NARRATOR: The nation's favorite celebrities.

Ooh, I like that.

NARRATOR: Paired up with an expert.

Oh.

We've had so much fun, aren't we?

NARRATOR: And the classic car.

It feels as if it could go quite fast.

NARRATOR: Their mission, to scour Britain for antiques.

Yes!

Fantastic.

I do that in slow mo.

NARRATOR: The aim?

To make the biggest profit at auction.

Come on, boys.

NARRATOR: But it's no easy ride.

Ta-da!

NARRATOR: Who will find a hidden gem?

Oh, sell me.

NARRATOR: Who will take the biggest risks?

Go away, darling.

NARRATOR: Will anybody follow expert advice?

I'm trying to spend money here.

NARRATOR: That will be worthy winners-- Yes.

NARRATOR: --and valiant losers.

Put your pedal to the metal.

This is the "Celebrity Antiques Road Trip."

[MUSIC PLAYING] Yeah.

[MUSIC PLAYING] On this road trip, we're treading the boards with two titanic British legends of stage and screen, Charles Dance and Geraldine James.

CHARLES DANCE: So when did we first meet, Gerald?

I think it was 1981 or 2-- Blimey.

When we started "Jewel in the Crown."

NARRATOR: These two indeed met as glamorous young thespians, starring in the classic 1980s TV drama of the British Raj in India, "The Jewel in the Crown."

I've been in-- You were kind of the team leader, weren't you?

- I was-- - But you see-- - I was boss.

- --going to do?

Well, now, we're going to go down to [INAUDIBLE].. And then we're going to go in the gardens of the Imperial Hotel and have tea.

But we were very lucky to be there for six months because it gave-- - Oh, hell, yeah.

- --us time.

And we saw so much of it.

It was a joy.

14 hours of high quality film.

NARRATOR: Indeed, it was.

Since then, Geraldine has hardly been offered screens as a leading lady in everything, from star-studded drama to classy period pieces.

And what was that play we did?

Over There, Over Here?

Over There.

"Turning Over."

NARRATOR: Charles has also played, down the years, with impressive range and bearing.

Delighting audiences everywhere, most recently, as the tyrannical Tywin Lannister in global mega-hit "Game of Thrones."

Today, these two are driving a marvelous 1965 Mercedes 220.

It was manufactured before seat belts were mandatory.

And hence, they aren't buckled up.

Got it?

It reminds me of my wild youth.

Oh, does it?

Without any seat belt.

Yeah.

Oh, yes.

Did you have a wild youth, Gerald?

Some would say.

You weren't thrown out of school, were you?

Several times, three times.

Well, are you, really?

My father refused to have me home, so they had to keep me.

- No.

- Yes.

Anyway-- - [LAUGHS] NARRATOR: Nice save.

Joining these two troopers on this trip are a pair of antiques auctioneers.

In full voice, Will Axon and Natasha Raskin.

It's nice to meet a face, isn't it?

Do you think you'll sort of refine your accent to be big because I'm already doing it.

Yeah, aye.

You already be going the raw-- Let's do a warm up.

(SINGING) La la la la la la la la.

NARRATOR: Don't give the day job up, Natasha.

These two are piloting a 1970 Triumph TR6.

Oh, you're handling this Triumph beautifully.

Well, thank you for saying that.

Beautifully.

NARRATOR: With 400 pounds to spend, we'll kick off today's shopping in Tetbury, Gloucestershire and aim for an auction in Rayleigh in Essex.

And now, here we are in South Gloucestershire, off to spend some money.

Yes, indeed.

NARRATOR: And with that in mind, it's time for celebrities to meet ex-- oh, lordy.

Will!

What is happening?

Oh, my days.

What have you done?

I was saying you were driving it so nicely.

Oh, I don't want to touch it.

Oh, don't I'm going to open it.

NARRATOR: Oh, dear.

WILL AXON: Right.

It's the engine.

NARRATOR: He's brilliant, isn't he?

OK, time for some shoe leather, I think.

We've got to start walking.

You lead the way.

I don't have a clue how to get there.

[MUSIC PLAYING] What time the call is?

Oh, Natasha broke the car.

It wasn't me, believe me.

It wasn't me.

Really?

So nice to meet you.

How you doing?

How are you?

Hi, how are you doing?

Nice to meet you as well.

NARRATOR: Now they've finally united, they've already decided that Geraldine will pair up with Will and Charles with Natasha.

And the latter is nabbing the only remaining car.

You know, I'm going to have to try and blag some alternative mode of transport.

I saw a bus.

A bus will do.

Will, I feel so sorry for you.

This car is lovely.

I'm sorry, Geraldine, to turf you out.

OK. That's all right.

See you later.

Bye.

Bye.

Come on in.

Right.

How awful then.

We'll walk in their tracks.

NARRATOR: So Charles and Natasha set sail.

I know Geraldine for quite some time now.

In fact, honestly, she's one of my oldest friends.

She's the most delightful woman.

NARRATOR: While Geraldine and Will are rather stuck in port.

Seriously, a jag?

Yes, but we can't just get in a car.

NARRATOR: Luckily, at the local crazy golf course, generous jag owner Peter will give them a lift.

Thanks, Peter.

NARRATOR: They're finally on the road.

Meanwhile, Charles and Natasha have arrived in the town of Tetbury and are ready to shop.

They're heading into Top Banana Antiques Mall.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Hoping it lives up to his name.

Are you ready?

Well, as ready as I'll ever be.

NARRATOR: Where dealer Julian will greet them.

Hello, Julian.

Hi, nice to meet you.

And you.

NARRATOR: Nice to meet you, too.

Should we start on the shelves where we can actually pick some stuff up and have a good fondle?

Very good idea, darling.

JULIAN: I'm going to get this open so you can fondle in here, too.

Oh, fantastic.

Awesome.

We knew we'd come to the right place.

Right, OK. We have a lot of fondling.

Let's go.

NARRATOR: Hey, I say.

First, they're going to scour the place.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Ah, Natasha's found something.

Having played so many wonderful, authoritative parts-- Yeah.

Look what's behind you.

Look at that hatbox.

It's wonderful.

It looks wooden.

Oh, it's tin.

Hold my glasses, will you?

I will.

CHARLES DANCE: But it's pretty unusual, isn't it?

Let's face it.

- Let's see.

Is there a hat inside?

It would be so nice if there were.

No.

There's not a hat inside.

NARRATOR: It's a tin for a naval officers bike horn hat, probably dating from the 19th century.

Charles is quite keen on naval history, so that's piqued his fancy.

But it's a quirky thing.

It is, isn't it?

You're absolutely right.

We'll come back to that.

NATASHA RASKIN: It's cool, isn't it?

Well, spotted.

NARRATOR: Cool.

They're off to a good start.

But what's that Charles has spied now?

Give me that silver blocks.

What?

These are just blocks of silver, then it's-- They're ingots, aren't they?

Just blocks that have been hallmarked.

And they are quite wearable.

But as objects, I mean, I've never seen these things before.

But then and again, I'm just an actor.

NARRATOR: An actor with an eye for antiques, Charles.

It's an engraved silver ingot, hallmarked for 1977.

On the ticket, 24 pounds.

Polish time.

Yeah, you know, I mean polished that, they are the pretty things, aren't they?

Don't you think?

NATASHA RASKIN: They are rather smart.

I'm going to talk to Julian about it.

You do your stuff.

I can't wait to see you in action.

Yeah.

Do it.

Why not?

NARRATOR: Oh, Julian.

CHARLES DANCE: What's the best price you can do for me?

I reckon we'll do it for 18 pounds.

For 18 pounds?

18 pounds.

[CLEARS THROAT] I was hoping you might do it for something like 12.

12.

So 15 pounds, we have a deal.

Oh.

He's playing hard.

Oh, cool.

Thanks, Julian.

Thank you very much.

CHARLES DANCE: Thank you.

NARRATOR: That's their first buy sealed.

And this has all the hallmarks of a promising day shopping.

[LAUGHS] Meanwhile, Geraldine and Will are being ferried in generous bystander Peter's Jag.

We have landed on our feet.

Peter, you're very kind to give us a lift.

NARRATOR: And Will's coming out as a fan of one of Geraldine's recently celebrated roles in dark conspiracy drama "Utopia."

I mean, "Utopia," it was an amazing piece of television.

I'd be interested to see how you sort of saw it.

It was extraordinary.

For me, it all starts from the script.

And I read that and was completely hooked by the writing.

It was so unusual and so mysterious and so sort of shocking.

All that is great.

Really good fun.

NARRATOR: And there's more fun back in Tetbury, where Charles and Natasha are still combing through their first shop's ample stock.

CHARLES DANCE: For all manner of things in here-- NARRATOR: But what's this Charles has alighted upon?

You see, It's 2016.

It's 100 years since the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

And we are rightly being reminded of that bloody, horrible battle.

NARRATOR: It's a scrapbook containing photographs of combatants in the First World War.

Charles is intrigued by it.

However, let us see what Natasha thinks about it.

She, who must be obeyed.

NARRATOR: I'll say.

Natasha.

Charles.

What have you got?

Well, have a look at that.

NATASHA RASKIN: OK.

The Great War press cuttings.

Yeah.

Well, now, there are a cuttings in it.

But there are these photographs.

Oh, look at these.

Hold on.

Are the actual-- they are.

It looks like-- Well, they're photographs.

Yeah.

Whether they're photographs of photographs, if you know what I mean.

Yeah.

NARRATOR: I do, Charles.

It looks as though the photographs might be commercially produced reprints.

The book probably dates from the interwar period.

It's got 48 pounds on it.

Indeed.

Well, I think, you know, we'd have to-- we'd have to do better than that.

NARRATOR: With one book set aside, Charles is revealing himself to be a bit of a bibliophile.

I have no idea what this is.

But it looks as if it might be rather lovely.

Well, look at that.

NARRATOR: It's an illustrated copy of the epic poem "Evangeline" by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

This limited edition was published in the late 19th century.

Aesthetically, I think that's really rather beautiful.

When I was at art school, I did typography and photography.

And as a piece of book design, it's really rather lovely.

I bet this is probably an eye watering amount.

I don't know.

40 quid.

Again, I'm going to talk to Natasha, I'm afraid.

She's my guiding light.

NATASHA RASKIN: What catches my eye is that each book plates, one of the really nice ones if we get to this, by Frank Dicksee.

Are you familiar with that name?

CHARLES DANCE: No, I'm not.

But I hope you are.

Proper Victorian artist.

Yeah.

Really, paintings like La Belle Dame sans Merci.

CHARLES DANCE: Easy for you to say.

Really evocative, stirring subject matter.

And that kind of pre-Raphaelite style.

She knows her stuff, doesn't she?

NARRATOR: Bet she does.

But they've now assembled a large pile of items they like-- the World War I scrapbook, the edition of "Evangeline," and the bicorn hat they saw earlier.

So with their heads set on a hard haggle, off they go to Julian, ticket price on all that lot is 173 pounds.

Well, the current, not too fine a point on it.

I'd like to leave the shop.

With some pennies left.

That, that, that, and I'd like some change from 100.

Oh, my god.

Now, that is hard work.

Well, listen, I've been doing maths rapidly and reworking and shaving and chipping and redoing and re-addding.

I reckon 140 quid.

How about 115, and we leave the shop?

120 and we do a deal now.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

NARRATOR: Phew.

With full use of Charles's trademark steely gaze, a deal is struck.

But while they're paying up-- Let's call it 130.

How about that?

- Charles.

Let's not chuckle about-- Charles.

130, a deal.

NARRATOR: Oh, Charles.

I can keep lunch in there, couldn't I. NARRATOR: Certainly could.

Meanwhile in that lovely Jag, Geraldine and Will have traveled about 20 miles.

And Geraldine's filling Will in on a little of her family background.

My parents were both in the medical profession.

They met in a hospital.

My mom worked at guys during the war.

NARRATOR: As luck would have it, this morning, they're heading for a place that can shed a bit of light on the fascinating early history of British public medicine, the Mechanics Institute of Swindon's railway village.

They are indeed driving to the town of Swindon, where they're meeting Daniel Rose, Chair of the Mechanics Institute Trust.

The railway village here was built in the 1840s to house the workforce employed in the huge Swindon workshops of the Great Western Railway.

The railway was one of the grand marvels of the Victorian industrial age, designed and built by the most famous of our engineers, Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

GERALDINE JAMES: Was this all Brunel's idea?

It was pronounced design that laid out the railway village that we see today and all of these buildings around us.

WILL AXON: Yeah.

DANIEL ROSE: It was the GWR that brought the workforce to Swindon.

The railway brought the people.

That's right.

And with all those people that arrived to work in the railway works, they needed somewhere to live.

They needed facilities and recreational opportunities.

NARRATOR: The jobs created by GWR's workshops attracted people to this previously quiet area.

But the cottages of the railway village were soon under great strain.

Hundreds and then thousands of workers descended on this area.

But there just wasn't enough supply of housing.

There is meant to be 300 cottages that Brunel was meant to build in this area.

People recorded in their diaries at the time and started to vote with their feet the fact that it was a pretty dull place and wasn't a very healthy place either.

There was a real risk that Swindon would fail.

And it was thanks to the efforts of the workers themselves that saved the place and turned Swindon into a success.

NARRATOR: The Mechanics Institution was formed in 1844 for the benefit and enlightenment of those employed by the GWR.

In the coming years, it would provide all the necessary facilities for new Swindon to become a thriving community.

Medical care, entertainment, and education were all eventually provided for the workforce.

Who funded all these community endeavors?

The workers themselves came together.

The Great Western Railway gave them the land.

But then, they had to raise funds.

So they sold shares.

Well, essentially, the workers themselves built and paid for and governed the organization in the building.

GERALDINE JAMES: Did they have a theater?

They did.

The theater was upstairs in the Mechanics Institution.

You can see it here today.

It's built in 1854.

WILL AXON: It's beautiful building.

