[UPBEAT MUSIC] TIM WONNACOTT: The nation's favorite celebrities-- Oh, I like that.

TIM WONNACOTT: --paired up with an expert-- Oh, we've had some fun, haven't we?

TIM WONNACOTT: --and a classic car.

It feels as if it could go quite fast.

TIM WONNACOTT: Their mission, to scour Britain for antiques.

Yes!

Fantastic.

I do that in slow-mo.

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

Come on, boys!

TIM WONNACOTT: But it's no easy ride.

Ta-da!

TIM WONNACOTT: Who will find a hidden gem?

Don't sell me!

TIM WONNACOTT: Who will take the biggest risks?

Go away, darling.

TIM WONNACOTT: Will anybody follow expert advice?

I'm trying to spend money here.

TIM WONNACOTT: There will be worthy winners-- Yes!

TIM WONNACOTT: --and valiant losers.

Put your pedal to the metal.

This is the "Celebrity Antiques Road Trip."

Yeah!

[UPBEAT MUSIC] TIM WONNACOTT: On today's show, we're joined by a couple of celebrities who are a celebrity couple.

It's married award-winning journalists and presenters, John Stapleton and Lynn Faulds Wood.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: 20 years of bliss.

JOHN STAPLETON: Absolutely.

- Until this moment.

Never a dull moment.

Never a cross word.

Until this moment.

Perhaps until today.

[LAUGHS] TIM WONNACOTT: I do hope not.

[MUSIC PLAYING] (SINGING) I put it to rest.

I put it to rest.

TIM WONNACOTT: Seasoned broadcaster John has over 40 years' experience in newspapers and television and has previously been awarded the Royal Television Society News Presenter of the Year.

Fellow journalist and presenter, Lynn, is best known as a consumer champion and was named Consumer Journalist of the Decade in the 80s.

This could be the end of a long and glorious marriage.

They don't come as cheap as me, you know.

Oh, I don't know.

TIM WONNACOTT: I say.

Our married duo a motoring around the northwest of England in this saucy little red 1971 TVR Vixen.

[MUSIC PLAYING] (SINGING) Out there.

I'd forgotten we were the first married couple presenters on British television.

We predated Richard and Judy.

We did.

But I've-- you know, and I genuinely can't remember this-- how long is it since we stopped doing "Watchdog"?

1912.

TIM WONNACOTT: By Jove, you're both aging well.

[MUSIC PLAYING] (SINGING) Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

TIM WONNACOTT: On this journey, John and Lynn will be joined by antique gurus, Thomas Plant and Margie Cooper.

They're whizzing towards the meeting point in this beautiful blue Series 1 Jaguar E-type made in 1964, which means it was manufactured before seat belts were mandatory.

Which is why they're not wearing any.

Got it?

I've never driven a Jaguar E-type in my life.

Really?

And what an amazing-- what an iconic car.

I'm sort of trying to get to grips with it, actually really concentrate.

- Well, you're doing very well.

You're doing very well.

- Why, that's very kind.

Don't look at me.

Well, I can't keep my eyes off you.

[LAUGHS] - Don't keep looking at-- [LAUGHS] TIM WONNACOTT: Once paired up, our teams will begin their epic adventure with 400 pounds in their pockets.

Starting in Wrightington, Lancashire, our teams will take to the road buying around the northwest before finally finishing up in Hazel Grove in Stockport for auction.

So where are they?

We've been about five minutes, ten minutes.

Well, obviously this is the faster car, and there's a jalopy coming.

So I'm having this one.

TIM WONNACOTT: And just on cue.

JOHN STAPLETON: Oh, look who's here.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: Oh, he's not a reliable man.

And who do we see?

Our expert.

That one's Thomas Plant.

I'd like Thomas, please, if you don't mind.

Now, this is a bit more like it.

That is a color I can live with, thank you very much indeed.

Sky blue, Manchester City blue, perfect!

And look who's there.

Hi!

Welcome.

We were destined to be together.

I will.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: How lovely to meet you.

THOMAS PLANT: And you as well.

And I'm so glad I've got you.

Are you?

Because I know nothing.

- Oh, really?

- Yes.

What about John?

Do you know a lot?

Absolutely nothing.

I'm looking to you for some-- Really?

We will be your helpers.

THOMAS PLANT: Safe hands with Margie.

--benevolent guidance.

So are you two competitive?

Let me tell you, she is the most competitive person you will ever meet.

I reckon John's quite competitive.

Well, let's find out.

But I hope he loses.

[LAUGHS] - Come on, let's go.

- Are you going to drive?

I'll drive.

Can I drive?

Of course you can.

TIM WONNACOTT: Paired off, it's time to hit the road.

Thank you so much.

Here we go.

See you!

JOHN STAPLETON: Look at that.

TIM WONNACOTT: And opportunity to get to know one another.

So have you ever driven a classic car before?

Does my car count classic?

How old's your car?

11 years old.

No way!

Is that not classic?

No, that's made it in like 2005 or something, isn't it?

It's a naughties car.

He's a beautiful car, this, but not the easiest in the world to drive.

I can smell rubber.

You can smell, but if you see smoke, give me a shout, will you?

TIM WONNACOTT: This morning, our teams are heading to the market town of Chorley in Lancashire, where they will both kick off their shopping.

Because of your seriousness, your gravitas when it comes to journalism, and your in-depth knowledge on subjects and the way you research and study-- That was very nice of you to say that.

--you would be probably masters at negotiation.

No, I'll be hopeless.

No, no, come on.

No, no, give yourself some credit, then.

You've got to be masters-- At this point, I'm just mastering this car.

You've got to be masters at negotiation.

Well, if you give me a clue, I'll-- well, what we call-- I was born in Glasgow.

We call it nuttings.

Nuttings.

I used to specialize in doing villains who were refusing to sort out problems and give people their money back.

And I used to go and doorstep them.

Yeah?

So I'm good at that kind of stuff.

This is the-- this is the same thing.

TIM WONNACOTT: Uh, it's not really, Thomas.

I'd always wanted to be a journalist, and I wrote to 33 newspapers before I got a job as a journalist at age 17, yeah.

So you showed persistence, and that is the answer.

That's one of the key things, persistence.

It is.

Persistence.

Dogged determination.

Absolutely.

JOHN STAPLETON: Yeah.

So you met Lynn on a television program?

No, I met Lynn in a pub.

She was a barmaid.

[LAUGHS] Really?

She was pulling pints in a pub in Richmond.

Actually, she was a teacher.

She was a French teacher supplementing her income as a barmaid, and I used to pop into this pub with my mate-- I was a researcher on "This Is Your Life" at the time-- and we used to pop in this pub on the way home.

And she used to-- we never had any food in the fridge, you know, and she used to slip us lumps of cheese to make an omelet.

So love was omelet-shaped.

MARGIE COOPER: So she wasn't in journalism then?

No, well, she wasn't at that time.

She was teaching French, and then she very quickly got into journalism, magazines and newspapers.

And then eventually, she got into consumer affairs because I bought her a nightie that didn't fit, right-- [LAUGHS] --for Christmas.

