We are very excited to announce that the BBC Antiques Roadshow is coming to Belmont House and Gardens on Tuesday 23rd August 2022.
Fiona Bruce and the Antiques Roadshow team will be back on the road this summer filming the 45th series of one of the BBC’s most loved programmes. And, for the first time in its history, viewers can apply for tickets to attend the Roadshow.
Lord Colgrain, Chair of the Trustees of the Harris Belmont Charity said ‘The Trustees of the Harris Belmont Charity are absolutely delighted to welcome the Antiques Roadshow to Belmont House and Gardens later this year. We look forward to this opportunity of being able to welcome people from far and wide as well as Kent to share their treasures with the BBC audience in the beautiful setting of the gardens around this lovely House.’
For the past four decades, the award-winning show has visited hundreds of venues in the UK and abroad. Before Covid-19, thousands of people would turn up on the day of filming, many queuing for several hours to show an expert their family heirlooms or car boot bargains. Over the last two years, through Covid-19, the Roadshow continued filming with strict safety measures and a carefully controlled invited audience only.
This summer, Antiques Roadshow is opening the doors to ticketed guests and filming at iconic locations across the UK.
Presenter Fiona Bruce, who will be filming her fifteenth series of Antiques Roadshow, says:
‘I can’t wait to start filming the new series of the Antiques Roadshow. We’re going to some exciting new locations, and most exciting of all – we will be getting our crowds back – Covid permitting. It’s only been two years, but it feels like such a long time since we’ve done that. You’ll need a ticket to come along, so take a look at our website to find out how to apply. It’s completely free, and we can’t wait to see you.’
Series Editor Robert Murphy says:
‘We’re really looking forward to getting back to the essence of the Roadshow – assembling a crack team of antiques experts in a beautiful location and welcoming visitors with their cherished objects and mystery items. The Roadshow is for everyone, and we want to see the things that mean something to you – last year, we had everything from rare toys and vintage clothes to paintings by modern Indian artists and medals that revealed moving stories of heroism and sacrifice. We’ve missed those thrilling moments when a priceless treasure emerges from the bottom of a shopping bag!’
First broadcast in 1979, the Roadshow remains one of the most popular factual programmes on BBC One, with some six million people regularly watching on Sunday evenings.
Some of the Roadshow’s most fascinating finds include a Fabergé flower ornament worth £1million, a guitar owned by not one but two Beatles, a handwritten document signed by Elizabeth I, a ring containing a lock of author Charlotte Bronte’s hair, a wristwatch owned by Lawrence of Arabia, a 17th Century miniature book reviewing Shakespeare’s plays, and a leather jacket worn by John F Kennedy.
Many objects featured on the Roadshow are found in some extraordinary places. Winston Churchill’s hat and letters were discovered in a dump near London, a gold necklace in a bag of compost, and a vanity set from Donald Trump’s yacht was found in a charity shop.
You can only get tickets for Antiques Roadshow filming days in 2022 by applying through the official website, and there is no charge.
Tickets are limited for each venue, and applications are now open at www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow.