VO: The nation's favorite celebrities... Wow.

VO: ..paired up with an expert... Ow.

Ow.

Get it sorted.

VO: ..and a classic car.

She's beautiful.

We're steaming.

VO: Their mission - to scour Britain for antiques.

Is that antique?

I'll take it.

I'll take it.

I'll take it.

VO: The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction.

(GAVEL) VO: But it's no easy ride...

There's a dog chasing us!

VO: Who will find a hidden gem?

I love that.

VO: Who will take the biggest risk?

Ah!

VO: Will anybody follow expert advice?

Yeah, uh, OK, I know what that means.

Whoo-hoo!

VO: There will be worthy winners...

Yes!

VO: ..and valiant losers.

Disaster.

VO: Put your pedal to the metal.

Let's go shopping.

Woo-hoo!

VO: This is the Celebrity Antiques Road Trip!

VO: Blooming 'eck.

VO: Uh-oh, here comes trouble.

ANITA: Hi!

JOHN: Alright?

Hello boys!

VO: Welcome to lovely Lancashire, where today we're joined by all-singing, all-dancing actors John Partridge and Anita Harris and their rather dashing Datsun.

When I found out I was driving a Datsun, at first I was like "A Datsun?"

But isn't it a beauty?

She's beautiful, and I love the wing mirrors, where the wing mirrors are.

They're like they're winking at you, aren't they?

Hello!

VO: John is best known as Christian Clarke in cockney dramarama EastEnders.

But John's roots are miles away from Albert Square.

He's a northerner, from right here in Lancashire.

JOHN: I feel like me.

And I think the older we get, I just love coming home.

As soon as I get on the M62, my shoulders drop, I slip back into my mother tongue.

Just, I just feel like me.

VO: From the age of nine John trained at the Royal Ballet and has worked extensively in musical theater.

But it was at sweet 16, performing in stage smash Cats, that he first formed a kinship with leading lady Anita.

If I could auction you off, that would be... Because you are a treasure, a national treasure...

Anytime, darling, anytime.

..Anita Harris.

VO: The glamorous Anita is one showbiz luvvie that has enjoyed a distinctly sparkling career as an actor, dancer and chart-topping singer.

..you always go... You've travelled all over the world... VO: Let's see how our talented chums fare in the world of antiques.

I don't really know much about antiques but I do collect... You've got one here, darling.

(LAUGHS) VO: Pairing up with our celebs today are friends and road trip companions Paul Laidlaw and Margie Cooper.

Well, it's lovely to see you, Mr Laidlaw.

Always a pleasure, Margie.

How are you doing?

I'm very well.

VO: Paul's at the wheel of a sleek 60s E-type Jaguar, made before seatbelts were mandatory and worth £125,000.

Get that, lads!

Car of my dreams.

Series 1, the pure one.

Mr Ferrari, Enzo, described this as the most beautiful car in the world.

Did he really?

Yeah.

It's befitting our stature, I would say, Margie, do you think?

I think so.

Most definitely.

VO: Only the best for you two!

So do you know much about antiques?

Nooo... See, you always say this, you always go... You've travelled all over the world.

What a career.

She's done everything!

She has.

Carry On movies... Did you like those?

Did you used to watch them?

I was a wee lad, a wee laddie, they were hilarious!

Oh, don't go on about... Of course I wouldn't have got all the innuendo and double entendres.

Oh, you wouldn't understand it!

Do you understand them now, Paul?

I'm so grateful that we're able to have this experience together.

Ditto, ditto.

And it's gonna be fun, even though I don't know anything about antiques.

Do you like it when your celebrity compadre is a bit knowledgeable?

MARGIE: Yeah.

PAUL: Or just a bit green?

If they have a fixed idea it takes the pressure off you, doesn't it?

It's when they start saying "Well, what do you think?"

Oh, no!

VO: Look, if there's anyone can handle it, it's you guys.

Is that racy enough for you?

(LAUGHS) Hello!

PAUL: Looking good!

We made it!

ANITA: Lovely to see you.

Lovely to see you!

My word!

We're gonna have some fun!

JOHN: We're relieved to see the pair of you, that's for sure.

Oh, I know!

ANITA: You say that now!

MARGIE: Don't be fooled.

VO: Hey, he's only kidding.

Paul will duet with Anita in the Jag, which leaves Margie and John as the Datsun double act.

Onward!

VO: The start of a wonderful adventure.

So, good luck, guys.

Looking great!

Looks like a good pub here, darling.

Do you want a break?

VO: Hey!

Bit early for lunch a hundred yards down the road.

I've lived in Bury, Ashton-under-Lyne, Penwortham and Lytham St Annes.

Wow!

So you are a Lancashire lass!

I am.

So where are you from?

Well, I'm from Radcliffe, born and bred.

I'm always home.

Probably once a month I come back.

I think what I'm gonna enjoy doing on this road trip is to have my eyes popping open and just seeing what's still around, you know?

You're gonna have some fun.

Those eyes are gonna be popping out on stalks.

(LAUGHS) VO: Everyone is headed for auction in Harrogate.

But we'll start today's shopping in Eccleston.

PAUL: There you go.

There is a frontage and a very badly parked car by the looks of it.

VO: You're telling me!

VO: Bygone Times has an impressive 500 stalls over five floors.

Look at that.

Right.

(GASPS) It's enormous.

It's a dowsing rod, I think, we need.

Which way?

Do you usually let instinct tell you?

Uh, I'd like to go left, stage left.

(LAUGHS) VO: Both teams have £400 to spend.

But where to start?

Just look at the size of the place.

(PAUL LAUGHS) Every bit of china has a family history somewhere, doesn't it?

Mm.

That was Granny's teapot or... Yeah.

Exactly.

VO: There's a hell of a lot in here.

How are you coping so far, Anita?

