Antiques Road Trip: Raj Bisram makes £170 profit
TV expert and star Raj Bisram has been a familar face on BBC and Channel 4 in recent years.
Raj Bisram is an antiques expert onAntiques Roadshow, Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Flog It! and Bargain Hunt.
The auctioneer got his TV break as one of the expert dealers on Four Rooms, Channel 4’s award winning show and appeared on Posh Pawn.
His popularity extends beyond antiques shows and he has also appeared on entertainment shows such as Would I Lie to You, Celebrity Eggheads and Richard Osman’s House of Games.
Raj's life could have been completely different had he stuck to his previous career or explored his love for magic. After all, the arts expert was once a member of the Magic Circle.
This is what we know about Raj Bisram's life, his previous career, his hobbies outside of TV and family life.
Early life and career of Raj Bisram
Born in London to an Indian family, Raj Bisram has two sisters and attended Highgate School in North London.
Reflecting on his youth, he told DesiBlitz: “One of my enduring memories of childhood is of family Sunday outings in the car with a picnic to the English countryside. I enjoyed these times so much that in later life I have lived most of my adult life in the countryside at home and abroad.”
During his time at school, Raj developed a love for sport, winning many achievements. “During my latter school years sport came first, partying second and school third, and generally life was great fun.”
Raj Bisram has had a love for antiques from young age and bought his first item aged ten. While many will think that Raj has been working in antiques all his life, the art expert previously had a completely different career.
In his early life, Raj was a Physical Training Instructor for the British Army.
He became a Ski-Racer and, subsequently, Road Manager to the World Ariel Stunt Team, eventually becoming the first non-Austrian qualified ski instructor within Austria.
When he qualified as an Austrian Ski instructor, he worked as a Ski instructor in a resort in Tyrol.
But Raj's love for art led him to become an antiques dealer and auctioneer expert specialising in fine art. In 1995, the TV star co-founded Bentley's Fine Art and Antiques Auctioneers in Cranbrook, Kent.
Reflecting on his life and career, he said: "I discovered early on that a 9-5 job was never going to be for me, so I turned my childhood love of old and dusty junk and antique shops into my job and, later, career."
How did Raj Bisram start his TV career?
In 2013, Raj began appearing on TV after he was headhunted to appear on Channel 4's Four Rooms. The show saw collectors given the chance to sell their antiquities to a dealer.
His appearances on Channel 4 saw him approached to appear on Bargain Hunt, where he still appears as an expert to assist the red and blue teams. Speaking about Bargain Hunt, he simply said: "I was doing some other TV work and was approached by Bargain Hunt."
Raj's TV career has seen him appear on Bargain Hunt, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Antiques Roashow and Posh Pawn.
Raj Bisram's love for magic and disaster on Would I Lie To You?
Fans will be interested to learn Raj also loves magic and is a former member of the Magic Circle. The Magic Circle is a globally recognised society of magicians and it has more than 1,500 members.
Raj performed some magic on Would I Lie To You?, but the magic went wrong. The auctioneer attempted to demonstrate a magic trick he used to perform on his friend Shaun 30 years ago where he used to whip Shaun’s shirt off in public for money.
"In the early 80s, I’m a bit of a keen amateur magician," Raj said as he tried to convince the panel he wasn’t lying.
"I also owned a bistro. It allowed me to indulge my passion of magic. I used to hold magic evenings.
"I would ask for a volunteer to come out, but I would always choose Shaun."
After it was revealed that he was telling the truth, Raj got up to perform his trusty magic trick.
"I would get Shaun out and we would act if we didn’t know each other," he explained.
"I would undo his wrist button and this button (top buttons) then all I’d say is 'on the count of three let’s say some magic words'.
"Tonight they are Would I Lie To You? So on the count of three…"
As he counted down, instead of being able to whip the shirt out of Shaun’s jumper, his head got caught and it almost choked him.
"Oh, hang on. I nearly killed him," Raj said.
Host Rob Brydon, comedian Lee Mack and the rest of the panel were left in hysterics at Raj's poorly executed magic trick.
Raj still offers after-dinner entertainment and performs magic to guests. The website allelectricproductions.co.uk lists Raj as one of their acts.
They said: "Raj spent much of his early life working his way around the world as a magician and was an Associate Member of the Magicians Circle.
"He brings this flair for magic to his after-dinner entertainment and finishes it with a flurry as two of the waiters suddenly reveal themselves to be magicians and the three of them go round all the tables enchanting the guests by making things disappear and reappear – a memorable and fun end to any dinner event."
Is Raj Bisram married?
Raj Bisram is currently married to his wife Susan R Bisram since their wedding in 1983. They have two daughters together, but Raj has not spoken much about his family life in Kent.
Speaking about he spends his spare time, Raj said: "I like to spend my free time relaxing at home in the Kent countryside. Walking the dog to the local pub on a Sunday lunchtime has become a family tradition.
"Other interests include skiing, tennis, playing bridge, reading and the occasional game of poker."
The antiques expert said he has been collecting sporting items, "much to the annoyance" of his wife.
