It’s time to dust off your treasures for a great, free day out as BBC One’s ever-popular Sunday evening programme Antiques Roadshow comes to Ightham Mote on Thursday 16 June. Ightham Mote is in the care of the National Trust.
The doors for Antiques Roadshow open at 9.30am and close at 4.30pm. Entry to Antiques Roadshow is free, everyone is welcome, and no tickets or pre-registration is required.
Many of Britain’s leading antiques and fine arts specialists will be on hand to offer free advice and valuations to visitors, who are invited to raid their attics and bring along their family heirlooms, household treasures and car-boot sale bargains for inspection by the experts.
Antiques Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce said: “The best part of working on Antiques Roadshow is that we never know who or what is going to turn up on the day. The visitors, the objects they bring, their stories and the location all combine to make a fabulous experience that we aim to capture for the viewers. If you are a fan of Antiques Roadshow, curious to see behind the scenes, or just fancy a day out, I would urge you to dig out your treasures and come along – we’d love to see you!”
In 2015 nearly 35,000 people attended Antiques Roadshow in the course of the year. Fascinating finds included a jacket belonging to former US president JFK, a musical penknife valued at £80,000, a sketch believed to be by Picasso and bought for a few pounds in a house clearance sale, and a precious toy panda that once flew with the Dambusters.
Visitors are welcome to just turn up on the day, but if they have an item with a particularly unusual story attached, or perhaps an interesting collection, or large items of furniture, they can let us know in advance via the Share Your Story page on www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow
Alternatively, email: antiques.roadshow@bbc.co.uk or write to Antiques Roadshow, BBC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR.
Antiques Roadshow Executive Editor, Simon Shaw said: “We are delighted to be filming at Ightham Mote on 16 June. The charming moated manor house and lovely location should make for a great show and we are all looking forward to it.
“Our team of experts and Fiona love nothing better than hearing people’s stories and seeing what items they bring, so we hope as many people as possible come to Ightham Mote and enjoy what our visitors consistently tell us is a fantastic day out.
“Even after 39 years, the magic formula of surprising some lucky guests with exciting news about their treasures is still a thrill for us, the visitors and the viewers.”
More information on planning your visit can be found at: www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow
