Sunetra Sarker and Jo Joyner Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

-The nation's favourite celebrities...

-Got some proper bling here.

-..paired up with an expert...

-Wait! Wait!

..and a classic car...

Pick your legs up now, girls!

Their mission - to scour Britain for antiques.

All breakages must be paid for.

This is a good find, is it not?

The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no easy ride.

Who will find a hidden gem?

Who will take the biggest risks?

Put my antiques head on.

Will anybody follow expert advice? Ha!

That thing is horrible!

There will be worthy winners...

This is better than Christmas!

..and valiant losers.

-Time to put your pedal to the metal... BOTH:

-Woo!

..this is Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Today's celebrities are two sparkling doyens of British drama -

Sunetra Sarker and Jo Joyner.

Hiya! Look at us in a classic car!

-All right, Thelma... I feel like Thelma and Louise.

-Yeah.

-This is the film we always wanted to make, isn't it?

-It is.

I mean, who'd have thought Beth and Anji would ever get behind a car.

Let's not drive off a cliff yet.

Please don't.

MUSIC: The Heat Is On by Glenn Frey

Our glamorous girls will cruise about hill and dale in a lovely 1969 MGB.

How would you keep your foot on the brake and the revs at the same time?

-Which one do you choose?

-You'll be fine.

Let's hope so.

Sunetra has starred in a number of well-known British dramas.

But she's most recognised as consultant Zoe Hanna in Casualty.

Hi, Zoe. This is Lea.

The boy's mum. Assault. She says...

-Spare pair of hands here?

-It's OK, Lenny, I've got this.

And... She swapped her stethoscope for sequins to compete

in 2014's Strictly Come Dancing, which is when I met her.

Are you hungry at all?

-Cos I did get some sausages from breakfast if you get...

-Did you?

Yes, I've got a little picnic.

Always thinking. Always thinking, this girl.

-A picnic from breakfast. So if you get hungry...

-Aw!

Are they antique sausages?

Well, they will be by the time we have them, yeah.

After appearing in classics like Dr Who, Jo's big break came in 2006.

MUSIC: EastEnders Theme

And this gritty performance in beloved soap EastEnders

ensured critical acclaim.

How has this happened, huh? How am I...

How am I standing here like this?

Like an idiot, in this dress, in Christmas!

Sunetra and Jo first met as fledgling actresses in 2004

auditioning for British sitcom No Angels.

And I remember you coming in. You wore...

a short skirt, a mini skirt.

-That was my Paul's Boutique green army skirt.

-Yes.

-You wore an army skirt.

-Cos I was going for Beth. Yeah.

I think you went against the grain and got it cos of that.

-That skirt got you the job.

-Oh, what was good...

Armed with a purse filled with £400 each,

how will these chums deal with the competition?

I'm not happy to lose to you at all.

I see, our friendship is really in the balance.

No, but I do hope as well that whoever my antiques specialist is,

-is that they are...competitive.

-Yeah?

-You know,

I'm not about these sports days where everybody gets a medal.

There go the sausages!

Here to keep the peace are auctioneers James Braxton

and Phil Serrell.

MUSIC: Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N' Roses

They have a rather stately 1969 Jaguar XJ6 to motor about in.

Are you a fan of the girls?

I did watch Sunitra. In fact, I voted for Sunitra.

It's Sunetra.

I thought she was very good. She was really gutsy, you could see.

-She's a little lion.

-You mean you didn't vote for Wayne Wonnacott?

-What, Tim?

-Yeah.

-Old two-left-feet Tim?

-Don't you even!

Yeah, thank you, Philip.

Listen, you know you're going

to have to drive this car at some point.

-Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it.

-I warned you.

Because my legs aren't really long enough.

-Seriously, we are both shorties.

-Yeah.

The fellows are ready and waiting for the girls to arrive. Nice lavender.

See? You're dressed for the hot weather. Corduroy trousers,

not the obvious choice for summer.

-Well, you know, they are the only trousers I've got.

-Are they?

-There are, really.

-We can't all be as sartorial as you, James. Ha!

-Here are the girls.

-Oh, hey now.

-Stop before the Jag.

-I'm braking.

-Hey!

-Very good. How are you, my love, all right?

-Hello!

Whoa!

Jeepers, that was a close one!

A fatal accident.

I paid her to do that.

