Antiques Roadshow visits St Andrews

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Fiona Bruce

As the University of St Andrews prepares to mark its 600th anniversary, and to celebrate the value of its inheritance, people in the town are being invited to do the same and to pursue their curiosity about what history may have handed down to them.

BBC One’s ever popular Sunday evening programme the Antiques Roadshow will be filming for its 34th series at the University of St Andrews, St Salvator’s Quad, on Thursday 26 May 2011. Doors open at 9.30am and close at 4.30pm. Entry to the show is free.

Some 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 bargains for inspection by the experts.

This will be presenter Fiona Bruce’s fourth year with the Roadshow and she says, “Presenting the Antiques Roadshow is, for me, one of those rare and very lucky coincidences in television when you get to work on a show that you already love to watch. Exploring the human story behind every object is what makes Antiques Roadshow so fascinating. And everyone loves the agony and ecstasy of the ‘what’s it worth?’ moment. The Antiques Roadshow isn’t just about antiques – it’s history, beauty and drama all wrapped up in one.’

The last series, watched by an average of six million viewers, included some great finds such as an Egyptian stone head dug up in a garden worth £10,000, a medieval ring found on a farm and valued at £20,000 and a Meissen cup and saucer bought at a car boot sale for £2.50 which was worth £5,000. Among some of the stranger items brought along were uneaten pieces of Royal wedding cake and a life-sized stuffed lion once used in a TV series.

People with large pieces of furniture or other big items can send details and photographs of their objects to: Antiques Roadshow, BBC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2LR. Alternatively, email them to: [email protected].  It may be possible to arrange to look at the item in advance and organise transportation to the venue.

Series Editor Simon Shaw says: “The team are all looking forward to visiting St Andrews. It’s always exciting to see what will come to light on the day. We regularly see between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors on the day. Despite the high turnout everyone will get to see an expert.”


Issued by the University of St Andrews

Contact: Emma Shea, Communications Manager, on 01334 462 109 or email [email protected]


Category Public interest stories

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