DANIEL ROSE: And that was really the center of Swindon social life.

NARRATOR: Today, the building is boarded up, but there are proposals to redevelop it.

Over the years, even greater facilities were provided to the Swindon works employees.

Here, a Medical Fund Society brought a level of health care that had never before been enjoyed by ordinary working people.

So all these little rooms, what are they?

Are they different treatment rooms?

Yes.

So there was a range of different therapies available in this building, including the swimming baths and the Turkish baths but also a range of medical care.

There's doctors.

There was a dentistry.

And there was also a range of other therapies.

All for free?

Yes, all for free because people contributed to the Medical Fund Society through their wages.

NARRATOR: These innovations at Swindon continued into the 20th century.

And when the idea of a national health service was raised, its architects knew just where to look.

Of course, it was then in the 1940s, when Nye Bevan visited Swindon during the formation and the ideas of the NHS, that came here and studied the Medical Fund Society and took inspiration from what happened here.

It was part of the blueprint that he put together for a National Health Service.

NARRATOR: So the vision of the Mechanics Institution helped to provide universal care for the whole of the country.

And this building is still caring for the people of Swindon today.

DANIEL ROSE: The building is still fully operational, which is an amazing thing.

There are therapists in here.

So there are chiropractors and osteopaths, and physiotherapists, that kind of thing, along with just people going for a swim.

NARRATOR: Now, Charles and Natasha are motoring to the town of Cirencester in Gloucestershire.

They're heading into Cirencester's Antiques Center, a very cosmopolitan choice.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Here we are, Cirencester, change here from Moscow, Stockholm, and in Paris.

NATASHA RASKIN: Cirencester, yeah.

OK. You ready to buy some more stuff?

Indeed.

OK.

So am I. NARRATOR: And they're straight off and browsing.

[MUSIC PLAYING] NATASHA RASKIN: What do you have?

Is that we frame?

Oh.

It's a cute one for all the family.

It is, isn't it?

Oh, look, actually, it's quite theatrical because it's got curtains.

Let's see it up.

Very nice.

And then reveal to us-- CHARLES DANCE: Yeah.

That's rather nice, isn't it?

NATASHA RASKIN: That's just cute.

NARRATOR: It probably dates from the early or mid-20th century and has a ticket price of 42 pounds.

Hm, we really want it for about 15-20.

We do, darling.

We do.

Maybe even less.

NARRATOR: But what has Natasha spotted now?

Maybe we could beef up our lot, so we bid that nice press cuttings folder.

Maybe we could add a little bit of trench on it, too, perhaps.

Yeah.

NARRATOR: Trench art is work produced by soldiers in the First World War, usually, items crafted from materials readily available on the battlefield, like these empty shell casings.

OK.

So they're quite naive and quite sweet and genuine.

CHARLES DANCE: And also they're cheap.

They are cheap.

Yeah.

NARRATOR: They are, at 18 pounds for pair.

So they certainly got their sights on those.

But there's another battle coming as Will and Geraldine are here, too.

Watch out.

Go on.

After you.

OK. Get in.

NARRATOR: And look who's waiting in the wings.

Uh-oh.

We spot them.

Oh, that's a good question.

Look at him.

Look.

He's found something.

He's found something.

Let's say hello.

Come on.

Let's get them warmed up.

GERALDINE JAMES: Hello.

Hello.

WILL AXON: What you're hiding?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Are you seeing upstairs?

You're going down the stairs?

- We haven't been upstairs.

WILL AXON: What have you done downstairs?

Have you been-- You do go downstairs and good luck.

Yes.

See you soon.

WILL AXON: That's a terrible limp you've got them.

I know it's such a shame.

He did have something behind his back.

NARRATOR: You two better stop spying on the opposition and get browsing.

GERALDINE JAMES: Glasses-- WILL AXON: You like glass?

GERALDINE JAMES: --set.

I love glass.

Will?

Yes?

See that's a very interesting pattern of that.

WILL AXON: Is that Torquay ware?

GERALDINE JAMES: I've never seen it.

Well it must be.

Yeah.

Torquay.

It's not unusual.

I've never seen that pattern before.

NARRATOR: You do know your stuff, Geraldine.

Impressive.

It's quite pretty, isn't it?

It is quite pretty.

It's 8 pounds.

It's potential.

GERALDINE JAMES: OK. WILL AXON: Shall we leave it here?

Yeah.

Hide it behind a plate.

You're learning quick.

Leave it with me.

NARRATOR: We shall.

Devon pottery.

Why do I keep honing in on this stuff just because I know it.

I think we've got to buy a piece of Devon pottery.

33 quid.

NARRATOR: Another piece of pottery from the West Country.

This one made in the Devon town of Dartmouth.

This jug could be paired with a beaker to make a job lot from the sunny southwest.

They're building up quite a haul, these two.

[MUSIC PLAYING] But elsewhere, Charles and Natasha are still on the hunt.

CHARLES DANCE: And what's that?

NATASHA RASKIN: I don't know.

Is that some sort of-- is that not for tickets on a bus?

It is.

NATASHA RASKIN: Is that a conductor's ticket machine?

CHARLES DANCE: Give him your money, the ticket comes out.

And I guess he goes like that, and out comes your ticket.

NARRATOR: The ticket machine probably dates from the 1960s.

And there's 69 pounds on the ticket.

Well, there's the ticket thing, look.

Oh, look, it even comes the spool of paper.

CHARLES DANCE: That goes in there.

Oh, I see.

NATASHA RASKIN: Oh, that's cool.

Now, that's got my juices running, OK?

NATASHA RASKIN: That's what I wanted to hear.

NARRATOR: There's a thought, these two also have the little picture frame and the pair of trench art vases in mind.

Shopkeeper will intense phoning the three dealers.

First on the blower, Nicky, who owns the 42-pound picture frame.

And I'd love to know what you're very, very, very, very best price would be.

30 quid?

All right, that's a deal.

All right.

Thank you very much, Nicky.

Thank you.

Bye.

OK. She must like you.

She doesn't normally go that low.

Oh, how good is that?

NARRATOR: Next up, Neil, who owns the pair of trench art vases with a ticket price of 18 pounds.

What's the very best you can do for that?

How about half price, 9 quid?

Sorry?

It's that Raj, did you say?

No you're speaking to Charles, Charles Dance, my name is.

Hello.

You're a gentleman.

Thank you very, very much indeed, Neil.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

9 pounds?

9 pounds.

How good is that?

Well done, Raj.

Yes.

Is that Raj?

Yes.

NARRATOR: A case of mistaken identity notwithstanding.

That's another winner.

Now, what about the ticket machine which had 69 pounds on its own ticket?

Can I make you an offer?

Somewhere between 35 and 40.

Would you, really?

You're a gentleman.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

40.

40 pounds, well done!

NARRATOR: Charles's mellifluous tones make that a phone haggling hat trick.

NATASHA RASKIN: We have got quite a swag bag, Charles.

CHARLES DANCE: Swag bag.

NARRATOR: Yeah, in row, they've got that lot.

Thank you.