-Very smoothly driven. Lovely to see you.

-Hello.

-You are going to be...

-I'm going to be your expert.

Have you chosen already?

-Very definitely. I voted for this lady.

-Did you?

On Strictly Come Dancing. We are taking the smart car. In we hop.

-Hang on a second, James.

-Are you driving?

-I'm driving.

-Really?

Are you sure? Especially after... Blimey, OK.

Good luck, James.

Our tour begins in the city of Exeter,

moving northwards through the West Country,

taking in glorious Gloucestershire,

and finally landing in the town of Devizes,

in Wiltshire, for the decisive auction.

I don't really know the dimensions of this car yet, but thankfully...

-It's large.

-It is big, isn't it?

-It is very wide.

It is rather like taking a large yacht down the lane,

isn't it?

James and Sunetra are first to roll up their sleeves.

-So...

-Here we are.

Here we are.

You know, this is the first time I've ever been in antiques shop.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Vintage Trading Company is an emporium crammed

full of lots of delights.

This is a real Aladdin's cave, isn't it?

Shelley is in charge today.

So is this all yours, Shelley?

Well, no, it's not ours. It actually belongs to individual traders.

There's about 40 traders that rent out spaces from us down here.

So there is a real mixture of stock.

-Let's look around.

-All right. See you in a bit.

-We'll give you a shout if we need you.

-Thank you.

James has over 30 years' experience in this game,

but will Sunetra prove a keen pupil?

-So eyes peeled.

-Yep.

Very often you have to walk round a place twice before you start

-seeing stuff.

-Uh-huh.

-But we may be lucky.

-I'm checking your antique antenna.

-My radar.

See now, I like this. I know Jo would love something like this.

Jo's really into, like...

-Does she love all of her...?

-Whoa!

-Steady!

She loves trunks and stuff like this.

Oh. Nice box.

-Oh, it is sandalwood!

-It is sandalwood.

-It is.

When I looked at it, I thought, "Cor, yeah, that's better."

It's funny, I was going to say sandalwood because...

-So that definitely... So when I said...

-That's Indian.

-It's Indian, isn't it?

-It's Indian, sandalwood.

-Totally Indian.

She's getting into the swing of this.

Now, what is that you have uncovered?

I really like this. I know it's just a tray.

I think it is terribly... Well, it looks...

Again, it looks Indian, doesn't it? Although...

Am I just going for Indian things?

There is something about my heritage...

-It's just that beautiful scrolling flowers, isn't it?

-Yeah.

I mean, it really is really well decorated.

-The Indians like decorations, don't they?

-They do.

So what can you tell about that? Do you know if it's worth anything?

You know, the funny thing is, this is made on the street,

so it has the look of being handmade, doesn't it?

So they pierce this all out and then it would be plated.

How can you tell if that is real silver or not?

-Are you smelling it?

-Yeah.

-Are you smelling it?

A man of my, you know... I am using all my senses.

-What are you smelling for?

-I'm trying to smell silver.

-I don't think I've quite achieved the art of...

-Can I smell?

Oh, yeah. Oh, I mean... That's guaranteed.

I usually look for a hallmark.

You won't find one, though, because this tray is silver-plated.

How much is it?

£10. £10. So if this was silver...

-Yeah.

-..we'd be on a real bargain.

This is what would get Jo and Phil really cross

if we found a silver tray that we got for £10.

And you know for sure this is not a reproduction?

Even if they made it last week, it has weight, it has design.

-I like that.

-It's nice.

I think I'd like to... Can we make that our first item?

-Yeah, come on, let's hang onto it.

-OK.

-Let's keep going.

-Let's do it.

These two are off to a strong start.

-And look, there is a straw hat asking me to try it on.

-Very nice.

-That suits you.

-Does it?

-Yeah, it really does.

-I don't do hats either.

-Don't you?

-I wish I could. But I've never done hats before.

The winner... The winner gets the hat!

Whoever wins gets the hat, that's what I'll say.

Loving the feather.

We'll catch up with Sunetra and James later.

Gutsy competitors Jo and Phil are also in Exeter,

raring to get stuck in.

So what do you think we should buy, then?

Well, basically, I'm just looking for simply the winning thing.

-No pressure on me here, is there(?)

-No pressure, though.

-Yeah, yeah.