And she took it back, and she started investigating-- they refused to give her her money back.

Ah.

Anyway, she started investigating her rights, and that's how she became a consumer journalist.

And eventually we wound up on "Watchdog" working together.

Good gracious, what a story.

All-- all over a nightie?

All over a nightie, yeah.

TIM WONNACOTT: While John's been busy reminiscing, Lynn and Thomas have arrived at the first shop.

You're now entering my territory.

And we're ahead of John.

I know, which is good, isn't it?

It's always good to be the first ones in.

TIM WONNACOTT: Heskin Hall Antiques houses a huge selection of treasures, from vintage crockery to fine antiques.

Hello Lynn, I'm Lynn.

Hello!

Can we come in and get some great deals from you?

Well, we can try.

I mean us Lynn's stick together.

Well, I've just noticed.

TIM WONNACOTT: Uh-huh.

Look who's arrived.

Unfortunately, Margie-- They have arrived.

--they have beaten us to it.

They have.

Right.

Here we go.

- Right.

All right.

It wouldn't be the Antiques Road Trip if you have a car that was easy to get out of.

[LAUGHS] Come on.

Let's see what we've got.

Where's the best place to find your best bargains?

JOHN STAPLETON: Come on, come on.

Get out of the way.

[ALL TALKING] A big building.

- Out of the way.

- We'll go upstairs.

We'll go upstairs.

- They beat us to it.

I'm John.

Hello.

Hello, John.

Hi.

MARGIE COOPER: I'm Margie.

Hi.

Hello.

Hi.

Thanks for looking after us.

No problem at all.

I hope you enjoy it.

Have a good wander round.

Give me a shout if you need help.

Are they going to get all the best deals, now they were here first?

Losers.

Losers.

MARGIE COOPER: (LAUGHING) Losers.

We'll see.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: [INAUDIBLE].

Bye.

TIM WONNACOTT: Friendly banter aside, time to get down to business.

So what sort of thing am I looking for?

THOMAS PLANT: I think something decorative.

If it catches your eye, it's going to be good.

You said get something quirky.

They don't get much quirkier than this, do they?

Well, you know, dafter things that have been purchased on the Antiques Road Trip.

Have they really?

TIM WONNACOTT: Step away from the cuddly toy, John.

You know, I was saying maybe I'd like something Scottish.

THOMAS PLANT: Yeah, you did say that.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: And this makes me think of bagpipes.

It's a push box.

Yeah, but do these sell?

They do.

Let's see if it works.

That will sell, yes.

You can tell I'm musical.

I can see.

So you're missing the straps.

Uh-huh.

Here's the maker here, CGH.

They're normally made on the continent.

A squeeze box, 60 pounds.

But you are missing quite a bit of material.

Yeah.

Missing a button there.

Yeah.

I mean, some of these boxes can make hundreds of pounds.

But not that one?

Well, I don't know enough about them, to be candid.

60 quid doesn't seem like a great deal of money.

If something like 20 quid, 25 quid?

Yeah, but it's marked at 60.

Yeah.

I love your optimism here.

Yes.

I love your optimism; it's great.

But?

I think you haven't got a cat in hell's chance of getting that.

- I'm a fool.

OK. Well, you're not a fool, but it's worth having good.

TIM WONNACOTT: Look out.

Oh, careful.

Looky there.

Hi, dear.

What are you doing?

No, you don't like to look.

Look who's checking in on you lot.

Look at this.

This is-- We're not here to look.

We're just here to say hello, how are you doing?

We're doing brilliantly down there.

- Have you bought?

- No.

No.

Sorry, I've not.

THOMAS PLANT: Go on.

- Bye.

See you later.

Bye.

No rush.

Bye.

No, no, there is a rush.

Bye!

Lynn, right now, will be upstairs driving a very hard bargain.

You can bet your boots, she's got an eagle eye for a bargain.

She'll have spotted something, and she'll be giving the shop owner the Glasgow kiss, as they call it.

TIM WONNACOTT: Well, thankfully she's not headbutting anyone, but she is making a cheeky bid on the 60-pound German squeeze box.

She's squeezing the price.

I can only offer you really silly money on it, because it's got no leather straps, and some of the fretwork missing, and there's one little knobby things missing.

Right, OK. Tell me what silly money you're thinking of.

20 quid?

Um-- Go on.

I haven't bought anything yet today.

--on it?

Oh, I can do 25, but I couldn't do 20.

I have to consult my colleague.

You've done-- I couldn't believe you.

My husband says I'm the most competitive person he's ever met.

I can't believe that.

And I'm rotten at haggling, so you're my first haggle.

I love you, Lynn.

Thank you very much.

25 quid.

- That's OK. You're welcome.

All right.

Perfect.

Thank you.

- Thank you, Lynn.

- You're welcome.

TIM WONNACOTT: Ha!

The consumer champion is a champion consumer.

A fabulous first deal there for just 25 pounds.

Are we going to play a happy tune to the auction?

Yeah.

What can you play?

I can't play very much.

I wish I had-- oh!

TIM WONNACOTT: Best stick to the day job, Thomas.

Back inside though, Margie's onto something.

That's a pretty vase.

One all of these?

This one here.

Oh?

It's a noritake, which is Japanese.

And they're always nice quality, noritake vases.

You've always got nice gilding.

Pretty hand-painted flowers.

JOHN STAPLETON: It is nice.

And it says on here there's a pair, but I can't see it.

And what's the price?

Well, the price is 180 pounds, so I'm really showing you because I just thought you might like it.

I do.

I think it's lovely.

Yeah, it is lovely.

But where's the other one?

Whether they've got it downstairs.

Yes.

And what are you-- - And how good?

Oh that's, yeah.

No, it's 100 years old.

Is it?

Yeah, late Victorian, early 19th century.

TIM WONNACOTT: Even though its partner has gone AWOL, John and Margie have decided to try to do a deal on the noritake vase, which would cost 180 pounds if it was a pair.

We don't know where the other one is, so we possibly like to buy this on its own, right?

What's your best price?

As a single, as it's you, I would let it go for 60.

But that would be the very best.

Can it come down another 10?

Could you do 50 on it?

No, not really.

No, I can't.

What about 55?

Meet us half way.

55, yeah.

Go on.

Shake the lady's hand.

Go on.

Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

TIM WONNACOTT: 55 pounds buys John and Margie their first lot for auction.

Top job.

Look at this.

Oh my goodness, me.

Just don't get my pot wet.

Right.

I'm here.

I'm going to need your arm.

- Thank you very much.

- Right.

Come here, come, come.

TIM WONNACOTT: Lynn and Thomas have hit the road and made their way to Liverpool.

At the end of the 19th century, Liverpool had one of the biggest ports in the world, with merchants and sailors arriving at its docks with goods from all over the globe.

Unfortunately, sailors often returned from voyages to exotic lands with unknown and deadly diseases.

In 1898, the groundbreaking Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, also known as LSTM, was set up to research the symptoms, causes, and potential cures.

It was the first school of its kind in the world.