Thanks, bye.

NARRATOR: That's 79 pounds.

But Geraldine and Will are still on the hunt.

Listen to Charles Dance down there, bartering away.

I can hear him, you know.

All right, come on.

I have this for nothing.

GERALDINE JAMES: I think he's enjoying himself.

I'm enjoying myself, but I'm just feeling a little bit-- but I should have-- We need to get-- Committed in my cash.

NARRATOR: And on that note-- But you like silver?

On the left.

Yes, I do like silver.

I remember in India, all the silver jewelry.

If we can find a bit of Indian silver, perhaps we could go with that.

NARRATOR: And dealer Brian might have just the thing to remind Geraldine of her Indian adventures.

Is that Indian?

Yes.

Very Indian.

Oh, yes.

NARRATOR: It's a little silver embossed box with the ticket price of 78 pounds.

I've dropped the price just like Brian's going to.

Put that to one side for us.

And we can always battle it out.

NARRATOR: Yeah.

That's a possibility.

But elsewhere, there's one more exotic item.

That's nice.

Quite nice.

That architectural carving.

What is it?

Oh, wait.

Oh, no.

Mind your head.

NARRATOR: Lordy, it's an ornate carved lintel, apparently hailing from a Moroccan Riad, ticketed at 110 pounds.

Please, stop picking it up.

You're going to hurt you self.

Well, I'm just having a look at it.

NARRATOR: Yes, stop trying to lift that.

And let's see if dealer Brian can lower some prices.

- Hi.

- Hi.

Brian.

NARRATOR: First up, the West Country pottery ticketed at 41 pounds combined.

WILL AXON: Your very best price.

Very best.

How about 30?

30 pounds for the two?

It's quite good, isn't it?

It is quite good.

It's not quite as good as 25.

That's not good.

That's naughty.

That's not good for you.

That's naughty.

But hang on.

We had the little silver box as well we got behind the counter, didn't we?

- Yeah.

I get that for you.

Yeah.

In the catacombs, I found this one, a lovely Chinese one.

WILL AXON: Oh, look how bright.

BRIAN: And it has fine work on that.

That's better finish, isn't it?

Now, that's I like.

Yeah.

More refined, better quality than perhaps the Indian piece.

GERALDINE JAMES: I like the feel of that better than that.

I like that.

Do we have a price on that.

There isn't a price on it which is slightly worrying.

No, that one's 85.

But I can do it for 60 for you.

WILL AXON: I think Brian has done us a good-- Yes, I think that sounds good.

--turn there.

So my part of the bargaining, I'm going to say yes at 60 pounds.

Brilliant.

NARRATOR: And what of the Moroccan carved lintel, priced at 110 pounds and owned by a dealer off site.

If he said it's 50 quid, I'd say we'd have it.

But that's a big ask.

That's a big ask.

Isn't it?

50 pounds is a big ask, isn't it?

Oh, wow.

He's in a very good mood, 55.

- Should we go for it?

- Yeah.

Let's go for it.

We've got to, really.

After we-- Will you thank him very, very much?

Geraldine says thank you very much.

Brilliant and Will.

NARRATOR: So those three lot combined are now offered for 145 pounds in total.

But Will's got other ideas.

So can we say 130-- Yes, absolutely.

Good heavens, thank you.

This man has been a godsend.

Thank you very much.

Indeed.

You have been-- NARRATOR: What a deal.

And they've got everything they need in this shop, too.

Well, we revert to type now.

You pay the man, and I'll go and get the heavy thing.

NARRATOR: And with that, the curtain falls on a fabulous first day on this road trip.

Nighty night, darlings.

But these players are such stuff as dreams are made of.

The morning greets them on the road and ready for more.

Did you have a good time yesterday?

I felt like a kid in a toy shop.

I absolutely loved it.

You?

I think it was OK.

Thank god for Natasha.

Have you bought anything that might be a tiny bit risky?

I think it's all a tiny bit risky.

NARRATOR: You catch on quick, Charles.

And they're divergent experts are moving, too, and in a replacement car.

Is that a 1970 Citroen DS 20, I think.

I think it is.

Well, Will, [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH].. Well done.

Where did you come across this French beauty?

WILL: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] NARRATOR: Hi Charlie.

So far Charles and Natasha have amassed a whopping seven items.

The Great War scrapbook the Bighorn hat tin, the volume of Evangeline, the silver ingot, the pair of trench art vases, the bus conductors ticket machine, and the little picture frame.

Blimey, they still have 191 pounds left to spend.

While Geraldine and Will have gathered three lots.

The Moroccan lintel, the Chinese silver box, and the two pieces of West country pottery.

They still have 270 pounds in their pockets.

Oh they look cool don't they?

Look at that.

NARRATOR: There they are.

Good morning.

NARRATOR: OK let's get this show on the road.

Don't ask.

NARRATOR: Where exactly did you get that car Will?

Now, Charles is reminiscing on his time making the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, The Last Action Hero.

I was sat in the makeup room with F. Murray Abraham, who was also in the film, and we were having possibly a rather pompous conversation about European art films.

You know OK. And Arnold came in on the back of it, you know.

He said, you know you need the money you make in my films to make your art films.

He said, you are absolutely right Arnold.

NARRATOR: And talk has turned to Hollywood in the other car too.

I did a film, a small bit in a film, with Morgan Freeman.

Wow.

And I was beside myself.

Star struck, really?

I was playing his lover.

And we had to have a love scene in a pile of hay.

He's such a wonderful man.

NARRATOR: Mais oui.

This morning these two are driving to Bath.

They've still got a whopping 270 pounds to spend.

And they're strolling off to Bath Antiques.

- Hello.

- Welcome.

How do you do?

I'm Geraldine.

NARRATOR: Niceties concluded time for a plan.

Should we go round together?

Or do you want to split up?

No I'm going-- let's go around together.

You shout if you say anything that-- I will.

--catches your eye.

(WHISPERING) 150.

150 pounds.

Nope.

We don't know what we're looking for do we?

We just want something that we like.

Something to jump out at us.

(WHISPERING) What's this big ol thing?

NARRATOR: Will seems to have lost Geraldine.

But what's he found?

This just caught my eye.

Really just because it's big and impressive.

But I'm just trying to ascertain if it's got any age to it.

NARRATOR: Well there's plenty of dust.

Just having to look for any wear on the foot.

It looks to have a little bit of wear, you know.

I mean it's a big impressive lot.

NARRATOR: It's got a big impressive ticket price too, 95 pounds.

Not signed anywhere though, that's a shame.

NARRATOR: Let's call in Geraldine.

Well I was looking at that earlier on.

- Were you?

- Mhm.

I mean it's obviously got a little bit of age to it.

Has it?

Because that's what I-- I think so.

Because look you can see-- do you see how you see these natural ripples?

And then you've got these little air bubbles caught in it.

NARRATOR: Time to talk money with, Annette.

Standby go Well I've gone from the cellar right back upstairs.

- Yeah.

- And-- Right back down again.

I've come back with this well I think it's a rather nice glass center bowl.

Yeah.

