A Highbridge resident and her father appeared as contestants on TV’s Bargain Hunt on Monday (February 17th).

Amanda Ham and her father Gerald, pictured, appeared on the BBC1 show when they were shown competing to buy antiques and collectables to be sold at auction.

Amanda is well known locally for her work at the town’s Curtain Call School of Performing Arts where she has worked with her mother Pat for nine years after enjoying a performing career in London. Gerald formerly worked at Woodberry Brothers and Haines as a maintenance engineer for over 30 years.

Amanda and Gerald have always loved watching antiques TV programmes quite often enjoy days out together visiting local antiques fairs and flea markets.

They had often wondered what would happen if they appeared on Bargain Hunt, so back in 2011 they applied to be contestants and at the tail end of last year the BBC got in touch and invited them to a ‘selection process’ before picking them to take part.

Amanda says: “I have to say that taking part in Bargain Hunt was a fantastic experience. The BBC crew were all so kind and helpful. Tim Wannacott is a complete gentleman, a consummate professional, with a great sense of humour and our expert, David Harper, was warm, friendly and instantly put us at ease so that we could enjoy the day.”

“The first part of the adventure was filming at an antiques fair at Westpoint in Exeter. You really do only have an hour to shop for your three items – we were on a stop watch! The shopping was over all too quickly and I think Dad and I will end up looking like rabbits caught in headlights – but it was great fun and I felt a bit like Anneka Rice running around being followed by a camera crew!”

“A few days later we went to an auction in Honiton to sell the items we had bought with guidance from David. We also had to decide whether or not to take the ‘bonus buy’ he had purchased with our ‘left over lolly’.”

She added: “If anyone has ever thought about applying to be a contestant on Bargain Hunt – I thoroughly recommend it – Dad and I had so much fun. We wish we could do it all over again!”

Pictured: Top, Amanda and Gerald Ham, and, above, with antiques expert David Harper during filming of the BBC1 show

 
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