ANITA: In the short time we've been here I seem to be going for things for my heart rather than what is valuable or not valuable or my knowledge.

You follow your heart, Anita.

Alright, my darling.

That's exactly the right thing to do.

VO: That is good advice.

Now, how are you really coping, Anita?

I am a little bamboozled by it all.

Trying too hard to look for a bargain or something that is so special and I'm actually wanting to say please come towards me and then I'll know.

VO: It'll happen, it'll just come to you.

VO: Meanwhile, John and Margie are cruising through their home patch to the market town of Ramsbottom.

MARGIE: What we hope for too.

JOHN: I think I do have an eye for a pretty thing.

I do like a bit of deco.

I've got a few mirrors and things like that in my house.

VO: Our happy new pals are visiting the rather lovely Memories Antiques.

Yeah.

JOHN: Excited?

What about that?

Show me the honey, Mummy!

VO: Hmm.

Well, maybe not.

But there are plenty more charms inside, including dealer Jackie who is on hand to help.

Hi, Jacks.

What about this?

This Mavis locket, that little locket.

What is Mavis?

MARGIE: That's her name, isn't it?

Is it a good name?

No, it probably belongs to Mavis.

Oh, right.

There's about 29 dealers in here.

Oh, so...

It's not Faberge, it's Mavis.

JOHN: Mavis!

MARGIE: From Ramsbottom.

VO: Hey!

That's the first lesson of the day, John.

Mavis is one of the dealers!

It says 40.

That looks quite nice.

It's got an old candle in the bottom of it.

It has, yeah.

There's something missing off the top.

That's a bit like me.

VO: Over in Eccleston, what's caught Anita's eye?

Oh, hang on.

It's £58.

OK.

This is a very handsome jug.

And it's Rabbie Burns.

And I happen to be with a Scot.

But I like it.

It's sturdy and it's Beswick.

So it's £58, but look!

I might be able to get something off that.

I wouldn't mind that on my table with a nice drop of maybe Pimm's.

VO: Sounds delightful.

I'm up for that.

I have found what I think is a nice sturdy Beswick jug and it has Rabbie Burns.

PAUL: Beswick?

You picked a good name.

You've also picked a piece that I've never seen before.

Do you like it?

Does it appeal?

I like it.

Well, of course I don't!

(LAUGHS) Anita, it's awful!

VO: Don't hold back, then, Paul.

It's a dodgy portrait, it's about as kitsch as they get.

There's not a shred of tartan anywhere, which offends me.

But it's my job to overrule the heart with the head.

Yes.

The head says it's got a brand, it's got a good name.

VO: Dealer Martin has the cabinet keys.

Thanks, Martin.

Do the honors.

ANITA: I like it.

PAUL: May I?

Please.

(TAPS JUG) It rings true, madam.

That is the mould number.

That's the model number.

ANITA: OK.

It'll come in different sizes and this is size two.

But importantly, no condition issues.

So much as a hairline crack would kill that for you and me.

And it hasn't got one?

Do you know what?

Hate it though I do, I think that's got traction.

OK. Shall we?

What were the numbers?

Is this applicable, this discount sign here, Martin?

Yeah, all items are 40% off.

PAUL: Might as well round that to 50%.

VO: Cheeky.

That makes that £29.

But you might as well round that down to 25, which is a round number.

VO: He's a bold one.

Any chance of that being £25?

Yeah, we could do 25.

I love it.

I think it's fun.

Shall we hand this to Martin and say... Martin, our first purchase.

Thank you very much indeed.

No problem.

Keep that on the counter for us.

No worries.

VO: So Anita's heart and Paul's head gets them their first item.

Whoop whoop!

We're off!

Get in!

I think we're on a roll.

That direction.

VO: Back in Ramsbottom, John's found a sales cabinet too.

JOHN: Can I have a look at this one?

Yes.

I know you don't like this one because it's a bit common.

MARGIE: No, no, no, I'm... JOHN: But... MARGIE: This is Moorcroft, as you obviously know.

Incredibly popular.

It's very famous for this tube lining, it's very cleverly done.

VO: Moorcroft's colorful ceramics have been made in Stoke-on-Trent for over a hundred years.

The Queen herself is a fan.

This one is around 50 years old.

Well, I think that's quite sweet but I can't do it for 60 quid, can I?

No.

No.

I do like it, though.

I'll be honest with you, I really do.

I think it's really sweet and I do... JACKIE: I'll phone the dealer up if you like.

Can you phone the dealer up and tell him I'm a really really really nice young man.

I'm a local lad as well, I'm from Radcliffe.

Oh, well.

So tell him a Radcliffe lad...

I'll not hold that against you.

Don't hold that against me.

Tell him you've got a really nice Radcliffe lad in here and he loves this but he can't do it for 60 quid.

More like 30.

VO: What a charmer, eh?

30 quid be alright?

I should think.

But I don't think you'll get it for 30 quid.

VO: I agree.

£30?

Never!

Is it £30, Jackie?

It can be.

Hey hey!

Come on, let's have a cuddle!

Cuddle for Radcliffe.

Oh, Jackie, thanks.

I'm made up with that.

You've done well.

That's all I wanna hear.

You've done very well.

Jackie, wrap it up before she changes her mind.

Will do.

Wrap it up before she changes her mind.

VO: (CHUCKLES) That's John's first item and he's a novice no more!

Over in Eccleston, Anita and Paul are still on the hunt.

PAUL: Can I show you something?

That bench there, iron framed pitch pine bench.

Pitch pine, what is pitch pine?

Pitch pine.

Pitch pine is particularly resinous and that gives it durability.

It is less about the wood than the mechanism.

See that slot in the seat there?

ANITA: Yeah.

That back will flip forward on itself.

I have seen these in old sailing and steam vessels.

Oh!

Also see them on trams.