Antique Centre on the Quay is their first foray

into antiques hunting together.

Let's go. I like this kind of parking, pulling up outside

-like this.

-On the money.

Oh, yes, Phil's quite the gent.

Will it be all smiles once they get to the hard bit of the shopping?

-So what do you like?

-If I were here on my own now...

-What would you buy?

-..I'd probably end up buying china,

a pretty china set or something quirky.

-Yeah.

-Costume jewellery-ish. Or diamonds.

-Proper.

-Diamonds.

-Yeah, I know, depending on the budget.

This girl's got expensive taste. Right, come on then.

Yeah. That could be a problem.

-Phil.

-What have you found?

-I found this, which I just think is so cute and unusual.

-What's that?

I am all about this.

So this is a 1950s pair of glasses.

-They are Dame Edna, aren't they?

-They've got changeable tops,

so depending on your outfit, you can change them!

Look at that. If you are wearing gold, you put the gold on.

If you are wearing red, you put the red on.

I don't know, will they make us any money?

We should be allowed one quirky gift.

-These are going to make...

-We are not paying 58 for them.

Spoken like a true pro, Jo.

Have you done this before, girl?

-We want to get them for...

-20 quid.

Pop them on.

Ahem, is this a good idea?

They're for girls, you know, Phil.

What do you reckon?

Hellfire.

-Are they actually...?

-They are.

-I love them. You look fabulous.

-Really?

I'm not so sure.

-I like these.

-You like these.

-I tell you what, they look better on you than me.

-Do you like?

-Yeah.

That is an understatement.

Kaye is one of the dealers here, and he's holding the fort today.

He is calling the owner of the specs to get the best price.

Absolute best, yeah.

Can you get any closer, you two?

Yeah. Have a talk to the lady yourself, though.

Hi, Patsy, it's Jo. Were you busy? Were you in the middle of something?

She's good, isn't she? I could learn a lot from this.

You're probably right. Now, shh.

What is your best, best price? 35 would give us a chance.

Thank you, we appreciate that. Thanks. Yes. Bye.

Can I just say to you that I'm going to take you shopping with me

wherever I go.

I think has Jo has better things to do with her time, Phil.

The dealer has agreed £35 for the 1950s vintage specs.

We will catch up with you two shortly.

And what on their rivals?

I'd like a stand like this. It is a bit jumbly, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is very jumbly.

-Half the items don't have price tags on it.

It's a good sign.

Anything catch your eye, Sunetra?

James, I really like those.

-You know what, I've got a friend...

-Yeah.

..who is really, really good at finding antiques.

-And she said, "Why don't you look for enamel-plated signs?"

-Did she?

She did.

-She did.

-Wise friend you have.

Enamel signs like this one are hugely sought-after,

so they could be onto a winner here.

I like that. What does it say?

"White May and Royal Standard BP lamp oils."

Yeah, and it says "next to sunshine."

-I like that.

-Oh, I didn't notice that. That's good.

-There's a little sort of addition.

-That's a nice item.

-How much do you think you'd expect to pay for it?

-To pay for it?

£85, £90?

It's quite nice. I think it is worth having a look at.

Best get it down then. Helpful old chap, this.

Now, for a closer look.

Thank you. Thank you. Look, as I thought, both sides.

That's a good thing, isn't it?

-Having it on both sides.

-And then feel the weight of it.

Oh, wow!

Never mind the quality, feel the weight. A sign of quality.

It is heavy. Is it going to be a problem that it is rusted there?

-Some little street urchin has thrown a stone at it.

-I love the story.

So it would have been on the side of the shop there, so announcing.

-Higher, obviously.

-Yeah, yeah.

So people would see, "Lamp oils, we can get our lamp oils."

In the days where people used lamp oils. So this is old enough...

So how far can we date this?

I think it is pre-Second World War. I think it is 1920s or '30s.

With no ticket price on the sign, Shelley phones the owner to see

if there's a deal to be done.

Shelley is back, Shelley is back. Any news?

-OK, some good news.

-Good news.

-I've spoken to the owner and, reluctantly, he said 120.

-Really?

-Yes.

-How interesting.

-You were thinking of paying slightly under.

Well, I said I wouldn't pay more than 100.

If we can get it for 100, we will definitely take it.

I am making an executive decision.

I think we could squeeze to 100, just on this occasion.

