AR: Guest jokingly says item's value should be higher
Antiques Roadshow took an awkward turn on Sunday night when one guest appeared to suggest that his mystery object had been undervalued.
During the episode, which was filmed at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, expert Gordon Foster was left intruged by a mystery object brought to him.
The expert said: "I love it on the Antiques Roadshow when you get a mystery object and you've brought along a silver box!" adding that passerbyers had been guessing everything from a lady's powder compact to a travelling caviar case.
The guest then revealed that it was a live fly box for fishing, adding he was 'very proud' to have it and it was a gift from his wife for their silver wedding anniversary 17 years ago. Giving details, the guest revealed that it was solid silver and made by Asprey of London but he hadn't used it for fishing as he worried it was too fragile.
Expert Gordon admitted he had only ever seen one similar item before in his career and the object had 'everything going for it' with it being solid silver, Asprey and Art Deco.
Valuing the item, Gordon said at auction it would fetch anywhere between £2,000 to £3,000 to which the guest exclaimed: "Wow, wow, that's amazing!" However, things then took an awkward turn when the guest added: "I think she paid £4,000...", suggesting the item could have been undervalued as the duo started laughing - however, the guest could have been joking about this part.
It comes as Fiona Bruce recently revealed a brutal moment on Antiques Roadshow which producers deemed too unkind to show to the nation but the star says it would have made amazing TV.
Earlier this year, the TV star, 60, recalled a scene on the iconic show which has never made the broadcast as it was "too cruel" - but she claims would have made "great television". Fiona stood and watched as a poor man was told the brutal truth about a precious item that he wanted to get valued.
Chatting to The Guardian, she recalled an excited smartly-dressed man arrived to the set to present a glass bottle that he purchased for £1,000 at an antiques shop. But things got a little uncomfortable when the show’s glass expert examined the "antique" - and things took an awkward turn.
They told the owner: "I’m afraid it’s an empty olive oil bottle. Tesco, circa 2008. It’s worth nothing at all." Fiona knows that although the incident would have left viewers howling with laughter, but it was too unfair on the man to air it.
She pointed out: "I suppose we could have broadcast it – but it was just too cruel. The guy was devastated. There’s a tiny bit of my brain that realises it would have made great television. But it’s just not what the show’s about. Poor chap, poor chap. The thing is, if you come on the Roadshow we are not about to humiliate you. The thing about Antiques Roadshow is not to humiliate people."