Lynn and Thomas are meeting Dean of Clinical Sciences and International Public Health, Professor David Lalloo, to find out more about the illnesses the 19th century sailors faced.

Give us an example of what sort of diseases these sailors were coming back with.

Certainly malaria would be one of the things that would be causing the greatest amount of damage and causing deaths and disability.

Did we call it malaria at that time?

Did we know that's what it was?

Well, so the concept of malaria had been kind of discovered fairly slightly earlier than that, but it wasn't understood how it worked, and was transmitting the disease, what parasites were causing the disease.

And that really only came in the very late 19th century.

And who discovered that?

So Ronald Ross was the first person to work out that malaria was transmitted by mosquitoes.

That must have been a Eureka moment.

We were getting sick but didn't know why we're getting sick because it was these little things here, critters.

It was a hugely important discovery because it meant that you could start, first of all, to work out how you could control mosquitoes and therefore malaria.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: Ronald Ross sounds like an amazing man.

Yes, he clearly was.

He was one of, in many ways, one of the first tropical physicians.

And in 1902, he got the Nobel Prize for that discovery.

Wow.

I'm really interested in promoting women's part in any of this.

Were there women involved in setting up the school?

Yes, and Mary Kingsley was a remarkable woman who was an explorer in the late-- An explorer?

An explorer, a female explorer in the late 19th century at a time when women didn't travel in Africa.

And a lot of her work and writings really has influenced the philosophy of the way the LSTM does work in the tropics.

What was important was the influence that she had over how the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine did its work.

Oh, really?

It was the whole idea that you did this in partnership with people in Africa, rather than imposing in a very colonial way.

That's the philosophy that we espouse to this day.

Everything we do is about working with people, finding solutions together with these populations that are suffering from diseases.

So you're still going to the outer reaches of the world where diseases-- animals bite people, and things go wrong?

Malaria.

Yes.

Many of our researchers travel all the time, probably in slightly more luxury than Mary Kingsley did.

Yes.

But we go out there and we investigate and we treat these diseases.

TIM WONNACOTT: The LSTM is world-famous for its pioneering work on pesticides, anti-malaria medicines, and has a unique resource for snake venom research.

Yuck!

David's letting Lynn and Thomas get a rare look at some snakes being milked for their venom by herpetologist Paul and senior lecturer Nick.

So what it is, they're getting this snake out.

This is a puff adder, which is a snake you find all over Africa.

They're enormous snakes, as you can see, and have got a very potent venom.

And what they're doing now is just controlling the snake to make sure that it's safe.

And you can see there that Paul is holding the head of the snake there.

That's quite dangerous for Paul, is it?

This is all experience.

So really experienced people do it well.

And what he's doing now is just getting the snake to clamp down onto that, the cling film there, and you can see the venom milk down.

It's-- absolutely.

- You can see it!

Look at that!

And it's that venom that's crucial for our use in our research and for use in making antivenom, which is the treatment of snakebite.

TIM WONNACOTT: Snake bites kill around 95,000 people every year, so the milking of snakes done here is key to the school's research into anti-venom.

Oh!

No, he means it.

He means it.

Look at that!

They're pretty nasty snakes, there.

Yeah.

THOMAS PLANT: Look at all that coming out.

DAVID LALLOO: You can see the power there as well, actually.

THOMAS PLANT: Wow!

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: And I can see how dangerous that could be if you didn't know what you're doing.

But we use that venom to actually understand whether we can make better treatments by investigating what the components of that venom are.

TIM WONNACOTT: The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine remains one of the most respected scientific institutes in the world, thanks to the pioneering efforts of people like Sir Ronald Ross and Mary Kingsley.

Meanwhile, without a snake in sight, John and Margie have made their way to Bretherton and their next shop.

Gosh!

Oh, God.

It gets deeper and deeper down there.

MARGIE COOPER: It does.

Quick, quick, quick.

TIM WONNACOTT: Dealer Aiden has an Aladdin's cave of goodies, and John and Margie still have 345 pounds in their pocket.

Time to get shopping.

You tend to not look up.

I always look down.

Look up, because you see all sorts of things hanging about.

It's good for your double chin as well.

Bunch of stags.

Yeah, it's a better profile-- certainly better profile, darling.

Yeah.

Much better.

I'll remember that.

That's quite sweet.

That's sweet there.

That's Tunbridge ware.

That little box.

Really?

Mm-hmm.

Got your snuff box.

- Yeah.

The design?

Yeah, they're all tiny little minute little pieces of wood that are all put together.

Really?

And it started in Tunbridge Wells as souvenir ware.

So every bit of that design?

Yes, they're called tesserae.

Yeah.

Little tiny squares of all different woods.

That's fascinating.

And it was souvenir ware.

We'll have a look at that, if we can remember.

TIM WONNACOTT: There's no ticket price on the Tunbridge ware snuff box.

So one to ask Aiden about later.

Now, it looks like something shiny has caught John's eye.

Just got a bit of silverware here.

Well, you know me and a bit of silverware.

I tend to-- - Yes.

What's that?

Just an ornamental bowl, or?

It's a little bonbon dish.

Oh, a bonbon dish?

Yeah, a little bonbon dish.

But it's nice.

To tell you what is nice, it's on it's own little splay feet-- Yes.

--which makes it really pretty.

And a snippet of 125 quid?

I can't tell with that-- well, I think that's a bit negotiable.

So that, and that little snuff box.

- Yeah.

- Potentially.

Yeah.

That's two to think about.

TIM WONNACOTT: Potential purchases are stacking up.

Oh, gosh, these look nice.

Look at that!

Gosh.

Well, it sounds a daft question.

That's Georgian there.

It's a lamp, but-- Off a carriage, a horse and carriage.

Oh, a horse and carriage!

Horse and carriage.

Oh, I see.

Yeah.

Wow.

Do you know many people who've got a horse and carriage?

MARGIE COOPER: [LAUGHS] It's the sort of practical question a journalist is bound to ask, really.

Well, that wasn't really-- I'm just thinking for antique-wise they are pretty rare because there's one behind you.

So we've got a pair.

But they're going to be dear.

Are they?

Yeah.

What vintage do you think?

Georgian.

Early 19th century, 1820.

Yeah.

Like those.

So I get those, all I need now is a horse and carriage.

TIM WONNACOTT: With three possible lots are the deals to be had with Aden.

First up, the Victorian silver bonbon dish.

JOHN STAPLETON: You've got 125 on the ticket here.

AIDEN FINN: And what you thinking?

JOHN STAPLETON: Well, we're pushed out because we've got some other things in mind.

We've got plans for you, Aiden.

Yeah, we have.

Oh, you have plans for me?

The gallows are at the back.

[LAUGHS] We're looking for a very good deal in here.

Could it be 60?

AIDEN FINN: 65.

60.

Go on, then.

I want you to do well.

You're a good man.

Thank you very much, indeed.

We do try.

TIM WONNACOTT: That's the silver bonbon dish bagged for less than half price.

Time for the turn of the Tunbridge ware snuff box.