-Oh, you lovely lady.

-Hang on one second!

-If she can squeeze to 100, we can squeeze to 99.

-Oh!

£1, what is £1?

-Let's call it 99.

-OK.

-99!

See? Look at her. Well done, you. Well done.

A stretching of the arm.

Steady there, James.

Sunetra is blossoming as a star pupil, isn't she?

We were going to talk about that tray as well.

-Oh, yes, we were. The tray.

-Here we are.

-Oh, yeah.

-Tray.

The original price on the silver-plated tray is £10.

-What could this be?

-Oh.

-Could you do a deal on it?

I probably could do a deal... £5? ..on that one.

Um...

-OK, yes.

-Well done, you!

-Five. We have had a really lovely time here.

Yeah, that's been brilliant.

And I personally am buying the winner's hat.

This is the hat that either Jo or I will win,

-whoever ends up winning the bargain of the day.

-Go on.

Let's concentrate on the money.

Great bit of tag-team negotiation there.

The 1920s BP enamel sign for £99

and the Indians silver-plated

tray for £5, how's that?

Keep going.

Jo and Phil are still shopping on the quay.

-Look at this.

-What have you found?

-Now, this is so stereotypical

cos all I've done so far is find

glasses and jewellery, and now I have found a handbag.

-It says "and contents", what is in there? Have you looked?

-No!

Oh, God, even more intriguing. Open it. Open it. It might be diamonds!

-Do you want me to open it?

-I want you to. I can do that.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Oh, God, I'm going to be so let down if there is nothing in there.

-Oh, look.

-What on earth is that?

Is that a comb? Is it going to be a comb?

-It's a comb!

-How cool is that?

To do your little kiss curl.

I love this. And look, it doesn't stop there.

This is a good find, is it not?

Jo has fallen for it.

This chic evening bag was made in Paris around the 1950s.

-You love it too now.

-I've got to say...

I have got to stop looking so pleased.

-I mean, it's all right.

-It's OK.

-Might get a fiver.

Great performance, Jo.

What have we got look for on here, do you think?

I don't know. Labels, something decent. Hand stitching.

-You're good, you, aren't you?

-Made in France. Handmade.

-Now, I've got to say to you...

-That's priceless, isn't it?

-If we don't know who made it.

-There is a very thin dividing line

between priceless and worthless in this business.

-I'm just falling in love with it.

-I loath to say this on national TV,

-but I quite like this handbag.

-You do?

-Shh.

I'm not going to say it suits you either.

I'd never say that on telly.

-If we can get that for 15, we'd be laughing.

-Ten would be better.

Surely you'd get more than ten or 15, wouldn't you?

I've never been to an auction, I don't know.

-What I'm going to try to do is buy the two 45 quid.

-Together?

Do you mind awfully holding this? I feel a bit self-conscious

-wandering around with it.

-I'm not sure why, Phil.

Jo's love of vintage could stand in good stead as it is very popular.

Jo has already agreed £35 on the specs with owner Patsy.

But is there a deal to be gone on the specs and the little French handbag?

Let's see.

-Kaye, my favourite person.

-KAYE LAUGHS

She is good, isn't she? She is really good.

Yeah, she is.

I have never seen Phil smile so much.

We found another little item.

We were wondering, can you do deals on the two or is this

another buyer that we need to speak to?

-Uh.

-Is it you?

-No.

-Oh.

-No, I don't do handbags.

-You don't do handbags?

-Well, not on television, you don't.

-THEY LAUGH

Kaye is trying to get the owner of the bag.

But with no luck.

If we can't manage to meet lovely Debbie on the phone or anything,

Kaye, are you going to take a risk and be with the winning team?

-I will.

-15?

-Good man.

-£15.

-Yes!

-Two, four, six, there we are.

-Two for 50.

I'm getting a buzz now. This is exciting.

Cor, Jo is a feisty negotiator.

That is £50 for the 1950s specs and a little bit of vintage.

Now, what about James and Sunetra?

I think I enjoy being medical.

You must be very good at it.

Have you ever thought about training to be a medic?

-You know, my dad is a doctor.

-Really?

-He is very impressed.

Wait till he sees your shopping.

Our route is now heading to Taunton, Somerset.

James and Sunetra are taking a break from shopping.

