Special Borders programme for anniversary of Antiques Roadshow

ANTIQUES Roadshow will visit Queen Victoria’s favourite summer home and Scotland’s largest inhabited castle in 2017 as it celebrates its 40th series.

The show will begin recording its anniversary series four decades on from the date of its first recording at Minehead Railway Station, home of the West Somerset Railway, the longest heritage railway in England.

Throughout the birthday year, the team will visit Northern Ireland’s Parliament Buildings & Stormont Estate, Floors Castle in the Borders, Cardiff Castle in Wales, Queen Victoria’s former royal palace, Osborne on the Isle of Wight and the gardens at Nymans in West Sussex.

It will also film a special show outside the Queen Vic pub on EastEnders’ Albert Square at BBC Studios in Elstree, where invited guests will bring objects from the world of film, music, theatre and TV to be appraised.

Antiques Roadshow was first recorded as a pilot show at Hereford Town Hall on May 17, 1977, presented by Bruce Parker with antiques expert Arthur Negus.

Presenter Fiona Bruce, who will mark her 10th series on the show in 2017, announced the venues in a special episode of Antiques Roadshow looking back at the highlights of 2016 and updating the audience on stories from the year.

Bruce said: “Where does the time go? Meeting fantastic people, hearing their stories, going to fabulous locations and, best of all unearthing hidden treasures clearly makes the time fly.

“I hope as many people as possible come along to see us in 2017 at one of our fascinating venues, it’s a great, free day out, you can see behind the scenes of one of your favourite shows, and who knows?

“We’d love to make your 2017 extra memorable with surprising news about your treasures.”

Simon Shaw, executive producer of Antiques Roadshow, added: “We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to each Antiques Roadshow in 2017, it’s a real chance to be part of the programme’s history and to have an informative, enjoyable free day out, seeing how the programme is made and meeting everyone who features on it.

“Even after almost 40 series, the winning formula of helping visitors unlock the story of their item’s past and hopefully astonishing is still as them with its value, popular as ever.”

The show will visit Floors Castle, home of the 10th Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, on July 6.

It is located just outside Kelso, on the banks of the River Tweed, and was used in the 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.

More information on attending Antiques Roadshow can be found on the website bbc.co.uk/ antiquesroadshow.