MARGIE COOPER: A bit dirty.

AIDEN FINN: Wants a good clean.

It does want, and there's a bit of damage there.

AIDEN FINN: OK.

I am worried now.

Are you?

Yeah, why because of the mark?

- Because there's a chink there.

- Oh, I see.

How much is it?

AIDEN FINN: Probably 35.

JOHN STAPLETON: 35?

That has got to be a lot.

Come on, it's 20 quid, isn't it?

To some people.

No, I would happily give you 30-- we would happily give you 30 pounds, if it wasn't for a great thundering chip.

AIDEN FINN: Go on, I agree.

- Do you want to offer 20 quid?

- You want me to take a bit-- Well, for 20 quid.

You can't lose!

You got two pieces, top and bottom.

And will you clean it as well?

I'll give it a clean.

TIM WONNACOTT: That's the Tunbridge ware bought for 20 pounds and with a clean up thrown in for free.

Right.

John and Margie still have 265 pounds.

Can they strike a deal on the rare Georgian coach lamps?

AIDEN FINN: They're not cheap.

MARGIE COOPER: I didn't think they were.

AIDEN FINN: You're looking at like 500 or 600 quid.

You're kidding.

Yeah.

They're rare.

MARGIE COOPER: So are you in for a deal or not?

AIDEN FINN: I'm always in for a deal.

MARGIE COOPER: It's a huge purchase for us, isn't it?

Massive, I mean, it's like-- - All your budget.

- Wipe us out.

All your budget.

More than our budget.

MARGIE COOPER: No, what sort of price would you really be-- JOHN STAPLETON: Bottom line.

MARGIE COOPER: Bottom line.

350.

Haven't got that.

No, we haven't got that.

So 200, it would be out of the question?

How's 225 then?

I'd like to try, but it's a gamble.

AIDEN FINN: I think it could fly.

It's a big outlay, but let's do it.

Go with our instinct.

Yeah, let's do it.

Gut feeling.

Yeah.

That's what we use every day, isn't it, darling?

Shall we do it three ways?

Three ways, how's that?

Thank you very much.

TIM WONNACOTT: It nearly blew their bank balance, but that's the rare coach lamps secured for 225 pounds.

That trio of lots bought brings an end to a very successful first day of shopping for our two teams.

I bid you all nighty-night.

[UPBEAT MUSIC] It's a new morning.

Lynn and John are reunited and swapping stories about their experts.

Margie's fantastic.

Margie is so reassuring.

I mean, she's a very jolly lady, got on with her very well, kindred spirit.

You know, northern lass, bounds to work.

Man City fan?

And a Man City fan.

What more could you ask for, really?

Surprised I didn't marry her, really.

TIM WONNACOTT: Steady on, John.

Thomas is lovely.

I know nothing about antiques.

I keep saying I know nothing, and it's, "No, No.

You really do know things."

He's very reassuring.

I'd like to take him home.

Would that be all right?

By all means, darling, by all means, if you can afford him.

TIM WONNACOTT: I think she probably could, as ultra-competitive Lynn has only forked out for one item so far, the German beechwood squeeze box.

Which means she still has a huge purse of 375 pounds.

While big spenders John and Margie have bagged an impressive four lots, the noritake vase, the Victorian silver bonbon dish, the Victorian Tunbridge ware snuff box, and the rare pair of Georgian coach lamps, leaving them with a mere 40 pounds to spend today.

Margie and Thomas are on the road hurtling towards Leasowe to meet their celebrity teammates.

How did it go with John yesterday?

Oh, great.

We had a lovely day.

And you know something?

I don't know whether I should tell you.

What?

I've only got 40 pounds left.

Kidding!

Yeah.

So I'll see what 40 pounds brings today.

I love that!

You've got a real sense of devil may care about you, Margie.

I have.

And how was your day?

Well, our day.

We only bought one thing, and I am slightly apprehensive because you've gone out there and you've done it.

- I have.

I have.

Four items purchased.

I love that.

Yeah.

I've only got one.

Panic, panic, panic.

Oh, I know, I know!

I'll be honest.

I would quite like to beat you just once in my life.

That'd be quite nice.

But I won't sort of be crying myself to sleep if I don't.

Do you think I'm a hard nut?

I think you've got your moments.

Yes, darling.

We have been married a long time.

I wonder if it'll last this antiques road trip.

TIM WONNACOTT: Gosh, I do hope so.

- We're here first.

- I know we are.

Look here.

- We're here first.

Here they come.

MARGIE COOPER: Oh, good morning.

How are you?

It gets a little bit easier, but-- no.

[LAUGHS] You're all right.

Nice to see you.

- Good to see you.

THOMAS PLANT: Good morning.

- Good morning.

We've got to get our game on.

Mark he knows.

Mark he knows.

They're bought four things.

Four things purchased.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: Right, OK. JOHN STAPLETON: Are you worried?

THOMAS PLANT: I am dead worried.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: Are we in a hurry, then?

- We are in a hurry.

- Oh, OK. - Are we going in this one?

- We are.

- Are you going to drive?

- I think so.

- Fantastic.

- Are you ready?

Yes.

MARGIE COOPER: Yay!

On the road again.

TIM WONNACOTT: This morning, Lynn and Thomas will head to New Brighton in the northeast corner of the Wirral.

And now is a perfect opportunity for Thomas to quiz Lynn about her career as Britain's consumer queen.

I ended up doing a lot of safety stuff because people wrote to me.

Like one example, on TV-am, a couple wrote because their son died.

He was 6, and he put a pen top in his mouth the way little kids do.

And somehow or other inhaled it into his windpipe.

Yeah.

And he died because it blocked his windpipe.

Other people wrote to me because their children had had the same thing happen.

The doctor rang me and said, "Why don't they put a hole in the end, and then when they get to hospital, we can save their lives."

So I rang up BIC and the other pen manufacturers, and I said, "Why don't you put a hole in the end of the pen?"

Because I had, by then, about 12 deaths.

Yes.

And all the other pen manufacturers said, "Yes, we can do that."

BIC said, "We couldn't possibly do that because the ink might dry out."

And it took eight years before they finally put a hole in the end of the pen top.

But they did it.

Yeah, they did.

All credit to them, because BIC's a beautiful-looking, iconic pen top.

Thank you very much, BIC, for putting that hole in them.

Well, well done, you.

TIM WONNACOTT: Well done, indeed.

This pair are armed with 375 pounds to spend at their first shop of the day.

THOMAS PLANT: Oh!

I think I'm going to like this.

One gets quite hot in the car, don't you?

Yeah.

Right.

Hello!

I'm Lynn.

Good morning!

Nice to meet you, Lynn.

I'm Sean.

Welcome to New Brighton.

Thank you very much.

DEALER 1: I'm good.

And have you got some great stuff here that we could have at very nice prices?

We have stuff.

Yeah.

We have piles and piles of stuff.

TIM WONNACOTT: He's not kidding.

Sean's stocks are piled high, especially downstairs.

Lordy, look at that lot.

Wow, can we get in here?