It was tucked away upstairs-- Yeah.

--covered in dust.

Yeah.

So it's obviously been there forever.

It's been there for a while.

Price wise we would really need to be buying it for as close to 20, 30 quid as we could.

OK I'll phone Jill.

NARRATOR: The vendor, Jill, isn't here today.

Fortunately, Annette, has her on speed dial.

So over to you, Geraldine.

(ON PHONE) Hello.

We've had a very good look round here.

And we're rather struck by your green glass bowl.

What are we say asking?

We're wondering if-- 25.

--you'd be prepared to accept 25?

Yeah.

JILL (ON PHONE): How about, let's say 28 and a half you can have it.

Tonight, at 28.50 pounds (WHISPERING) 28 and a half.

28 quid.

(ON PHONE) 28 and we're sorted.

We're sorted on 28.

JILL (ON PHONE): That's fine.

(ON PHONE) Is that all right?

Thank you Jill.

NARRATOR: Earning credible discount on the dusty green bowl.

Well done Geraldine.

I'll do the honors and carry the piece - Thank you.

- Thank you.

Very nice to meet you.

Thanks a lot.

Lovely to meet you.

Thanks very much for all you help.

- Thank you and you.

- Bye bye.

Bye.

NARRATOR: Meanwhile, Charles and Natasha are aiming for their first shop of the day.

I've got you at my right hand and I don't think we can fail.

NARRATOR: That's the spirit.

This morning they're driving to Warminster.

But what are they going to find here?

Right, the object is to spend money.

NARRATOR: Indeed it is.

They're meeting dealer, Laura.

Hello.

Can I have a jelly baby?

Absolutely, go for it.

NARRATOR: And with that little sweetener, they're on the hunt.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Intriguing but who wants to buy it?

No one.

[LAUGHING] Sorry, forgive me.

NARRATOR: Ha!

But there's one thing that has made an impression.

[MUSIC PLAYING] I haven't looked at the label so I have no idea what this is.

Very interesting, isn't it?

NARRATOR: It's a bench that's been fashioned from a piece of farming equipment with a wooden top added.

The custom piece is Victorian.

1840s circa 1840.

I think it says 1890s.

Charles you forgot your glasses.

Honestly, if I believed you everything would be 50 years older than it was.

[LAUGHING] NARRATOR: I know Charles, the cheek.

I like it.

I love it.

It is super cool.

I think, is exactly-- Do you like it at 349 quid?

No, I don't.

But I like it, I like it's style.

I'm not sure about-- [TAPPING ON BENCH] the iron thing.

NARRATOR: The iron what Charles?

I have faith in the material.

Is what I have faith in.

And the fact that the Victorian's just cast everything in iron.

But more importantly, do you have faith that it will sell?

Yes.

I mean it's a cool thing.

You do?

Oh for sure it would sell.

NARRATOR: That hefty ticket says it's owned by a dealer called Debs.

What man or a woman is Debs, Laura?

LAURA: My mother.

- Oh!

Oh that's Debs.

That Debs.

That Debs.

NARRATOR: And while Laura has a conflab with her mom, they search on.

Do those open?

[DOOR OPENS] Oh, Charles.

When is the door not a door?

I don't know.

When it's ajar.

When-- [LAUGHING] NARRATOR: Ah, ha ha.

The old ones are the best Charles.

And this pair of hallmarked silver vases have some age too.

They're marked for 1904.

OK. Let's have a look.

These are typically Edwardian.

--looking they are.

At 160 quid.

Oh, 160?

- Yeah.

- OK. Well-- Well reduced.

Reduced from 200-- Reduced from 260.

These are not rare.

These are stylish.

So-- Sorry, what did you say?

Yeah, so-- Hello.

[LAUGHING] NARRATOR: Speak up Natasha.

Ha!

So I'd be looking for about half price.

And I'd be looking for you to work your magic.

OK. NARRATOR: Laura will try to contact the dealer who owns those.

But they've too pricey buys in mind and only 191 pounds left.

It turns out Laura's mom Debs is in fact nearby.

LAURA: Very close by, but hiding.

Yes.

Could she come out of hiding?

Could I have a word with mom?

I'm sure you can.

I shall go and see if I can pull her out.

Fabulous.

Her mom, she's heard that Charles Dance is coming.

And she's seen you play these horrible villains and you've scared her into hiding.

No I haven't.

Not at all.

Well-- She's out there making herself a cup of tea.

Treat it as a role.

Lull her into a false sense of security.

[LAUGHING] I don't like to lull her into a sense of sec-- not a false sense of security.

Oh, right.

OK.

I'll do my damnedest anyway.

Oh there she is.

Here we go.

Oh damn.

He doesn't bite, Mom.

[LAUGHING] - Hello Debs, how are you?

- I'm Deb.

Pleased to meet you.

- How very nice to see you.

NARRATOR: God he's smooth.

Time for a chat about that bench.

Debs has priced it at 349 pounds.

I'm going to be really cheeky now.

Go on then.

Try me.

Um.

Can I have that for 85 quid?

You never straighten your hair I hope, do you?

No.

Well do you know so many women do.

I know-- they spend hours with straighteners getting these fantastic waves out of their hair.

And you don't do it.

Don't ever straighten your hair.

I won't It's brilliant.

Anyway.

[LAUGHING] But-- I think that might have worked.

NARRATOR: He is good, isn't he.

So can we shake on 85 quid?

Government has it I owe you, all right.

I had a line in Game of Thrones, the Lan-- the Lannisters always pay their debts.

- And now-- - Good luck with it.

--you're indebted to Debs.

I hope you'll do well.

NARRATOR: Thank you Debs, very kind.

But now Laura's got the dealer who owns the silver vases on the blower.

(ON PHONE) Hello, Heather, it's Charles Dance.

How are you?

HEATHER (ON PHONE): Hello.

I'm very well thank you.

(ON PHONE) Good.

OK. What we're trying to do is leave this shop with our shopping finished.

So I want to give you what we have remaining in our hot little pocket, you see.

Am I pushing my luck to offer you 100?

You're an absolute angel, Heather.

Thank you very, very much indeed.

And thank you for being patient with us.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

HEATHER (ON PHONE): And you.

Enjoy your shopping.

All right my darling, thank you.

NARRATOR: Another devastatingly charming haggle from Charles, means they spent all but 6 pounds of their budget.

Isn't that fantastic?

May I?

[KISSING SOUNDS] Thank you.

NARRATOR: And they're wandering onwards.

I'm in complete awe of you Charles Dance.

That was amazing.

[LAUGHING] NARRATOR: Back in beautiful Bath.

Geraldine and Will have just finished lunch.

All right for some, eh?

GERALDINE: That was delicious.

Wait a minute.

What's going on here?

Hello Lads.

What's going on here?

You don't often see one of these in the middle of the street.

So what was the plan with this?

Well, I was going to put it in the office.

We've got an antique office up there antique office Yeah.

It's an old office.

But it's packed full of antiques.

And this worked quite well in there but unfortunately it won't fit.

NARRATOR: This sounds like an opportunity.