They have come to learn about a deadly Royal family feud that

led to a bloody rebellion,

followed by one of the most brutal trials in British history.

Steve Minnitt is the curator here,

at the Museum of Somerset.

Hello.

-I'm Sunetra.

-Hello, I'm Steve.

-Hi, Steve.

-Nice to meet you.

-James.

-Hello.

-Nice to meet you, James.

In the 17th century, this area

was the centre of a power struggle to take the throne.

Protestant King Charles II ruled at a time of huge religious tension.

When he died in 1685, the crown passed to his Catholic brother,

James II.

But a mass rebellion was staged by Charles's illegitimate son,

the Duke of Monmouth.

His Protestant beliefs had the backing of the people

and his hunger for power saw him rally support

to take the crown by force.

Charles's brother, James, was Catholic.

And as a consequence, people tended to move

towards the Duke of Monmouth as a potential successor.

-So he was a Protestant.

-He was a Protestant.

-I see.

And, you know, Protestantism was very strong in this part

of the world, dissenters,

and a desire for freedom of worship

and freedom of belief, which with a Catholic king,

-you're unlucky to get at that particular time.

-Oh, right.

We forget, religion and politics

-were so closely aligned.

-Absolutely.

With the support of the population, the Duke of Monmouth took action.

People of all kinds flock to him,

and he began a march from Lyme Regis via Chard through to Taunton.

By the time he got here,

his sort of band of followers had probably risen to maybe 7,000.

One of the key events that took place here

-was that he was declared king.

-Really?

So, the only person ever to be declared king in Taunton.

He may have declared himself king, but with his uncle, James II,

still on the throne, the stage was set for a decisive battle.

The Duke of Monmouth and his army of untrained men were planning

an attack on his uncle's army, stationed nearby.

A man at a nearby village of Chedzoy by the name of Williams

was up the church tower with this spyglass.

And looking across the Westonzoyland,

where the Royal Army was camped,

he saw that they weren't particularly well defended.

He decided that perhaps the best thing was to fight

and to actually leave Bridgwater at the dead of night.

-And this was a decision he lived to regret.

-He did indeed.

Probably because they were spotted by one of the Royal scouts.

A gun was fired.

And that was enough to give warning.

And very quickly, the king's soldiers got their act together

and a battle ensued.

Despite thinking he had the element of surprise,

the Duke's fate was sealed.

So, this is trained soldiers against volunteers,

-right?

-Absolutely.

-Farmers with pipes.

-Yeah.

Was the Duke of Monmouth killed in that moment?

No, no, he wasn't killed.

He was there. When he realised that the day was lost, he and...

Don't be silly, he was in a tent at the back.

-SHE LAUGHS

-No, no, no. He was there.

He was there.

But once he realised the cause was lost, he fled.

He fled the site of the battle

leaving probably 700 rebels dead on the site of the battlefield.

Hundreds of others were captured and, in due course, were tried.

With the Duke's rebellion crushed, his uncle, King James,

set out to make examples of all those who had threatened his rule.

First stop was the capture and public beheading

at the Tower of London of his nephew, the Duke of Monmouth.

With their leader dead,

the rebels were subjected to one of the most brutal

trials in British history, the Bloody Assizes,

here, in Taunton Castle.

Were they all tried separately or was it a sort of class-action?

They persuaded a lot of people in these pre-trial discussions to

plead guilty to save time on the basis that they would be

treated better if they did so.

-Uh-huh.

-And so a lot of people did.

But it didn't quite work out like that.

Over 1,000 locals, many uneducated,

now faced the wrath of the ruthless king.

Hundreds were publicly hanged or even hung, drawn and quartered.

Others were sent to the colonies to live as slaves.

King James ruled for a further three years,

but he was unpopular with the largely Protestant population.

In 1688, he was forced to flee the country, ending what will evermore be

remembered as one of the most vicious

royal acts of vengeance in our history.

Back to our friendlier battle.

And Phil and Jo,

who are making their way to the outskirts of the town of Cullompton.

If you could play any part in any film, who would you be?

I'd like to play a really nasty, evil person.

-No, you have not got it in you.

-They are always more fun.

-You haven't got it in you.

-You say that...

-Now, that Sunetra,

she's another thing.

-That Sunetra!

-She's another thing, she is.

-I'd like to play this woman who wins at an auction.