Sure, you have got some stuff.

Yeah.

We have people who come down here, and I forget they're down there.

- Do you?

And at the end of the day, I go to close up and I hear a noise.

Oh, don't let me-- People rummaging.

I'll leave you to it, guys.

- Thank you.

Give me a shout if you need me.

- Thank you.

Yeah.

Lynn, we've got our work cut out.

This is going to be a bit of fun.

TIM WONNACOTT: I'm not sure Lynn is convinced about fun.

Good luck wading through this lot though.

Look, there's a three-legged Clydesdale.

A three-legged Shire.

Oh look, they obviously collect-- there's a two-legged one.

Is that a two-legged one?

Oh, dear.

TIM WONNACOTT: While Lynn and Thomas plow through the piled-high m John and Margie are still on the road.

So politics, prime ministers.

Yes.

You must have interviewed a lot of those.

Yes, I've had the privilege-- it is a privilege, actually-- of interviewing every prime minister since James Callaghan back in the 1970s-- Good gracious.

Some of them several times, actually.

Margaret Thatcher, obviously, was someone who you couldn't possibly forget and was a challenge, to put it mildly.

You know, most people you interview, there's a bit of small talk before the actual interview.

Yeah.

Not in the least interested.

Get on with it.

Get down to it.

And I found it quite intimidating, actually.

Really?

Yeah, I did.

TIM WONNACOTT: Well, thankfully Margie is no Iron Lady, so you can relax.

Back in New Brighton, Lynn's knee deep in antiques and collectibles.

Any luck?

I just saw a box I thought was quite interesting.

Where do you see that?

It's over there.

But it won't be worth much.

- Oh, the tin?

- Yeah.

Tins-- - I love tins.

There's some tins up there.

You can do a couple of tins.

Ready, get set, oh!

Was it worth the effort?

So this is an early 1900s, 1920s tin.

Look at the lovely graphics on there.

Isn't that great?

It's not floating my boat.

It's not, is it?

No.

TIM WONNACOTT: Lynn may need a bit more convincing, Thomas.

A job lot of tins isn't what she had in mind.

I'm loving this.

Are you loving this?

I've found some Scottie dogs.

I'm beginning to love it a bit more.

But I'm not going to beat John with tins, am I?

When we do our reveal, and-- ha!

We better put the better ones on top.

We've looked at a lot of these tins, and they're not really in very good nick.

Don't they have been better next sale?

Now, I have sold tins, extraordinarily enough, for hundreds and hundreds of pounds.

Have you sold tins like these?

Not for hundreds.

But I think we try and buy them for very, very little.

A pound?

TIM WONNACOTT: Crikey.

How dirty are you?

Look your hands.

Yeah.

Look at that.

Welcome to my world.

Lovely.

Thank you.

Next time I come into your world, I shan't wear white trousers.

Look, and I know I'm entering my world, and I'm wearing white trousers.

Right, you can offer a pound for this.

I'm going to offer a pound.

Lovely feeling.

Right, come on.

TIM WONNACOTT: There's no messing with Lynn Faulds Wood.

Lynn and I have been busy.

You've been down there about an hour.

Yeah.

I think we've done you a service.

Yes, perhaps you could pay us to take it.

I've been a bit guilty that I should be paying you to take it away.

In that case, could we take that for a pound?

Well, I'm a business man, so I think I need more than a pound.

Maybe about 15 pounds.

Oh.

Oh, no.

You see, because I'm not sure I can make a profit on that.

Well, make it two quid.

Sean, you're a wonderful man.

I'll do two quid.

Lovely.

TIM WONNACOTT: The champion consumer strikes again as Lynn secures the huge selection of Victorian and Edwardian tins for just 2 pounds.

Bye bye, Sean.

Thank you.

TIM WONNACOTT: Now, how to fit them in the tight TVR.

Oh, they're beautiful.

Can I stand here and look decorative?

I'm in.

Would you like me to buy something smaller?

Please.

That tea caddy looks a bit knackered.

Is that technical terms?

We call it whacked.

Whacked.

Whacked.

My favorite one is that red one.

But for 2 quids-- Yeah.

That's unworkable.

But two quid.

Right, there you are.

We're done.

And we don't keep that to carry them.

Sell it back to him.

A quid for his crate?

A quid for his crate?

Right.

I'll be back.

Good luck.

TIM WONNACOTT: Crikey Moses.

John and Margie, meanwhile, have made their way to Birkenhead.

And are arriving at the Wirral Transport Museum.

Wow, look at this lot!

Oh, my goodness.

Oh, we got the light on here.

TIM WONNACOTT: They've come to learn about an eccentric American entrepreneur, George Francis Train, a man who revolutionized public transport in Britain in the mid-19th century by introducing the American streetcar.

John and Margie are meeting tram expert Rob Jones to find out more.

Street cars at that stage were pulled by horses.

Yes.

JOHN STAPLETON: And what was the reception when he came here initially?

Well, he was helping run his uncle's shipping line in Liverpool.

And he thought, what Liverpool needs is these streetcars that they have in New Orleans and New York and Boston and Philadelphia.

I'll try and sell the idea to Liverpool, but they thought he was a bit too extrovert.

So on the rebound, he came over the water to Birkenhead and saw the chairman of the town commissioners, who was John Laird, big employer in the town.

John Laird said, "Well, we'll give you a try.

We'll give you six months try, and after six months, if it's a failure, you must take it away at your own expense."

And George Francis thought, I've got an inroad here.

And he made a success of it.

TIM WONNACOTT: A brilliant businessman who traveled the world, it's claimed that GF Train was the real life inspiration for the fictional character Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days."

In the late 19th century, the horse-drawn trams that Train had introduced were eventually replaced by electric ones.

And what was its advantage over the horse-drawn tram?

Well, it was cheaper to run, it could carry more passengers, and it went twice the speed of horse trams.

And I suppose one other advantage was that you didn't need men following the tram picking up the you know what, the manure.

You're right.

When the horse trams finished, one of the few redundancies was the manure salesman that Liverpool employed.

MARGIE COOPER: Oh, dear.

ROB JONES: But everyone else was taken on.

Say it was such a success here in Birkenhead.

Did other cities and towns follow suit?

Yes, it gradually got more enthusiasm.

Within 25 years there were about 100 towns and cities in our country that had trams.

What caused the decline of the tram?

After the First World War, trams were in decline because of motor buses.

The technology was growing at a fantastic rate, and motor buses came in.

Actually, I use the B word here.

We don't-- we're a tram place here.

So we talk about the B word.

TIM WONNACOTT: With the B word banned, Rob is kindly letting John take a turn in driving a tram.

All aboard!

Hi, John, sir.

This is Dave.

Hello, Dave.

Good to see you.

Dave is going to look after you.

Make sure you do everything spot on.

Now then, obviously I don't want to crash this.

What do I need to know?

Well, first thing you need is the key.

Yeah.

So this actually goes in there.

You do that for me.

That's great.

Right.

- Push forward.

- Oh, I got it.

That's it.

OK. - All set?

- Bells?