ANITA: West coast, west coast... Oh, tram!

PAUL: Tram bench.

There you go, yeah.

Bench was manufactured by Whittaker Brothers, Accrington.

Local.

Yeah.

So sitting in the tram we can be facing forward and then when it turns to go back the other way, flip the seat and we're still facing forward in the direction of travel.

See it?

It's ingenious.

It is Lancastrian as... ANITA: What sort of year would this have been made, then?

That's late Victorian.

..torian, yeah, yeah.

A proper antique!

£250 for one, 450 for two.

We can't afford two.

ANITA: No.

Shall we see what we can do?

PAUL: Is Martin about?

Martin!

Yeah.

How're you doing?

You alright?

Your benches, we like them.

Can we make you a cheeky offer?

Yeah.

I'd be offering you half that, £120 for the one.

Is there any chance whatsoever of a deal?

I think that'd be a bit too low.

OK.

I think possibly about 175, I think.

Can we maybe think about it a bit more and... PAUL: OK, yeah.

Try and make an offer a bit later.

VO: A bit of thinking time required, then.

How are John and Margie getting on?

John?

John?

John!

JOHN: Yes?

Have you seen these?

VO: Oh, vintage theater lights.

Good spot, Marge.

Who writes this stuff?

Yeah.

1950s London theater...

There's no business like show business.

(GASPS) 200.

Do they work?

Well, that's it.

But lights do sell.

How long have they been hanging up there with the coats?

12 months.

Whoo!

No way!

12 months, nobody's showed any interest?

Right Jackie, they've been up there 12 months, we're gonna have to do... You must be able to do me a deal.

I'll have to phone him.

You'll have to phone him.

VO: Go on, Jackie, be a hero.

I can find out what his best is for you.

Yeah.

Anything more than 100 and I couldn't do it, Jackie.

VO: If anyone can cut John a deal, it's Jackie.

There she goes.

Here she is.

Oh, hey.

That was quick.

I've just spoken to him.

JOHN: What did he say?

He said 100.

100?

Well, that's not bad.

Ohh.

MARGIE: Not easy, is it?

VO: Ee oop, that bad, eh?

Can I have a look at them Jackie, can I get one down?

If you get me a ladder I'll get it down and have a look.

VO: Yup, best see it close up before you commit.

Steady.

MARGIE: Oh my God, careful.

You've got two more steps.

Alright.

VO: Looks in decent nick.

Any advice, Margie?

MARGIE: I mean, this is what it's about, isn't it?

Not sticking a teacup and saucer up that's gonna make you a pound.

JOHN: Yeah.

MARGIE: Just take a punt on something that is on trend.

Jackie, you've got a deal.

I'm gonna do it.

JACKIE: I'll just go and get someone to get the other one down.

Go on, Jackie, get a man in.

That's what I always say.

VO: That's £100 for the pair of theater lights and 30 for the Moorcroft candlestick.

And John's off on an illuminating start.

VO: Anita, meanwhile, is still digging out treasures, and has found a miners' donation box from the days of the 1980s strike.

For some reason I'm drawn to this.

Sentimentality, but also very much part of British modern history.

Yeah.

What are your feelings?

If that doesn't move you, you're dead on the inside.

That should be in a museum.

There should be school kids walking past that and being told of... Of the story.

..the importance of this stage in our political, social, industrial history.

Look at the...

This is primitive symbolism.

Yes, it is, but it speaks loudly, doesn't it?

What?

Are these original on here?

What do they say?

Yeah.

Support the miners National Union of Miners, support the miners, stop pit closures.

Very sad time.

Very sad time.

VO: Ticket price £125.

Time to talk cash with the dealer, John.

Does it have to be that price or can you...?

No, no, ticket's only starting price.

Offer £50?

Oh, can we offer £50?

That's pretty tight.

It would have to be a bit more than that.

OK, what's a bit more?

How big a bit?

75?

Split the difference?

70?

JOHN: 70.

Yeah.

May we shake?

Yeah, course you can.

Yeah.

It'd be a shame to say goodbye to it, but I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

VO: Gosh.

Anita's a dab hand at this bargaining lark already.

Time to meet Martin again.

Martin?

We agreed 70 on that, so we owe you 95 for the two.

Yep.

May we make you a counteroffer, a final counteroffer on one of those benches?

Yeah.

Any chance of 150 buying one?

Yeah, we can do 150.

Thank you, sir.

No problem.

Brilliant!

60, 80... VO: That is a total of £245 for the jug, miners' box and tram bench.

What a haul, eh?

Well done.

VO: Both teams are off to a great start.

I like a bit of haggling.

I often find exposing a bit of flesh helps.

I don't know whether that's gonna stand me in good stead...

I don't know whether... What, in Lancashire?

I don't know whether in Lancashire that's gonna stand me in good...

I have in the past found... Well!

That was a magical mystery tour.

But good?

Good!

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful.

Well, there's more of that, Anita.

(LAUGHS) Onwards, ever onwards!

OK, my darling.

VO: Now, our Lancashire lad and lass are taking a detour.

I went to the Royal Ballet School in '81.

Gosh.

And it was not fashionable to be regional.

I remember people saying to me "You need to lose that accent".

And it was, yeah, I'm grateful in some ways now, because now I've got both.

VO: John and Margie have headed to Edgeworth to hear about a Victorian literary movement determined to preserve local culture amidst a fast changing industrial landscape.

Here to tell them more is local dialect historian Sid Calderbank.

MARGIE: Ah, here he is.

JOHN: Hey.

MARGIE: Hello.

JOHN: Meeting a man in the woods, what would me mother say?

SID: Welcome to Lancashire.

JOHN: Nice to see you.

MARGIE: Good to see you, Sid.

Lovely!

So, are you gonna show us the way?

SID: Yes.

JOHN: Lead on, Sidney, lead on!