-Oh, no.

No pressure then, Phil. Cullompton Antiques is

situated within a wonderful old tannery barn.

And the doors are open for our cheeky pair to rootle about.

-Hello.

-Hi there.

-I'm Jo.

-I'm Richard. Nice to meet you.

-Hi, Richard.

-Richard, Phil, how are you?

-Hi.

There is a bit for us to go at here.

You go and look your way,

-I'll go and look mine.

-I'll go and look my way.

And old hand Phil thinks he has found something.

Have a look at this, Jo.

-Is that walnut?

-You're good, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-You are good.

-How did you know that?

-The dashboard of a Mark II Jag polished up,

-I'm thinking.

-This is like a burr walnut or pollard walnut.

Burr is when it happens naturally, pollard is when it is man-made.

That there... It sort of adds to its primitiveness, really,

but if we buy this, we have got to polish it.

That is what we've got to do. But isn't that just lovely, that timber?

So this is £145.

-You and I said it is walnut.

-Yeah.

Richard has got burr oak down.

So, you know, either/or,

I don't care because it is burr wood. That's the thing.

So that's one rooted out. Ha!

Let the exploration continue.

Jo, Jo, Jo, Jo.

-Oh!

-Do you think that looks...

MUSIC: Munsters Theme Oh, Lordy!

Do you think that looks look like James Braxton?

-Do you?

-Yeah. Should we buy it for him for a little present or...?

Yeah, cos I've heard it said that he is a little boar.

Do you like that?

I can't think of anything worse in my living room.

But if it is going to make us money and win,

then I am prepared to have it.

How much is it?

£195. Is it all right without getting it down?

I mean, it hasn't got...

-He is missing lumps or...?

-Yuck!

-It's not your thing and it's not my thing.

-It is not my thing.

You know what, at this point in the game, we've got my thing.

We've got the glasses, we've got the bag.

You know, I'm satisfied with some pretties.

What is the absolute death, if you pardon the pun, on that?

I could do it for 100.

I have no idea what they will collect at auction.

It should make a profit at that.

If you say so, Richard.

Not the prettiest belle of the ball, though.

Decision time, Jo and Phil.

You fancy our boar, don't you?

I am worried about his chipped tooth. And he's horrendous.

Richard said around 100 for the boar. Right?

If you have a result, it could make one 150, 160.

If we can tickle him just under...

I mean, what I'd love to do is get the boar

and the table for about 130 or 140 quid.

That is what I'd love to do.

-I'm going to let you schmoozel him.

-OK.

Break a leg, Jo.

OK, so you might have overheard a bit of that, Richard.

-I heard some of it, and it made me very nervous.

-The bargaining.

But would you let us take Boris the boar and the table

for your best?

-Well, I would like 100 for Boris.

-OK.

Boris?!

And the table... I was looking for 80 on that.

Which makes 180.

180. You wouldn't take 145?

That's our... Because our budget now is low.

We've only got tomorrow and we have got, like, 20p left for that,

so that is going to be hard.

I'll meet you the classic halfway.

One... One... Well, 160.

-160...

-Did he just say 150?

-160. It will be the best I can do.

-155.

-No, he has got to make a profit.

-OK, fair enough.

But I've got a feeling I've got to go and polish that table, haven't I?

Yeah, we better get polishing. Thanks, Richard.

I'll take a photograph of it too.

They bought an eclectic couple of items - the occasional table

for £70 and the stuffed boar's head for £90.

I think that is enough drama for one day.

Time for a bit of elbow grease before you retire, I fancy.

Nighty-night.

The girls are up with the lark.

The sun is shining, the roof is down, the competition is well and truly on.

I am hoping today for some glittery, girlie, sparkly stuff.

-No, you can't do that, I'm doing it.

-You are?

-I am doing glittery, girlie stuff.

-So, the boar...

I just said to you, I am hoping to find glittery, girlie stuff.

And what of their esteemed guides on this adventure?

How are you getting on with Sunetra? Is she good?

She's a lovely lady. She is very petite.

-So you've got a complete contrast on your team, then.

-What do you mean?

Well, you are not petite, are you?

Are you implying I'm fat?

Now, now, boys.

Yesterday, our troops had very different buying styles.

James and Sunetra spent £104 on the BP advertising sign

and the silver-plated Indian tray.