Margie?

Everyone?

Have bells?

Here we go.

Oh, yes.

[HONKING] Hey, I rather like this.

This is how I speed.

Yeah.

Two.

That's it.

Now, we're racing now.

Hey, it's quite fast, isn't it?

- And three.

It is.

Yeah, it soon picks up.

Blimey!

Hey.

You're doing a great job.

Thank you very much, sir.

It's quite a speed, this, actually.

I'm really quite impressed.

Bring the control back to off.

Yeah, to slow it down again.

TIM WONNACOTT: Birkenhead will go down in history as the town that took a plunge and secured Britain's first tram system, all Thanks to George Francis Train.

It would have been so much easier if he'd called himself Tram.

Lynn and Thomas, meanwhile, have made their way to West Kirby, where they've arrived at their final shop.

Still armed with a whopping 373 pounds, they've got some serious money to spend.

- Hello.

- Hello, there.

- I'm Lynn.

- Good to meet you, Lynn.

I'm Bob.

- You're Bob.

Hello, Bob.

Yes, hello.

And this is Thomas.

Hello, Thomas.

Good to meet you.

We're really interested.

You've got lovely stuff.

Thank you.

That's very kind of you.

I'm just hoping you can do us great deals on them.

We'll see what we can do.

We need to keep-- make a living.

Well, you see, I have to beat my husband, John Stapleton.

Well, is that a hobby, or?

Yeah.

TIM WONNACOTT: With winning on their minds, Lynn and Thomas get stuck in.

And it doesn't take long for our Tom to dig up something.

Go for it, Tom Tom.

Look at this, Lynn.

Oh, I've never seen a wooden spade before.

It's a cool thing.

I love the size of it.

It's so dinky.

I love it too, but I have got a lot of money-- Shh, shh.

Oh, sure.

I have got very little money to spend if I'm going to thrash my husband.

TIM WONNACOTT: Thomas is taken with the 19th century Treen spade, which is ticketed at 36 pounds.

And Lynn has spotted something in the shop window.

Is it a doggy?

The one that attracted my eye most was that lovely kind of art deco-feeling pendant.

The gold pendant at the back?

Yes.

Well, it's probably not deco.

Oh?

No, it's going to be earlier than that.

Oh, really?

- It's art nouveau.

- All right.

OK. And it looks with those flowers and the peridot-- And what's the little green stone?

It's a peridot.

I've never heard of that.

We call it olivine.

It's a peridot stone.

It's got a great sort of lovely sagey green to it.

But that is extremely wearable.

I told you I knew nothing.

I've never heard of peridot.

But you've got an eye, haven't you?

TIM WONNACOTT: It's a pricey piece at 225 pounds, but Lynn likes it.

So it's another for consideration.

Would pictures sell at this auction?

Oh definitely.

Absolutely.

I mean, do you like her?

She's lovely, but I prefer the fat baby.

- Oh.

- Look at that.

I hadn't seen the fat baby.

Look at the fat baby.

What's a fat baby doing there?

Yeah.

Oil on canvas, "Hercules and the Serpents."

TIM WONNACOTT: With a 110-pound price tag, the oil painting is added to the list of other potential purchases.

Anything else, chaps?

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: Now, what's that?

Is that an ashtray?

What's the dish?

Yeah.

The silver dish.

Antique silver dish, Sri Lankan.

And what are those animals around it?

Horses and-- Well, you've got lions, you've got horses, you've got elephants, and you've got some extraordinarily exotic birds.

Yeah.

TIM WONNACOTT: But the ticket price is 79 pounds.

The white metal Sri Lankan dish is also set aside for negotiation.

That pendant is still playing on Lynn's mind.

Time for a closer look.

So you've got the art nouveau design.

The claim is not associated; it's sold with it.

I'm just going to turn it over.

So we've got the lovely design here.

Turn it over, and-- It's beautifully-- It is beautiful.

And what's this stone?

Peridot?

Peridot.

Yeah, peridot.

It's actually a good-looking thing, isn't it?

It is.

It is good looking, you like that?

It's lovely.

- Take a look at that price.

- The price.

Yes.

Right, so we like that.

We like that.

TIM WONNACOTT: And Lynn is not done yet.

- LYNN FAULDS WOOD: I really like the fat baby.

THOMAS PLANT: The fat baby-- on the ticket, it says after Sir Joshua Reynolds, circa 1900s.

Turn it over and show you the back to me.

So what you've got here is the modern frame, which is fine.

So if I just peel this off-- look, so if you do that there, there's a bit of writing on there.

We can't see what it is, but this is 1900 board.

It's got 110 pounds on the ticket, but I'm going to speak to our friend Bob if we want to do a deal on that.

You can see the infant Hercules.

Can you see that?

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: Yes.

The infant Hercules.

It's quite interesting that we've got that bit of copperplate writing on there.

TIM WONNACOTT: That's three lots on the counter, but Thomas has one more he'd like to add.

My spades.

Right.

No, this is what you are so attracted to.

I love my spades.

Yeah.

Well, I've never seen anything like it.

TIM WONNACOTT: Lynn is not convinced on that spade.

So they've decided to try and do a deal on the dish, pendant, and oil painting, which have a combined ticket price of over 400 pounds.

Well, the best offer I can do is 275.

THOMAS PLANT: I have to say, that's an immensely fair reduction.

Would you come any lower than that?

Because I feel I should haggle.

250?

250 I could do.

THOMAS PLANT: And then with the spade?

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: 265.

265, including the spade.

THOMAS PLANT: That's a good deal.

Yeah.

Bob?

You're going to do it?

Yes.

You're a lovely man.

Thank you very much.

TIM WONNACOTT: And a very generous discount, which means Lynn and Thomas get the pendant for 140 pounds, the painting for 60, the white metal dish for 50, and the spade for 15.

Wow!

We've done it, but I don't know whether we're going to beat John.

Oh, come on.

We got the tins!

Yes.

We've got the tins.

TIM WONNACOTT: While Lynn and Thomas have been busy buying, John and Margie have made their way to the picturesque town of Frodsham in Cheshire.

Situated in the shadow of Frodsham Hill, this vibrant market town is home to John and Margie's final shop.

All right, here we go.

Yeah.

Last one of the day.

Oh.

Yeah, it's no easier.

Come on.

There you go.

TIM WONNACOTT: After blowing most of their 400-pound budget yesterday, John and Margie have just 40 pounds left to spend.

What's this?

What?

Oh, that's a brannie, that is, as they say in the trade.

A "brannie"?

What does that mean?

- Brand new.

- Oh, I see.

Yeah.

That's just trying to be something it isn't.

Not for us, then.

No, it's not for us, but well spotted.

This is nice.

Yeah, that's quite nice, isn't it?

Nice meat plate.

I could see my roast beef on that.

Yeah, it's all right, isn't it?

Oriental background.

Yeah, it's a little bit, but no, that's English.

Is it?

Well, yeah.

That style is sort of the western-- what we assume that it's like in the Orient.

So that is willow pattern, isn't it?

It is all transfer printed.