We are in Edgeworth, halfway between Bolton and Blackburn.

And 300 years ago it was barren and open moorland and the people bred their own sheep, they carded it, they spun it and they wove it.

VO: But the small crofting communities changed dramatically in the early 1700s with the arrival of the cotton mills.

A huge migrant workforce from across the UK poured into Lancashire and towns like Bolton, Blackburn and Rochdale grew rapidly into industrial powerhouses.

By 1860, Lancashire had 2,000 cotton mills, steam driven mechanical cotton mills and the little cottage industry around places like this just faded away.

VO: The larger, more diverse population didn't just impact on a way of life.

Sid, how has the Lancashire dialect changed over the years?

It's like any other language, it moves with the times.

When education became a big thing in early 19th century Lancashire, it was seen as somehow old-fashioned to speak in the old way and so we get these tales of schoolmasters washing out pupils' mouths with soap because they're talking broad.

VO: Determined to preserve local culture before it vanished forever was a group of working-class poets and songwriters.

Writing in the mother tongue, their work was published and performed all over Lancashire.

JOHN: So Sid, what do we have here, then?

These are examples of some of the dialect writing that emerged in Lancashire in the 19th century.

And they took as their inspiration in a lot of cases their surroundings, their everyday life, their work in the factories and coal mines and quarries.

But they're written in their local dialects, so they're not that easy to understand, they're not that simple to follow.

JOHN: I'm from Radcliffe and I see this one is from Ramsbottom here, that's probably the nearest to where I'm from.

What can you tell me about that?

It is.

This is Joseph Ramsbottom's book of verse, which he published in 1862, which was right in the middle of the American Civil War, whenever cotton supplies had been stopped and hundreds of thousands of workers were put out of work.

And they were starving in their own houses.

And Joseph Ramsbottom's little book here is the story of the plight of the Lancashire mill workers.

"And as we still kept battling on, "dark things about far darker grew.

"'Twere fearful to a thinking man "and fixed him greatly what to do.

"Then three days come and I begun "to break in on my little store "and that a harder task I found nor owt "that e'er had gone before."

It makes me feel quite emotional to hear you speak like that.

Anyone who's got any roots anywhere around Lancashire... Yeah.

..will immediately warm to this.

Yeah, true.

And come to me and say "You sound just like my granddad".

Yeah, these are distant echoes, faded memories of ancient tongues.

It is our intangible heritage.

That's what we've got here.

VO: The thousands of charming songs and stories offer a direct window into the past and Sid's on a mission to protect them.

And the crown prince of the dialect writers was cobbler's son Edwin Waugh, born in 1817, who today has his very own tribute choir.

# On the way.

# A lift on the way, # A lift on the way.

# I'd haply, gi' some poor owd soul # A lift on the way.

# MARGIE: Hooray!

JOHN: Yeah!

Whoo!

MARGIE: That was lovely.

Are you available for parties?

Thank you so much for... Well, reminding me from where I'm from.

And you win the prize for the best costume.

Yes.

Thank you.

I'll have all of that, please.

Thanks, guys.

Bye bye.

Thank you, it was brilliant.

Bye.

VO: Time to catch up with the other two.

(LAUGHTER) VO: Hey, someone's having fun.

VO: Next port of call for Anita and Paul is Haslingden.

VO: The town sits in the lush Rossendale Valley, which in the 1920s was flooded to create a reservoir.

To save the beautiful Victorian church of St Stephen's from disappearing underwater, it was rebuilt stone by stone on the edge of Haslingden.

Now it houses Holden Wood Antiques Centre.

After chipping away at her £400 budget, Anita has £155 left to spend.

I loved going around with my mum around the antique shops, you know, in my 20s and 30s.

Because there again, you're sharing something.

VO: Yep, you can't beat a good old antiques hunt.

Tell me about that.

That silly little Christmas tree decoration?

Aye?

(LAUGHS) A heavy one.

VO: And a rather special one.

Needs a closer look.

Externally, that's a joy, is it not?

Mm, beautiful.

That form, the bauble, transports everyone to their youth and Christmas trees, yeah?

And this one here, even if it was just so much thinly blown glass, is perfectly attractive.

But in parcel gilt silver, all of a sudden it's a wee bit more substantial than that.

But this was made by one Stuart Devlin, became renowned for making these almost Faberge-esque novelty little confections.

Behold.

Oh, my!

Oh, look at that!

So what on earth do we have?

Oh my word, it's Christmas.

That's the bed.

There's a stocking hanging... Oh, how lovely is that?

Oh, isn't that delightful?

That is a heartwarmer.

What would it tell us?

Stuart Devlin, silver Christmas bauble, London, 1982.

There you have it.

1982?

£195.

VO: £40 over budget.

We need a Christmas miracle!

We should buy this if we can.

If we could put every cent we've got, bar a pound, because we've got to go shopping tomorrow, we need something, into that, if the dealer would take it, would you buy it?

It is a beautiful piece.

Hello, John!

You are needed.

Don't know whether you heard our plight.

I did.

I kid you not, we've a limited budget.

Do you think there's any way on earth we could buy that for £154?

JOHN: Crumbs.

Ah, John, I could hug you!

VO: That's the spirit, John!

The silver bauble is theirs!

And they have one tiny squid remaining.

Thank you!

John, thank you so very much.

Bless your heart.

Pleasure.

Thanks, John.

(LAUGHS) VO: Oh, he's a card, that Paul.

Still, Christmas has come early for these two.

Well done.

Put it safely in there.

Well, that's one day down.

One day down?

But we've got energy in us yet and another day to go.

Right, strong coffee or a glass of prosecco?

What do you think?

VO: Sleep tight, luvvies.

VO: Good morning!

It's a brand, spanking new day!

What's the chat in the Datsun?

