured
Kate Bliss Kate Bliss (née Alcock; born 1975) is an English antiques expert and television presenter. She has appeared on the BBC's ''Bargain Hunt'', ''Flog It!'' and ''Secret Dealers'', and has presented ''Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (TV series), ...
and Charles Hanson (deemed the "young" team); the "bonus items" were purchased by Tim Wonnacott himself. The teams were given £500 to spend, rather than the usual £300, with any profits going to charities chosen by the team members. The red team made a profit of £245, beating the blue team's break-even. The show also featured out-takes and memorable clips from previous shows.


10th anniversary

The programme marked its tenth anniversary on air with a week of special editions broadcast between 15 and 19 March 2010. These followed a similar format to the 500th episode, except that the teams were given only the usual £300 to buy items, with a separate £100 per team allotted for the bonus items.


20th anniversary

The programme marked its twentieth anniversary on air with a week of special editions broadcast between 19 and 23 October 2020. Only some of the usual rules applied. The teams had one hour and £300 to buy three items to take to auction, shopping on their own, in a relay.


BBC Music Day specials

On 28 September 2018, ''Bargain Hunt'' aired a special episode as part of BBC Music Day. The Red Team consisted of Bez and Rowetta from
Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up consisted of brothers Shaun Ryder (vocals) and Paul Ryder (bass), Gaz Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry la ...
and the Blue Team consisted of
Jarvis Cocker Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963) is an English musician. As the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp (band), Pulp, he became a reluctant figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Cocker h ...
and Candida Doyle from Pulp. The Red Team won the episode by earning a profit of £8. However, it was later discovered that Bez's girlfriend had bought two of the Red Team's items. As it was and remains forbidden in the rules of the programme for friends and family of the teams to buy items the teams were selling, the Blue Team were made winners and Bez had to hand over £8 from his own pocket. On 26 September 2019, the second BBC Music Day special was shown with The Darkness (lead singer Justin Hawkins and bassist Frankie Poullain) competing against Feeder (lead singer
Grant Nicholas Grantley Jonathan Nicholas (born 12 November 1967) is a Welsh musician and the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Feeder. In 2014, Nicholas released his debut solo album '' Yorktown Heights.'' In the following year, a released a min ...
and bassist
Taka Hirose Takashi Hirose (Japanese: タカ・ヒロセ (広瀬 隆), born 28 July 1967) is a Japanese musician who is the current bass guitarist for the rock band Feeder. Biography Hirose began playing bass at the age of 14 in secondary school and pl ...
) at the Stamford Meadows antiques fair in Lincolnshire.


''Doctors'' special

Following the cancellation of fellow BBC Daytime series '' Doctors'' in 2024, ''Bargain Hunt'' aired a ''Doctors'' special. It featured four long-term cast members from the series: Dex Lee, Dido Miles, Sarah Moyle and
Kia Pegg Kia May Pegg (born 29 June 2000) is an English actress and television presenter. She portrayed Jody Jackson in the British children's drama show '' Tracy Beaker Returns'' (2012), as well as the spin-off series '' The Dumping Ground'' (2013–20 ...
. It aired on 14 November 2024, which also marked the date when ''Doctors'' final episode was transmitted.


Presenters

* Christina Trevanion * Eric Knowles * Natasha Raskin Sharp * Charlie Ross *Caroline Hawley *Roo Irvine *Danny Sebastian


Experts

*Serhat Ahmet (2025-) *Izzie Balmer (2022–) * Raj Bisram *
Kate Bliss Kate Bliss (née Alcock; born 1975) is an English antiques expert and television presenter. She has appeared on the BBC's ''Bargain Hunt'', ''Flog It!'' and ''Secret Dealers'', and has presented ''Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (TV series), ...
(née Alcock) *John Cameron *Stephanie Connell (2019–) *Ben Cooper *David Fergus (2025-) *Nick Hall * Charles Hanson * Richard Madley *Thomas Forrester (formerly Plant) *David Harper *Irita Marriott (2023–) *Gary Pe *Jonathan Pratt * Philip Serrell *Catherine Southon * Mark Stacey *Tim Weeks *Colin Young


Past experts

*Philip Allwood *Mark Ashley * David Barby (2000–2012, his death) *Kate Bateman *James Braxton *Pippa Deeley *Dean Goodwin (2000) *Chris Gower * Paul Hayes *Karen van Hoey Smith (2004) * Michael Hogben (2000–2006) * Kevin Jackson (2000–2005) * Paul Laidlaw *James Lewis * Anita Manning *Henry Meadows *Toby Moy (2000) *Adam Partridge * Natasha Raskin Sharp *Ochuko Ojiri (2019–2025) *Susan Orringe * Charlie Ross * Jeremy Lamond *Nigel Smith *Sally Stratton (2001–2002) *Elizabeth Talbot * Christina Trevanion *Louise Weir (2000) *Claire Rawle *Roo Irvine *Danny Sebastian *Caroline Hawley


In popular culture

In March 2003, ITV children's TV channel
CITV CITV is a British children's morning programming block on ITV2 and formerly a free-to-air channel owned by ITV plc. CITV, then Children's ITV, launched on 3 January 1983 as a late afternoon programming block on the ITV network for children aged ...
's Saturday morning children's programme '' SMTV Live'' introduced a parody sketch of the programme entitled "Garbage Hunt" with presenter Des Clarke parodying Dickinson as "David Dustbin" looking at old unused merchandise from people's rubbish bins.


References


External links

* *
Bargain Hunt Famous Finds
' * *{{UKGameshow, Bargain_Hunt 2000 British television series debuts 2000s British game shows 2010s British game shows 2020s British game shows BBC One original programming BBC Two original programming Antiques television series British English-language television shows Television series by BBC Studios