You can see the join there.

Can you see?

That little bit there.

Yes.

The transfer print.

Oh, I see.

Yeah, it's all very clever, but-- I can just see.

So they what, they print the whole thing on?

Yeah, they like put a stencil on it and roll it and put it down.

It's not hand-painted.

It's like a-- Well, for 32 quid, I suppose you can't expect it-- No, but it's actually quite nice, that.

- It is good.

- Yeah.

Yeah, I like that.

Dealer Jill's on hand to help get a closer look.

JOHN STAPLETON: The mark.

Always got a mark.

Oh, yeah.

There you go.

Now that's made in Swansea, which is interesting.

Yeah.

That is interesting.

In the late 19th century, there was a huge interest in Japanese-- anything to do Japanese.

The Mikado was inspired by the Japanese interest.

And this stuff was just so immensely popular and still looks fabulous today.

I mean, it's a lovely attractive plate.

Yeah, we like that, don't we?

- We do like it.

Yeah.

Do you know much about it, Jill?

I don't.

It's another dealer's stock.

We haven't actually got much money left.

Right, OK. We've come to you with very little.

Can you ring the dealer and ask him what is the best price on that might be for us, given that we genuinely don't have much money, honestly?

Yeah, certainly.

I'll give him a call for you.

All right.

TIM WONNACOTT: The 19th century meat plate sports a 32-pound ticket price, but how low will the dealer go?

He'll do it for 22.

22?

Yeah, well that's great.

Yes, he'll do it for 22 for you if that helps.

Oh, well, that'd be nice.

I think that's very kind, thank you very much.

We'll shake on that.

Brilliant.

Thank you very much indeed.

TIM WONNACOTT: And with that generous discount, John and Margie are all bought up.

Right.

Shopping done and dusted, time for a spot of show and tell.

JOHN STAPLETON: It's going to be something delicate.

Good heavens!

[LAUGHTER] I thought you were supposed to get four or five things.

This is one lot.

You look as though you bought and entire grocery shop.

How much do you think we paid for this lot here?

Well, I haven't the faintest idea.

15 pounds.

I'd say a tenner.

Lower.

A pound.

A bit more.

2 pounds.

2 pounds.

I offered a pound, and then we felt sorry for him because he said he was a businessman.

Well, there's got to be a little bit of a profit there.

There'll be some markup on that again.

I'm sure.

There's some good boxes in here.

Well, yes.

This could be a runaway hit.

There are some great tins in this.

Yes, they're in lovely original condition.

TIM WONNACOTT: Also known as a bit battered.

John, Margie, your turn.

ALL: Oh!

You have quantity.

May I suggest here, we have quality?

Right?

So we've got the coaching lamps, which I am immediately looking at because they are cylindrical.

I've never seen cylindrical ones.

They are, right.

Margie, you would have paid a fair bit of money.

I have.

We have.

We have paid.

And what are your thoughts about that-- Noritake vase?

Yes, but nice and pointy.

Noritake?

Noritake.

Does that mean vulgar?

Well, it's from Japan.

And it will have a hand-painted scene on it, pretty.

With very nice gilding.

Yeah.

25 pounds?

Come on.

Don't be silly.

Come on.

Oh, they paid more.

45?

- 55.

- 55.

OK.

I like those coaching lamps.

Yes, I like those coaching lamps.

Those items you've got before all of that are all going to make a profit.

You think so?

Yes.

The coaching lamps could let you down.

I have to confess, I think the coaching lamps are a gamble, but in the hands of my expert, in whom I have absolute faith, I love it.

I think we are going to go and have a cup of tea.

- Good luck on the day.

- Yeah.

Good luck.

Bye.

TIM WONNACOTT: Out of earshot, what do they really make of each other's lots?

Well, I'll tell you what.

I saw those tins, I mean, that's just a lot of old tat, isn't it?

But it's quite clever because they only paid two quid for it, so they'll make money out of it, I think.

I think they could win.

Really?

Well, you see, I like those coach lamps.

They're the kind of thing that people buy to do up houses differently.

No?

- No.

Oh, OK.

I bow to your superior knowledge.

TIM WONNACOTT: After starting in Wrightington, Lynn and John are now motoring towards Hazel Grove in Stockport for the big finale.

As the most competitive person I've ever met in my entire life-- You still think that?

I still think that.

How are you rating your chances today?

I think, well, I meant to say I think we'll win.

But I have my doubts.

You have your doubts?

I have my doubts.

I've never seen you with even a scintilla of doubt about anything you've ever done.

I'm just loving the game.

Oh, this is a first.

TIM WONNACOTT: While the competitive couple are gearing themselves up for the sale, our experts have arrived at Maxwell's Auctioneers under their own steam.

Well, here they are.

Ah.

Good morning, sir.

How are you?

Are you going to slip out of there?

It's good to see you again.

I'm going to climb out of that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Very good to see you.

Yeah, hello, sweetheart.

Good to see you again.

Looking forward to this?

I am.

Our tins are going to win it.

Your tins?

Our tins are going to win the day.

Let us go in.

Come one.

TIM WONNACOTT: Well, we'll soon find out.

On this tremendous trip, Lynn and Thomas spent 292 pounds on six auction lots.

While John and Margie bought five lots, almost blowing their entire budget, spending 382 pounds.

Bravo!

The man with the gavel today is Max Blackmore.

So what does he make of our celebrities' lots?

Some quite unusual items, like the concertina-- shame it's not in better condition.

The coaching lamps, a very attractive pair, they could do quite well.

TIM WONNACOTT: Today's auction has buyers online and in the room.

Our teams are settling in.

Let the battle of husband versus wife commence.

The opening lot is the 19th century Treen spade that Thomas adored.

10 I have on the net, 10 pounds.

Oh, you got 10 pounds.

[INAUDIBLE] decorative.

Take twos if you wish.

12.

Hey!

12.

Come on in.

12 pounds, the gentleman in the row at 12 pounds.

15.

18.

Watch this.

Selling this time, then, at 18.

You are for Mr. Powell.

THOMAS PLANT: That was big.

TIM WONNACOTT: The spade secures Lynn and Thomas their first profit.

I loved it.

I'm really pleased you're happy.

And I'd buy it again.

From a Thomas favorite to one of Margie's, the noritake vase is next.

Start me at 10 pounds.

10 pounds.

10 bid.

10 pounds.

12.

15.

18.

20.

22.

25.

MARGIE COOPER: Well, it's getting there.

25 pounds we have from the lady.

THOMAS PLANT: Oh, dear.

25 pounds.

25 pounds on my left.

I'm selling it.

LYNN FAULDS WOOD: Oh, what a shame.

How much did you buy it for?

55.

Stop rubbing it in.

I feel sorry for you.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

TIM WONNACOTT: Not as sorry as Margie must be feeling.

That's a disappointment.

That was the one about bankers.

TIM WONNACOTT: Next up, Lynn's German beechwood squeeze box.

30 pounds bid.

Oh, you're it.

We have 30 pounds now.

Yes We've made a profit.

Come on.