The last purchase we made, I would have just not even noticed it.

You would not have looked.

I saw his shoulders go upright when he saw it.

JOHN: Ah.

ANITA: And...

I shall be looking for a similar reaction today in Margie.

(LAUGHS) VO: I'll look out for that too!

Yesterday, Anita went on a spending frenzy with Paul.

She bought a silver bauble, a tram bench, a miners' donation box, and a Robbie Burns jug.

I like it!

VO: She has one paltry pound left to spend.

VO: John, meantime, bought a Moorcroft candlestick and some vintage theater lights.

Come on let's have a cuddle!

VO: He has £270 left in his wallet.

How are the experts in the Jag?

I'm thankful Anita's come into my life and...

I've been moved over.

I'm just looking forward to the future now.

It's...

I'm feeling really optimistic.

The big E, have I got the big E?

Oh, dear.

It's a long time since I've had the big E!

VO: Ooh, Matron!

What a carry on!

Now it's time for swapsies.

And a teasing peek at each other's buys.

Would you like to see my wares?

I can see through there.

Oh, ho ho!

There's an offer!

Would you like to see my wares?

Well...

Lights, theater lights.

I love the logo, I love the Strand Electric.

Yeah.

Apparently they're bang on trend, as the kids say.

That's what they say.

We did do a little deal.

A hundred quid.

50 quid a pop.

It's a strong purchase.

Stick a couple of tripods on those and they're probably £250 a pop.

We are gonna show you something not so decorative but, I think, powerful.

An old steel toolbox.

But.

Yeah?

What do you think of that?

Miners' strike.

Wives out there... Arthur Scargill?

..their futures on the line, fighting for their survival.

How much did you spend on that?

Well, look, I dunno how you put a price on this.

There's no going rate for this.

But I didn't think it was expensive at £70.

I think it's great, I mean it's powerful, isn't it?

Yeah.

It's powerful.

Whether it's valuable is another thing.

But we'll see!

I've got one other thing to show you.

That's all we've got left to spend, folks.

No way!

VO: Best go spend it then.

Away with you!

VO: Right, we're off!

She kept saying to me "Oh no, don't do it, "don't spend too much!"

And they've gone, they've been throwing money to the wind!

Duh, duh duuuh!

(LAUGHS) VO: John and Margie's sights are set on Halifax in West Yorkshire.

VO: They're visiting Barnyard Antiques.

Have you got your checkbook?

No, we only deal in cash.

What about these?

It's Diana's iconic looks.

Well, it is.

Are you seriously interested in those?

Don't look up her skirt, she's royalty!

I recognize that dress.

That fetched a fortune at auction.

Well, see, it's topical.

VO: Oh, lordy.

Careful, Margie!

That's a very very iconic outfit, isn't it?

Iconic look.

But it's a brand new doll.

VO: Yep, we do endeavor to find things of a certain age, John.

You're in holiday mode, you are.

Right.

Come on.

Right, this is a serious business.

VO: Oh, tremendously serious.

Serious fun, more like.

I've got one of these under my bed.

Really?

Gathering dust?

I used to play this when I was at school, I used to play the clarinet at school.

Is there anything you haven't done?

VO: Blow his own trumpet, perhaps?

Right, there's not much shopping being done so far.

I don't feel I've got a killer item yet and I don't want to eat into any of that money until I feel that I've got one great item.

VO: Best get back in there then.

Margie!

Yeah?

JOHN: This.

MARGIE: Ah.

Hudson Brothers.

Yeah?

Harrogate.

Harrogate, and we're going to Harrogate.

VO: A Victorian garden roller.

Handsome.

Heavy.

I really like it.

Yep, nice bit of Victoriana.

Solid steel, used obviously for mowing the lawn.

JOHN: I think this might be it.

It looks as though it's had a little bit of a facelift, doesn't it?

And it's been done very well.

I like it.

So I think I wanna go for it.

Alright, well, call Richard then.

VO: Richard!

JOHN: Richard, tell me about this?

I scraped it, were all full of paint, I didn't know what was there.

Yeah.

What would you be asking for something like this, Richard?

I will do that for you, 280 quid.

Whoa!

That's out of our budget because I've only got 270 so you're way out of my league.

If it helps you I'll do £200.

VO: Richard to the rescue.

Go on, get in there.

Come on, Richard!

Yes!

Dude!

Epic!

VO: It's a deal!

John has a killer item and £70 left to spend.

Don't put it in the Datsun.

MARGIE: Easy peasy.

VO: Meanwhile, in the E-type...

I have a little surprise for you when we get to the next place.

I do like a surprise!

Give me a clue.

Now, don't be frightened, little boy!

VO: Anita and Paul are rewarding themselves with a trip to Oldham, Greater Manchester.

VO: Anita's a true pro when it comes to treading the boards.

So as a short interval between shops, they're visiting the Coliseum theater, a true Victorian gem, now with an art deco front.

ANITA: Welcome to theater land!

PAUL: Feels good!

VO: Small regional theater companies producing a rotation of plays is known as repertory theater.

And the Coliseum has a rich 'rep' history.

On this stage, many famous faces past and present first honed their craft.

(GASPS) Oh, oh look, look, look, look, look, look.

Look how beautiful this is.

It's splendid.

Another circle of life, my darling.

This is where life in theater really, really takes off.

It's joyful to see your face light up.

And that's what happens.

You walk through a door and you're in magic land.

Shall we take our seats?

Shall we take our seats?

I would love to, thank you darling.

The way that...

In the round.

That means that when you're on stage you can just kind of bring everybody in and then they come to you and it's just lovely.

VO: It really is.

Now settle yourselves down for some fascinating history, luvvies.

The Manchester area is renowned for its theater.

And is considered the trailblazer of the British repertory movement.

In the early 1900s, provincial theater moved away from rowdier music hall and towards more sophisticated but affordable plays.

