PICK OF TODAY’S TV

THE TRAVELLING AUCTIONEERS, 4.30PM, BBC1

COULD this be the new Repair Shop? A cosy daytime show that combines nifty restorations with the thrills of an auction, this sees Bargain Hunt’s Christina Trevanion and The Repair Shop’s furniture expert Will Kirk (pictured) pooling their resources and hopping in their distinctive blue van to travel the UK on the hunt for hidden gems and get them ready for sale. The people they meet with treasures to spare share their stories, giving this the heartwarming personal touch that made The Repair Shop such a hit. In the first episode, they meet Sue and Chris, who, after a decade of grief following the tragic death of their teenage son Matthew in 2012, have finally decided it’s time to move on. They’re swapping their rural surroundings for something sunnier down south, but are hoping to raise some money by selling their old things first. And, while a collection of pieces by the famed carpenter Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson raises some interest, it’s Matthew’s old toys that provide the biggest surprise at a pop-up auction by the Trent and Mersey canal, with online buyers from around the world joining in to bid big. But, as you can imagine, selling their son’s possessions is highly emotional.