IAN HYLAND
On last night’s telly
★★★
Anyone who reckons there are no new ideas in television should check out this latest daytime offering from BBC1.
It will confirm that you are absolutely right.
It’s Dickinson’s Real Deal meets Channel’s 4’s Four Rooms meets Bargain Hunt meets Antiques Road
Trip, with some added Dragons’ Den “I’m out” action.
Adding to the familiarity are a jolly antiques dealer called Adie, who is such a dead ringer for 90s DJ Jono Coleman it’s barely even worth pointing it out.
There is also an expert called Simon, who wears a cap like Jay Blades from The Repair Shop but who, on closer inspection, could
actually be Lee Mack in disguise. It is hosted Nigel Havers, who likes to add a touch of unexpected drama at the start by springing from his seat as if a fire alarm has just gone off.
Day One, Nigel explained the premise of the show: “Anything can be bought or sold.”
At least I think he was talking about the show. For all I know he may have simply been recalling what he said to his agent when he was first offered the gig. A
more frank description of the format might be “members of the public take some old tat to an auction room and try to mug off some antique dealers”.
Over time I guess we might start to feel sorry for the five dealers as they are fooled – sorry, I mean persuaded – into paying top dollar.
For now though, I have only one message for every punter who walks through their door.
Take those dealers to the cleaners.
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A description of the format might be “members of the public take some old tat to an auction & try to mug off some dealers”