And it's thanks to one pioneering businesswoman, Annie Horniman.

Here to tell Anita and Paul more is Professor Viv Gardner from the University of Manchester.

Ah!

Best seats in the house.

Hello dear.

Welcome to the Oldham Coliseum.

Thank you so much.

Hi, Viv, good to see you.

It's beautiful.

So what's this woman's background?

How does she get to be so influential?

She started the first regional repertory theater here in Manchester.

And the sort of seasons that we have here doing serious and classical drama, mixing it with more popular forms of theater.

A breeding ground for actors of today.

Yes.

Their policy was that there should be no star performers, that all the actors should take their turns as having big roles and that they ran productions for three nights and they changed them so there was a constant turnover, which keeps things very fresh.

Energy level.

Yeah, instead of great long runs.

Totally different way of running theaters.

VO: Annie Horniman came from an extremely wealthy family of tea merchants and graduated from Slade, the first British art school to allow women to study with men.

She appears to have been incredibly independent, right from her teens.

She becomes a, you know, a cyclist.

She doesn't like women's bikes, she calls them hen roosts.

And she cycles on men's bikes.

Oh, she sounds a great character.

And she smokes cigarettes, Turkish cigarettes, you know, in a holder.

And so there's this enormous sort of spirit.

VO: After inheriting a large sum of money, Annie turned her artistic flair to theater.

She became friends with writers George Bernard Shaw and WB Yeats, funding their early London plays anonymously.

In 1907 she moved to forward-thinking Manchester where, with a business partner, she bought and subsidized the Gaiety theater.

This is where her vision for rep theater, which till then only existed in London, really kicked off.

Until 1917, they ran this experimental repertory theater, doing the little-known classic plays.

So they start with Measure For Measure, contemporary plays on contemporary themes, encouraging local writing talent.

She wanted to open the theater up to a wider audience.

Well, God bless her, I say.

Don't you?

Indeed.

And the wealth of all of her work maintains today?

VO: Her model for rep theater has been copied across the country for decades.

But for Annie, the First World War brought an end to her dream.

By 1917, Horniman couldn't sustain the company.

So she disbanded the company and the theater was sold in 1921.

When she was asked whether she was going to be there at the last performance, she said "Yes, of course, "because every corpse has to attend its own funeral".

Oh!

God bless her heart.

She had a sense of humor.

Yeah, I'd love to have met her.

Yeah.

She's somebody that everybody should know about because she's the person who created a new model for theater in the provinces.

It's all down to Annie Horniman and the vision that she had when she came here to Manchester.

Round of applause.

Round of applause!

VO: Now, talking of successful women in theater, I think it's about time we had a bit of a show from our very own Anita Harris, don't you?

The stage is all yours, Anita!

Lights!

# Both sides of this line can now combine.

# It's our show, it's your show, # It's ours, yours, mine!

# VO: Encore!

Encore.

(CHUCKLES) For their last antiques shopping spree, both teams are making their way to Hebden Bridge.

Paul has a very good nose, and... And that's what's putting me off.

That's putting me off, yeah.

But I'm not that bothered.

VO: I believe you.

And our last shop ahead of us.

Shop.

This is the challenge of a lifetime!

VO: I wouldn't go that far.

This antique center is in the old police station.

And allo allo, then, what have we got here?

It's Margie and John, first to arrive.

It's ladies first.

Get your money out.

VO: John has £70 left of his 400 budget and is itching to spend it.

I quite like them.

I know you're not so keen.

Well, no, I'm just worrying about that small thing called profit.

You're such a killjoy with your "profit, profit".

VO: Not sure John understands this game.

VO: A-ha, here come the big spenders.

On you go, Anita.

Thank you.

How are you, how're you doing?

Fancy seeing you here!

You come to spend a pound, eh?

It's better than spending a penny!

Have you got your pound?

I have a feeling we are gonna find something, so let's get on our bikes and go.

Skedaddle.

It's been very average seeing you again.

World War II pennies, three for a pound.

VO: Right, what can Anita and Paul find?

That dates to the Second World War.

And that is a propaganda leaflet in German, dropped by the RAF over Germany in the last months of the war.

What does this do?

Demoralizes them.

Impossible to imagine.

£10.

So I think it's a bargain.

But do you know what?

Mm-hmm?

We can't afford it.

We've got a pound.

We've only got a pound!

(LAUGHS) We've had it!

I'm gonna put this one back and we'd better keep looking.

Come on.

OK, alright, darling.

VO: Off you pop, then.

John, meanwhile, is keeping an eye on the time.

JOHN: I like it.

MARGIE: Yeah.

You don't like it?

Well, it's a lot of money, isn't it?

I mean, it's £120 and I don't have that.

Yeah, you're asking for 50 quid off.

What if he gave it me for 69 and I got something for a pound as well?

Oh, you're determined, aren't you?

VO: And determined to join Anita's £1 club too, eh?

Copycat.

Luckily, dealer Alexa's on hand.

That looks like an excited face, what have you found?

This is my "can you help me" face.

OK.

I'll do my very best.

I really like this Vedette clock around the corner.

What I really need is to get that for 69 quid.

Can you help me?

Let me see what I can do.

I will get in touch with the dealers and I'll see what we can do for you.

VO: We're counting on you, Alexa!

Oh, she's back.

Okie dokie, I've got a little bit of news on the clock for you.

So obviously we've got 120 on it and you've offered us 69.

But seeing as it's such a lovely clock and you seem to really like it, we're gonna do it for you.

(GASPS) I... nngh!

Thank you!

Find it a good new home.

Thank you so much.

VO: And with that, John also has a pound left to spend.

How exciting!

Right, where are Anita and Paul hiding out?

Ah.

Step into my office.

What?

Tell me.

We may have done this.

See the badge there?