A 19th century French escritoire.

Seems to be going begging, rather.

We're on an antiques road trip.

And we're looking for things to buy.

NARRATOR: Jeremy here, has got this grand beast from a dealer nearby.

How much was it?

700 quid.

But since then-- which is quite good --but since then I've damaged the front.

Ah.

By, by the front falling open.

And also, I think there's a little bit of live woodwork.

What do you reckon?

We could help this man out, couldn't we?

Will, we haven't quite got anything like 700.

We haven't 700 quid.

Would you take 230 for it?

Yeah.

Go on then.

Saves from packing it back in the van.

- Really?

- Really?

NARRATOR: Really?

--French Empire stuff anyway, so.

Go on then.

Yeah.

Go on.

200-- Hey.

- What have we done?

- Give him some money.

Thank you.

I wasn't expecting that.

It's all right.

Tell me what, it's a deal.

NARRATOR: A most unexpected alfresco buy or al desk oh buy.

Pay the man.

Oh look.

I've actually left myself a tenner.

We need that for-- But I need that for this afternoon.

NARRATOR: Check your pockets Will.

You actually have 12 pounds left.

That's absolutely amazing.

- Thanks for that.

- All the best.

- Amazing.

- That's hilarious.

Um, I'm not sure I just did that.

Did we?

NARRATOR: You jolly well did.

Now, whilst motoring to their next stop.

Charles is filling Natasha in on his childhood.

I was brought up in Plymouth.

I was brought up by the sea.

It's very much, it's kind of part of my blood.

I need to be by the sea at times.

I actually thought about joining the Navy.

Really?

NARRATOR: So they're driving to the environs of the village of Ilchester and flying towards the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm Museum.

Look they saved a space for us and everything.

Fabulous.

NARRATOR: Where they're meeting curator, Dave Morris.

Hello, this is Natasha.

NARRATOR: This enormous hangar houses an impressive collection of over 90 aircraft.

Which tell the story of the Royal Navy's adventures in the skies.

Although you might naturally think of our Naval forces as being sea-bound.

The Navy has in fact been developing aircraft and flying missions for more than a century.

And Charles, for one, can't wait to find out more.

Tell me, how and why did the Navy take to the air?

One of the great necessities at sea is to be able to see over the horizon.

So the Navy's been experimenting with tethered kites and tethered man lifting balloons for many, many years.

In a bid to try and just get that advantage of looking over the horizon.

CHARLES: How many years though?

From the early 1900s.

Really?

As soon as kites and balloons are being developed enough to lift a man and think usefully about that.

The Navy starts to become interested in flying.

NARRATOR: These early experiments with kites and balloons showed the Navy what advantages aerial capability could offer to the fleet.

And in 1903 one great innovation blew those possibilities sky high.

The aeroplane comes along in 1903 as the first time man has used powered controlled flight.

And the Navy has taken an immediate interest.

It can move away from the ship several miles.

And rove around, pick up information, spot weather, spot landfall.

Use it tactically.

Even begin to think about using it for search and rescue.

NARRATOR: The plane behind them is a very early example of a Naval aircraft.

CHARLES: Did a plane like that sit on the top deck of a battleship?

DAVE: Pretty much, yes.

And it-- CHARLES: Really?

But a plane like that needs quite a lot of meters to take off, doesn't it?

Exactly.

And this is what they were learning fast.

As they were beginning to look at taking airplanes to sea and using them for the first time.

The platforms, the structures, the take off platforms were incredibly small.

Very precarious, very dangerous.

Yeah.

And they were relying as much on the ship steaming into wind that would just about get an aircraft airborne.

In a very short distance.

- I don't like the just about.

- No.

- Do you?

- No.

If I was a pilot on that plane and somebody said we could just about take off.

Wow.

DAVE: They were learning fast that flying from ships was possible but very, very dangerous.

CHARLES: Yeah.

NARRATOR: From the Navy's first hazardous forays into launching planes at sea.

They quickly began to develop more advanced technologies.

The experimental age is over.

Aircraft are now needed and being used of course for war.

This is the beginning of World War I.

This is typical of one of the Sopwith aircraft that would have been used by the Royal Naval Air service during World War I.

And straight away lots of things are changing.

It's got more purpose.

It's got a better engine.

The whole design has become more compact.

Yeah.

And these floats mean that it can land and take off on water?

Absolutely.

NATASHA: So exactly how large a role did planes like this play during World War I?

Enormous.

It was huge.

Aircraft changed the shape of warfare as we know it.

From World War I you're no longer dealing with just foot troops and cavalry.

You can now get airborne, fly around over the battle zone, look down, attack from above.

I mean it put a whole new dimension literally into warfare.

NARRATOR: Over the coming decades the Navy's air fleet would continue to make brave leaps forward.

One of the great sea changes came in the period following World War II when they began to swap wings for rotor blades developing Navy helicopters like this one.

DAVE: Four years after the end of World War II, we've got this as the new technology.

The new helicopter age.

NATASHA: Amazing.

Am I allowed to get in there?

Please do.

No stress.

Get in there soldier.

Oh my days.

[MUSIC PLAYING] [NATASHA LAUGHING] Oh brilliant.

There's not a lot of room in here.

Oh you look great.

Do I really?

He looks the part.

The other key please.

NARRATOR: Study on Charles.

Meanwhile, Geraldine and Will have motored the Citroen 40 minutes southwest to the village of Ston Easton.

Oh, two magpies.

- Two?

- Yep.

That's a good sign.

Very good sign.

NARRATOR: Let's hope all is joyful as they aim for their next shop, the Somerset Shop and Reclamation.

Looks interesting.

Oh my days.

Look at this.

Oh my word.

Slightly wish we had a bit more money.

Hello!

NARRATOR: Quite, you've only got 12 pounds left in your kitty.

WILL: How do you do?

I'm Will.

Hello, Will.

I'm John.

Hello, John.

Nice to meet you.

You're a small lad aren't you?

NARRATOR: Around 6 foot 4 if you're wondering.

Hi.

Geraldine.

Hello Geraldine.

John.

- Very nice to meet you.

- Very pleased to meet you.

What an amazing place.

What an amazing place you've got here.

NARRATOR: Well with everything from clocks to cartwheels.

Statues to sinks your spoiled for choice.

And what's this?

I don't believe it.

[GERALDINE GASPS] Look at that.

Ah!

Ring any bells?

NARRATOR: Yup this one's in better nick than the one you picked up yesterday too.

No regrets though, eh?

Look don't even ask how much it is because we'll only be upset.

Oh.

But that's interesting isn't it?

[MUSIC PLAYING] He's got a coffin.

[LAUGHING] Well, this is the most extraordinary place I've ever been to in my life.

And I love reclamation places.

But I think this one needs a little bit of a sort through.

NARRATOR: How about a nosy outside?

Oh, yeah they can be quite fun.

People use those as door stops.

Yeah we've got some more of those in the showroom.

NARRATOR: They've spotted a cobbler's last.

A foot-shaped tool that when slotted inside a shoe provides a stable block for when nailing on a sole.