At 30 pounds.

THOMAS PLANT: That's fine.

TIM WONNACOTT: Another profit for Lynn and Thomas.

Well done!

Thank you.

Thank you.

Now see, we can easily overtake that.

TIM WONNACOTT: Fighting talk, John.

I like it.

Look, your Victorian bonbon dish is up next.

50 bid.

I have 50 pounds.

Lady's bid of 50.

52.

55.

58.

60.

60 pounds, the lady' bid.

60 pounds.

Surely not.

He's wiping its face.

--in the room.

Selling then at 60.

THOMAS PLANT: I'm disappointed.

TIM WONNACOTT: There isn't a lot of love in the room for poor old John's lots, but at least it wasn't another loss.

Even he thought we'd make more than that.

Even I didn't have to lose.

C'est la vie.

TIM WONNACOTT: Moving on, it's the turn of the two-pound tins.

There must be a profit for Lynn here, surely.

20 bid.

I have 20 pounds.

Wow.

That's better.

22.

Are you bidding 25?

Oh, well, you've got tins-- see you later.

28.

30.

35 1/2.

We're in 5's.

40, 40 bid.

I don't believe it.

40 pounds.

45?

45 pounds on the net against the room.

Well, I congratulate you.

- JOHN STAPLETON: 45 for that lot of old tosh.

Yes!

Oh, thank you so much, net.

Yeah, well done, internet.

TIM WONNACOTT: Lynn hoped they'd do well, and didn't they just.

What a profit!

Well, how do we make a dignified exit?

TIM WONNACOTT: Don't go anywhere yet, John.

Here comes your 19th century meat plate, old boy.

I start at 10 pounds then, come on.

Come on.

This is going to creep up.

8 pounds then.

- This is a quality piece.

- No, it's not.

- It is important, I do think.

- Gosh.

Anybody want it?

8 pounds I have.

- 8.

We got 8.

You got 8 in front of the auctioneer's wife.

Thank you very much.

I'm selling at 8 pounds.

JOHN STAPLETON: No.

TIM WONNACOTT: Oh, dear.

This is not John and Margie's day.

What's happened to us?

I'm speechless.

We've gone down the slippery.

I'm speechless.

I'm really sorry.

But we don't deserve to have gone down this-- Oh, stuff it.

You don't mean a word of it.

You don't mean a word of it.

I do, I do.

TIM WONNACOTT: I believe you, Thomas, though thousands wouldn't.

Time now for Lynn and Thomas's white metal Sri Lankan dish.

Come on, 20 then.

Let's start nice and low, 20 bid.

In the front.

Further bid?

Come on, come on, take it.

22?

It's beautiful.

AUCTIONEER: 25.

I'm embarrassed now.

28, come back to you.

30.

32.

35.

38.

40.

40 pounds, front row again?

Go on, sir.

AUCTIONEER: 40 pounds is with the lady.

Well done.

AUCTIONEER: 42.

Go on, madam.

45 pounds, it's the lady's bid.

Anybody else now?

All done.

I'm selling.

Oh, gosh.

Just missed a profit.

Just missed washing its face.

TIM WONNACOTT: A small loss for Lynn and Thomas.

Bad luck.

We're clawing our way back, Margie.

We're clawing our way back.

Yeah, you are.

We're on the ropes.

We're on the ropes.

And these blows are coming in.

Stay tuned.

TIM WONNACOTT: Can John and Margie make a comeback with their Victorian Tunbridge ware snuff box?

30 bid, at 30 pounds.

There you are.

Straight in.

32.

Oh, 32.

35 is bid.

35 is bid.

38.

40, thank you.

Well done.

You've doubled your money.

No?

40 pounds for the lady standing.

I'm selling it at 40 pounds.

TIM WONNACOTT: Double their money.

Top notch!

Congratulations!

We're on your tail, mate.

We're on your tail.

TIM WONNACOTT: Lynn and Thomas are up again, this time with their oil painting of the infant Hercules.

30 bid.

At 30 pounds.

Any further bids now?

35.

Come on!

Nobody wants it that high again.

It is beautiful.

40 bid.

40 pounds.

45?

Yes, 45 pounds.

45 pounds standing.

Go on.

It's a proper picture.

It's going, going-- TIM WONNACOTT: Gone.

The fat baby flopped.

Oh, dear.

Somebody got a bargain there, because that was beautiful.

It was a good thing.

I loved it.

TIM WONNACOTT: Right then.

Hold tight, here comes John and Margie's big gamble, they're rare Georgian coach lamps.

Good luck.

They'll need it.

Start with sixty.

Oh!

60 pounds for a good pair of Georgian coach lamps.

They are really good.

65.

75.

They're not mine, and they're good.

85.

90.

We've got a long ways to go.

90 pounds in the front row, at 90 pounds.

- They're gorgeous.

- They are good.

90 pounds, there's no interest on the net.

We're in the room.

No interest on the net.

Any further bids now?

90 pounds it is.

Oh, I feel for you.

I'm selling.

Oh, what a disappointment.

But never mind.

TIM WONNACOTT: Never mind?

Oh, dear.

Top marks your positivity, Margie, but that is a crushing blow.

I thought there was a telephone bid coming out.

Well, I thought there was somebody hobbling around on the phone.

I was worried, genuinely.

I think they were ordering their lunch.

Maybe.

Time for the last lot of the day, then, Lynn's peridot pendant.

There could be a profit here.

At 55.

60.

65.

70.

75.

80.

85.

Oh, it's doing all right.

90.

95.

100.

JOHN STAPLETON: Oh, dear.

110.

120.

130.

140.

150.

160.

All done this time.

That's good.

TIM WONNACOTT: And we the end on a profit.

Great stuff!

Many congratulations.

Thank you.

Yes, well done.

Have we won?

TIM WONNACOTT: Good one, Lynn.

John and Margie started with 400 pounds and after paying auction costs, sadly, they made a pretty dramatic loss of 199 pounds and 14 p, which means they end this trip with 200 pounds and 86 pence.

Lynn and Thomas also kicked off with 400 pounds, and unfortunately, they too failed to make a profit after auction costs.

Although their loss was somewhat smaller of just 10 pounds and 74 p, which means the wife wins.

Oh yes, Lynn finishes with 389 pounds and 26 pence.

Well done, darling.

Oh thank you, darling.

I'm so sorry you lost.

That will teach you to be rude about me.

And being with you has been reward enough for me.

Oh, how sweet.

I feel even worse now.

Sufficient reward just being with you.

Given that you've won, will you drive me home?

Certainly.

Bye bye.

See you!

Well, I'll tell you what.

I found this a really, really lovely and fascinating experience.

It's quite educational, isn't it?

Absolutely.

Brilliant.

And-- oh, I can get in top gear here-- I think we've really missed out over the years.

I didn't realize how great auctions were for buying good stuff at good prices.

And the antique shops, I'm going to go in more of them in future, now I know slightly what I'm looking for.

You've got the bug.

Yeah.

TIM WONNACOTT: I'm pleased to hear it.

Safe travels, road trippers.

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