Yes.

That's silver wire embroidered, and that's military insignia, and scarce... Oh, it's beautiful.

..to say the least.

What does that say next to it on that little label?

It says "if unmarked all £1 each".

VO: That's just the ticket!

This is the crown of the realm, the monarch.

Down here we've got a right jumble.

An anchor, and it's on a deep blue ground.

Naval.

Yeah.

The difficult bit to decipher, the red elements.

Those are, on their side, capital A interlocking.

This is a badge of an officer of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Corps, or Nursing Service.

That's an uncommon badge.

That dates to the First or Second World War.

They served the troops, the wounded troops.

It's just beautiful.

May I?

History.

Poignancy.

Yes.

Quality!

I mean, that's a lovely object.

It is, it is, it's just... Do you think it's worth a pound?

Oh, I think, I think we can stop looking, don't you?

Yeah, we've done it!

VO: A very interesting item.

Time to find Dan.

Dan?

Into my palm and now...

Thank you very much.

..into your palm.

And thank you very very much.

Thank you.

VO: Bravo!

That's your shopping done.

Got our pound prize.

PAUL: Come on, you.

ANITA: Shall we go?

Come on.

VO: Meanwhile, John and Margie have found something for a hundred pennies.

Oh, that is nice, Morocco leather.

VO: It's a vintage pipe holder, with no pipe.

It's lovely, isn't it?

It is nice.

Could do with a pipe.

(LAUGHS) JOHN: It's lovely, actually, isn't it?

MARGIE: It is.

JOHN: I'm not messing about.

We're having it.

MARGIE: Having it.

Well, let's smoke on that!

Waah-waah-waah-waah!

VO: That's a pound for the vintage pipe holder and 69 for the wall clock.

My treasures.

Your treasures.

You're my treasure, Margie.

Aww!

VO: And they're all spent up, hurrah!

VO: That's everyone's shopping done, let's get ready for auction!

As much as this is a competition, I think we're in for a really good time.

Yeah.

I'm an auction virgin, Marge.

You are an auction virgin, and I'm telling you... Nice being a virgin at something at 46!

When did you last palpitate?

VO: Sweet dreams, eh?

VO: Rise and shine, it's auction day!

Let's hope our diva and divo are in good spirits.

Look at this beautiful countryside.

It's absolutely stunning.

ANITA: Aren't we lucky?

VO: Certainly are.

VO: After starting in Eccleston, Anita and John have shopped their way around Lancs and Yorks and are headed for auction in Harrogate.

Have you been to an auction before?

Two, I think.

Have you?

And I was very embarrassed but I didn't dare put my hand up.

Put your hand up.

Do you think you're gonna make a profit?

Well, I'm gonna be pretty darned upset if I don't.

However... VO: Better bring tissues just in case.

Harrogate's a popular spa town that in Victorian days saw the rich and famous coming here in their droves.

Today it's blessed with our four luvvies, who are meeting up at Thompson Auctioneers.

ANITA: Paul's wearing pink.

(CAR HORN) JOHN: Hello, Mum!

PAUL: How're you doing there?

ANITA: You made it!

JOHN: How are you?

VO: It's like an am-dram reunion, this.

Are you ready for battle?

Come on, then!

No Marquis of Queensberry either!

JOHN: Let battle commence.

VO: Anita and Paul spent every last penny of their £400 on five auction lots, including that Rabbie Burns jug.

What you think?

Well, I didn't know that Robbie Burns was a lady of the night.

(LAUGHS) MARGIE: Actually, don't laugh.

It's by Beswick, which is quite a well known maker.

JOHN: I think Anita bought it cuz it's camp.

Is it camp?

It's quite camp, isn't it?

Oh, right, yeah.

You're absolutely spot on.

Isn't it?

Spot on!

VO: John and Margie also spent the full £400 on five lots.

It looks like a pipe, but is it a pipe?

Well... PAUL: It's a pipe case.

And I'm hoping there's some fabulous Meerschaum pipe in here.

But wait a minute.

That's what you get for your money, Anita.

Let me feel it.

Never seen one of those before.

Grandfather... And do you feel your life's enriched now that you have seen one or couldn't you care less?

My life is enriched cuz I'm with you.

You're too kind!

ANITA: However... PAUL: Let's not be kind to the pipe.

ANITA: ..good luck!

VO: Not impressed, eh?

Come on.

VO: What does auctioneer Kate Higgins think?

20, five.

(GAVEL) The hibiscus 1960s Moorcroft candlesticks.

It's a nice lot.

Would have been nice if there was two of them just to make a pair, but obviously Moorcroft, very collectable so we'll just see how it goes in today's sale.

The Stuart Devlin silver Christmas bauble.

There's been an awful lot of interest in this, through the internet, on the telephone lines, and a lot of people have been in the saleroom this morning having a look at it.

One of my favorite lots in today's sale so let's hope it does very well.

VO: Today, Kate will be selling to buyers in the room, on the phone and online.

Park your bums, everyone!

Welcome to our world!

VO: OK, first up is Anita's Robbie Burns jug.

Not very old.

Good luck.

10 anywhere?

10 we have.

Do I see 15?

15.

20.

Oh, we need more.

In the room, selling at 20.

(GAVEL) VO: Uh-oh.

VO: Not the best of starts.

Oh, we was robbed, Anita!

I demand a recount.

VO: Next up it's John's Moorcroft candlestick.

It's Moorcroft.

Only 30 quid.

That was a good buy.

You surprised...

I wouldn't have you down as a Moorcroft buyer.

JOHN: I really liked the color.

It was something I'd put in my house so I thought if I'd have it in my house... You watch, no one's gonna want it.

£20.

20 for it, 20 we have.

Do I see five?

25.

Nope?

25 here.

30?

Gentleman standing at 30, do I see five?

It's in the right territory.