So we got those there.

And they're working-- they put the shoe on there and-- That's right.

Sometimes they even stamped the soles on there.

All right here's this one.

I think me arms about an inch longer from when I picked it up.

GERALDINE: Well that's definitely the most interesting one.

We're just thinking as a doorstop, something like that.

Slightly industrial sort of look to it.

Some of the original paints.

So they're 12 quid each normally.

Could we do two for 12?

NARRATOR: Hey, that's buy one, get one free.

Will John bog off?

Um, I think I would.

Yes.

And you are a fantastic person.

Well I'll tell you what, let's shake on it.

And I'm going to say thank you very much.

NARRATOR: How kind.

That final purchase means Geraldine and Will have spent every single penny of their 400 pounds.

Congratulations.

WILL: There you are.

GERALDINE: That's the last of our funds.

WILL: And thank you.

GERALDINE: Thank you, John.

Very nice to meet you.

- Pleased to meet you too.

GERALDINE: It's an amazing place.

WILL: Right, grab that one?

GERALDINE: Thank you.

WILL: And I'll grab-- I'm always there for the heavy stuff aren't I?

Thank you John.

That's kind of you.

GERALDINE: You're getting so good at it.

NARRATOR: Shopping completed, it's time for our actors to take a peek at what the competition has bought.

OK let's do it.

Shall we do it Charles?

Show them.

All right, you do that end.

There's two cloths.

NATASHA: Napoleon's hat.

That's the provenance worn by Napoleon.

It's not.

NATASHA: Just the hat tin.

Not the hat included.

CHARLES: While it's all very pretty, I think it's a lunchbox.

NATASHA: It's not.

GERALDINE: It's a [INAUDIBLE] lunchbox.

It would make a fine lunchbox.

That's-- It would, wouldn't it?

- It would make a-- - It would make a good lunchbox.

Has it got anything in it?

Does it open?

Unfortunate-- it opens, but unfortunately there is nothing in it.

I reckon you paid 20 quid.

OK. Times that-- Ten.

--by three.

Really?

Sure, why not?

That's good.

And uh-- [LAUGHTER] NATASHA: Charles take the lead on this one because you loved it.

Well this is trench art, right?

Yes.

CHARLES: OK. And they're made from old shells.

Empty shell casings from the trenches.

What did you-- oh, trench art.

Yes.

CHARLES: And the book is an art-- well it says an album of press cuttings from the First World War.

Yeah.

There are no cuttings in it but there are these photographs.

- Photographs from the trenches?

In the First World War, from the trenches.

Wow.

And it's a sort of interwar piece.

And there's a bit of trench art.

- Yeah, it's lovely.

- That kind of goes with it.

So that's a pair.

- Does go with it.

NARRATOR: Time for act two, curtain up.

God.

I wasn't expecting marquetry.

Quite jazzy isn't it?

Would you believe me if I told you we bought that off a couple of blokes in the street?

- Literally.

- No you didn't.

- No I wouldn't believe you.

- Literally.

No, well it's true.

You're so lucky.

We were-- just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Then the little bit of export Chinese silver snuffbox.

And knowing your luck 50 pence or so?

Not quite.

It was 60 quid.

Yeah, well now we're in the hands of the auctioneer.

So guys-- - We are.

Good luck.

Good luck.

We'll see you in there.

Good luck Natasha.

Geraldine, good luck.

Well done.

May the best team win.

do I mean that?

I don't know if I do.

- Awesome job.

Well done.

NARRATOR: What to our thespians really think?

Time for some backstage gossip.

I think we've got them rattled, you know.

Did you see their faces when we revealed the cabinet?

Yes.

They thought it was a set up.

Two guys in the street, excuse me.

They bump into Steptoe and Son and they get a piece of empire furniture.

Thank you and good night.

NARRATOR: After beginning back in Tetbury in Gloucestershire, they're now on their way to an auction in Essex in the town of Rayleigh.

So are you excited Gerald?

I am excited.

Right.

I'm intrigued.

A little trepidatious.

I'm convinced that that rather extraordinary piece of empire furniture that you've got literally off the back of a lorry-- Literally.

--is going to do very well.

NARRATOR: Let's hope so.

Well here we are.

And here they are.

CHARLES: And here they are indeed.

NARRATOR: Let battle commence.

Charles and Natasha spent 394 pounds picking up six lots.

While Geraldine and Will spent all of their 400 pound budget, don't you love it.

Also on 6 lots.

I wonder what auctioneer Mark Stacey thinks of what our actors have acquired.

Silver vases, Edwardian, very nice.

The Chinese box, the star of the show.

It's a fantastic box.

Plenty of interest.

NARRATOR: Time for our teams to take center stage.

[AUCTIONEER CHANT] Isn't this cool?

Yeah.

Best seats in the house.

NARRATOR: Indeed.

We're starting with Geraldine and Will.

Is there a calling for Moroccan hardwood lentils in Essex?

Commission bids at 20.

22, 25 against you sir.

28, 30 I've got.

Bidding.

One more.

- It's climbing.

- 32.

It's climbing.

35, one more takes it.

38 I'm out.

38 pound at the far back.

Any advances at 38 pounds?

All done.

You're all finished.

Hammers up at 38 pounds and selling.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Not quite the flying start they were hoping for.

Listen, things can only go up.

I thought it was going to get-- - That's true.

- --far less than that.

Did you?

Yeah.

NARRATOR: How about your next lot, Geraldine?

It's your chance by the street fan secretaire.

At 120 he will meet 130 online.

140 is bid.

At 140.

What did you pay?

MARK STACEY: 160.

Creeping, creeping.

MARK STACEY: 170 back with me.

- Go on.

170 now.

At 170 pounds.

At 170.

You're so close.

You're so close.

MARK STACEY: One more takes it.

190 I'm out.

Internet bidding's at 190 pounds.

Surely someone in the room there.

MARK STACEY: coming in sir.

190, fresh bidder.

190.

He can see quality.

200 against you.

At 200.

210, 220 back online.

230 is bid.

At 230 pounds.

In the room at 230.

240 is bid.

Yeah!

MARK STACEY: 250 is bid now.

260.

270 is bid at 270.

280.

- It's creeping.

It's creeping.

MARK STACEY: 290.

Internet's back in at 300 pounds now.

One more sir, don't lose it.

310 now, 310 is bid.

At 310 all done, all finished.

At 310 pounds hammer's going down.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: First profit of the day.

Yay!

Well done, well done, well done.

Thank you.

Still cheap though.

H yeah I think so.

How good is that?

Have we made enough of it?

NARRATOR: Next Charles's agricultural bench.

Priced originally at over 300.

At 20 pound now, thank you sir.

22, 25, 28, 30 against you.

Internet coming in.

30 pounds at the back.

32 online.

35 thank you bid.

At 35 pound.

38.

Internet bidding at 38 pounds.

40 anywhere?

At 38 pounds.

Coming in on the phone.

Oh on the phone.

Yeah, yeah.

MARK STACEY: Bid up 40 pounds now.

Against you online, 42 is bid.

45 is bid.

45, coming back in online.

He's thinking about it.

48 is bid.

50 pound is bid.

At 50-- Internet 55 thank you.

55 is bid.

A savvy buyer on the net.

Yes.

60 pound is bid, thank you.

60 pounds.

One more online, 65 thank you.

65 is bid.

70 pound bid thank you.

Coming back in online, all done then.

Oh, no.

No, no.

It's on the phone at 70 pounds.

I'll sell at 70.

Fair-warning, last chance then please at 70.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Rotten luck Charles.

It could have been worse.

It could have been worse.

- It could've been a lot worse.

That was absolutely brilliant.

Well, it could've been darling.

NARRATOR: Charles could certainly do with a profit on his First World War photo-book and trench art vases, together as a job lot.

At 20 pounds advance if you wish.

2, 5, 8, 30 bid now.

At 30 pounds coming up, 32, 35, thank you.

At 35 pound.

38, 40 bid.

At 40 pounds now.

One more sir.

At 40 pounds now.

All done, all finished, last chance then please.

Looks painful.

At 40 pounds all done, all finished.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: A profit of 1 pound.

Still, a profit just.

Well OK.

It's a loss.

It's a loss.

NARRATOR: Next, Geraldine's two lasts.

What can these cobble together?

Ooh.

10 pound is bid.

At 10 pound now.

10 pound, where's the 12?

- Go on!

MARK STACEY: At 12 pound now.

12 is bid.

And 14 now.

14 bid.

Yeah.

Yeah.

MARK STACEY: He's shaking his head.

One more out be 14, 16 bid now.

16 pounds now.

Just behind at 16 pounds, second row bid.

Are we all done at 16 pounds?

16 pounds.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Another positive return.

Well done.

That's a roaring profit.

Very good.

NARRATOR: But a few more like that Geraldine.

Now, what can Charles's 1960s ticket machine do?

Interest right in at 20 pound.

Bid at 20.

Advance if you like at 20.

Internet 22, 25, 28, 30, bid now.

Come along.

32, 35, 38 is bid.

This is a good area with collecting.

40 now.

At 40 pounds.

One more, 42, 45.

At 45 pound now.

48, 50 is bid.

And 5, 60 is back with me.

Yay!

At 60 pound it's a commission bid.

Are we all done?

Are we all finished?

It's on the commission at 60 pounds.

Last chance then please at 60.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Aw, that's the ticket!

A healthy profit there.

- Ha-ha!

- Bingo!

Pretty good, eh?

- Well done.

Good work!

Not bad.

NARRATOR: Geraldine's job lot of West Country pottery is to go next.

Commission bid I have at 10 pound.

10 is on the commission, 12 anywhere.

It's here with me at 10.

Any advances?

It's a minor bid at 10.

12.

Thank you, Madam.

14 against you.

16 bid.

18 pound.

One more takes it.

No.

18 pound.

My commission bid then.

All done, all finished.

Last time then please at 18 on the commission.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Another little profit.

They all count.

Hey.

Very good.

Profit.

Very good Hun.

NARRATOR: Job lot for Charles now.

The limited edition volume of Evangeline and the wooden photo frame.

Straight in at 40 pounds.

It's here with me at 40 pounds.

Advance if you like.

It's a maiden bid at 40 pounds.

Any advance?

Coming in.

42, 45 is against you.

48 is bid.

And 50 now.

55, 60 bid.

Charles.

At 60 pound on the commission.

At 60 pound.

65 anywhere?

Are we all done are we all finished at 60 pounds?

Last chance then please at 60.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: He's slowly catching Geraldine.

It's fantastic.

It's in great condition.

NARRATOR: Next Geraldine and Will's big green glass bowl.

Let's get going.

30 to bid straight in please.

30 pound bid.

At 30 pounds.

Advance if you like at 30.

30, 32, 35, 38, 40 all online.

42, 45 now.

45 is bid.

Any advances at 45 pounds?

All done then you're all finished at 45 pounds.

Hammer's going down.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Big bit of glass.

Big-ish profit.

Yes.

Well done Gerald.

Nice work.

Very good girl.

It's all right, isn't it?

Yeah, brilliant.

NARRATOR: Now if Charles wants to get ahead he needs his hatbox to sell well.

20 pounds I've got.

22 against you.

25, 28, 30 bid.

32, 35.

Someone's got a hat waiting for their box.

35 pound now.

Seated at 35 pound.

38 anywhere?

All done then all finished at 35.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Ouch!

Hats off to you for trying though.

I'm sorry I showed it to you Charles.

OK. Never mind.

NARRATOR: Now only two lots to go.

It's a battle of the silver.

First, Charles's pair of vases and the silver ingot.

80 pound on the commission.

It's a maiden bid.

Any advances?

5, 90, 5, 100 now bid.

110, 120, thank you internet.

- Yes!

- Yes!

Well done.

At 120 now.

All done then, all finished.

Hammer's up at 120, hammer's going down.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: 5 pounds isn't to be sniffed at in this game.

I think that's a good price.

We did all right.

We've come out with our heads held high from that one.

NARRATOR: Now our teams lost lot and the auctioneers favorite.

Geraldine and Will's Chinese silver box.

Straight in at 60 pounds.

65, 70 is bid.

75, 80 I've got.

Again, you sir?

85, 90 is bid.

90 pounds on the commission.

We're going out with a bang.

Online coming in at 95.

100 back on the commission is with me.

At 100 pounds.

110 is bid.

120 I've got.

130 now online.

140 is back with me, commission bid.

Heavens above.

140 pounds.

140 now.

I don't feel completely useless anymore.

150 is now bid.

150 pound.

160 I've got.

160 pounds back with me.

Behave.

Last chance then please.

160.

For me?

Hammers up and selling at-- 170.

170, back online at 170.

Commission bids are out.

It's online at 170.

170.

180 anywhere?

How good is that?

You all done then you're all finished at 170 pounds.

Final time at 170.

[HAMMER BANGS] NARRATOR: Woo!

The big finale has brought the house down.

- That's the way to do it.

- Very, very good.

That's the way to do it.

That might have got us out of trouble.

Excellent.

I think he has.

Got you out of trouble with a vengeance.

I think that is the perfect way to end this auction.

Shall we head out?

Let's go celebrate.

Yeah.

NARRATOR: Time to do the math.

Natasha and Charles started out with 400 pounds.

And after paying auction costs, they made a loss of 78 pounds and 30p.

Leaving them with 321 pounds and 70 pence.

While Will and Geraldine, who also began with 400, made, after sale room fees, a profit of 89 pounds 54p.

So with 489 pounds and 54 pence they are today's victors!

With all profits going to children in need.

You've been a hoot.

Oh it's been such a pleasure.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

NARRATOR: A standing ovation sees our marvelous players off.

Bravo!

Well enjoy the sunshine.

GERALDINE: Thank you it's been great.

CHARLES: Thank you.

- Goodbye GERALDINE: Thanks a lot.

See you soon.

NARRATOR: Too-da-loo, you two.

[MUSIC PLAYING]