Another one?

I shall sell at £30.

(GAVEL) VO: Wiped its face.

VO: Could have been worse.

I'm fuming.

Absolutely raging.

He's barely holding it together here.

I am, I'm fuming.

It's gonna be a long day, this, Paul!

VO: It's Anita's tram bench next.

Which way will it go?

I've got to admit, I adore you...

So... outside.

But I don't like that bench.

No.

Commission starts at 100, do I see 110?

Yes!

Keep going, keep going.

110 anywhere?

110.

110, 120, 130.

Go again, go again.

130 in the room.

Come on, we're close!

140.

Come on.

Your bid, sir, at 140.

Do I see 150?

Oh, two more would be nice!

I shall sell at 140.

PAUL: Oh, it's close!

(GAVEL) VO: Crumbs.

VO: Her second loss.

No profit so far, but on a massive positive, no horrendous losses.

Exactly!

VO: Always look on the bright side!

Now the focus is on John's vintage theater lights.

Margie, I sense this is gonna end really badly.

Now, just cover me, I'm gonna leave a massive bid on those lamps.

On commission at 55, 60 anywhere?

With me now at 55.

We finished?

I shall sell at 55.

Oh my God.

60 now in the room.

In the room at £60.

I shall sell at 60.

(GAVEL) VO: Ouch.

I feel your pain.

How much did you pay for it?

Do you like rubbing salt in the wound?

Sorry, sorry!

Do you want a brandy, love?

VO: Next, will Anita's miners' donation box have more than sentimental value?

Former coal mining territory, are we not, Yorkshire?

Come on.

This is a very spiritual item.

I felt...

I really felt something.

Commission starts at 40.

Do I see five?

With me here at 40.

45 we have.

Do I see 50?

In the room at 45.

I shall sell at 45.

ANITA: Ah!

(GAVEL) VO: That's a real shame.

VO: And Anita's yet to make a profit.

Oh dear.

40.

So who's doing the best at losing?

Who's the biggest loser right now?

VO: Halfway point and the first of the one pound lots next, John's vintage pipe holder.

Pipe case with no pipe in it.

It's a tool, somebody might have a pipe!

(LAUGHS) 10 anywhere for it?

Who wants it at £10?

She's asking for a tenner!

Surely not a tenner.

10, 10 we have.

There, thank you.

I shall sell at 10.

(GAVEL) VO: Well what d'you know?

1,000%, stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Oh, look at you!

VO: Anita's £1 nurse's badge is next under the hammer.

I'll tell you what.

Your 1,000% markup?

It's history now.

The badge.

10 anywhere?

10 we have, do I see 15?

MARGIE: She's got it.

AUCTIONEER: On my left at 10, 15 anywhere?

Oh, it's too cheap, too cheap.

In the room at £10.

(GAVEL) VO: Her first profit, and it's level pegging again.

It made the same money as a pipe case, for goodness' sake!

Yeah, you see, our pounds!

What?

VO: Can John's wall clock do enough to get him ahead?

I would have it in my house.

I think it's retro, I think it's 60s.

I like this clock.

Commission starts at 45.

50 anywhere?

MARGIE: Well done.

PAUL: How?

With me here at 45.

50 do I see?

Come on!

I shall sell at 45.

(GAVEL) VO: Blimey.

Could do with some luck around here!

We're just falling short.

I think you did alright, I think you did alright, seriously.

No great pain there.

VO: Next up, Anita's biggest spend and greatest hope, the Stuart Devlin bauble.

I like that bauble.

This gentleman showed his expertise in quality... Only cuz he knows I collect them.

..of what this bauble is.

OK?

Collect those, Stuart Devlin.

Commission starts at 100.

Do I see 110?

110, 120, 130, 140, 150 in the room.

160 anywhere?

160?

170.

180.

Oh, you've done alright!

190, 200.

(GASPS) 210.

Oh my God, you've done alright on it.

Cheap!

It's cheap!

It's cheap.

At £220.

(GAVEL) VO: A fantastic profit!

Merry Christmas!

I...I think you've been extremely lucky.

(LAUGHS) Well done.

Margie, high five!

(LAUGHS) VO: Last lot, John's heavy hitter, the Victorian garden roller.

The roller's gonna fly out of here.

It's gonna crush the competition.

I think, I think we'll be crushed.

I shall start with commission bids of 110.

120 anywhere?

With me here at 110.

Do I see 120?

On commission... Oh my... £110.

(GAVEL) It's a total and utter disgrace!

Take it home with you, darling.

I mean, a disgrace.

Take it home.

Have you got a garden?

VO: Oh dear, oh dear.

His biggest purchase makes the biggest loss.

Poor John.

I'm gonna get a bear hug.

VO: Well, I was expecting drama, but phew!

After you, Mum.

VO: OK, let's get down to business.

Time for the sums then.

VO: John and Margie began with £400 but made a loss after sale room fees of around £190.

Oh dear.

They have £209.10 in their piggy.

(GAVEL) VO: Anita and Paul started with the same amount and also made a loss.

After costs they have £356.70.

They lost the least so are today's winners.

Well done!

PAUL: Enjoy that?

MARGIE: Well, I never!

ANITA: What an experience.

We may have lost 40 odd pounds... We've not too much.

..but we came out victorious.

They've lost, we've lost... VO: Pats on the back for effort, I'd say.

ANITA: Bye bye!

PAUL: All the best, both!

JOHN: (TOOTS CAR HORN) ANITA: Bye!

VO: Let's have a curtain call.

What great, great fun, darling.

That's been the best bit of it all, to spend some quality time with my Nitty.

ANITA: In an E-type!

JOHN: In an E-type!

ANITA: Yes, lovely.

It doesn't get much better than this, my love, does it?

Perfect day.

VO: Toodle-oo, you two.

Ha-ha!

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