Philip and Jo spent £210 on a really mixed bag.

Jo's favourite combo lot of the lady's spectacles

and the vintage handbag and the more traditional Phil

offerings of the occasional table and stuffed boar's head.

The gang have all made their way to the city of Bristol.

James and Phil are patiently

awaiting the girls' arrival.

Oh, here we are. Here we are, here we are.

Watch out, James! Oh, Lord, not again.

-Good morning.

-How are you, lovely, you all right?

-PHIL:

-Morning, morning.

Good to see you, my love.

-Are we ready?

-Absolutely.

-Are we ready to buy good things?

We have a boat to catch.

-Good luck.

-Have a really lousy, stinking day.

-Yeah.

-Same to you.

-All the best.

-Bye.

-See you later.

This is the day we win.

While Phil and Jo take in the sights,

James is behind the wheel of the Jag.

Do you think I could don a white cape and a stethoscope?

-Oh, yeah, you look a doctor.

-Do I?

-You know you look like a doctor.

-Oh!

-You could be.

-In fact, you could probably be like a surgeon type.

-Do you think so?

-Consultant?

-One of those masks...

-Do you think I might be...?

I wouldn't go as far as consultant.

I am a consultant. Let's just get it out there now.

James and Sunetra have just under £300 to spend.

Right, so let's get off our shopping head back on.

-Yeah, antiques.

-Hello.

-Hiya.

-Here's our man.

-I am Sunetra.

-I am Jay.

-Hi, Jay. James. We've met before, haven't we?

-Yeah, we have.

Have we got anything new and tasty and cheap and...?

-Just about everything.

-Fabulous, that is what we wanted to hear.

-Yeah, there is plenty here, you know that.

-Yeah.

With the focus of the hawk, Sunetra spots something.

Oh, doll's houses!

That is girlie.

-I like doll's houses.

-Doll's houses.

-That's nice.

Please tell me that is real and not reclaimed.

It's not a reproduction, but I think it might...

It looks like it may be a bit home-madey, if I'm honest.

Generally, they were handmade, weren't they?

That is something, though, isn't it? I mean, isn't that a risk?

It's a nice thing, a doll's house. It depends on...

Yeah, you can see, it's a bit ply-y.

But like you say, they are...

Look at that. Get on top of the records.

-Right.

-And I'd imagine... Yeah, the top lifts up on that one.

Look at that, a girl's dream!

It is an amateur-made one, Jay is right.

It has been sort of put together. How much is this, Jay, then?

20 quid.

-She says, holding the door that is not on it.

-It's fun, it is girlie.

A lot of people with dolls, they do

like to mess around with it anyway, don't they?

The people who buy that sort of thing.

So, my question is, for this price, will you give it to us?

I'll do it for 15 quid, split the difference. How is that?

-Do it for ten.

-Come on, it says ten.

-It is absolutely rubbish.

He doesn't mince his words, does he?

-Why not?

-All right, great!

-We got ourselves a £10 deal.

-You got yourself... You got one.

-I don't know what this is going to do.

-Terrible.

-Jay, I don't know why I'm shaking your hand.

-Come on.

-Has anyone ever done anything like this on the show before?

-No.

-There you go then.

-Quite wisely. No, it's lovely.

-It's a one-off.

-It's lovely.

Convincing no-one, James.

Jay, you have done the door...

-Brilliant! Look at that.

-Cor, that makes it, doesn't it?

Doesn't it? Do you know what? It is a really lovely blank canvas.

I think there's a minimalist feel about it.

But it also means that a little girl will have

so much fun decorating inside there, making it her own.

-You'd love that, wouldn't you?

-Seriously, I would.

You know what, while Mummy and Daddy are decorating the big house,

she can be decorating her inside. And look, it's got...

-It's really quite classic.

-It's a child's view of a house, isn't it?

-It is.

-Three windows.

Five, actually.

-Enjoy.

-Thanks a lot, Jay.

-Steady.

-Ugh!

-Are you all right?

-Ready, Jim?

-Yeah. Very good muscle toning, this.

I am lifting a house.

There we have it, a doll's house for a tenner.

Good luck with that one.

Ahoy there, Phil and Jo.

Our pair have come to Bristol quayside to hear an incredible

journey of unimaginable bravery and adventure.

Here to guide our landlubbers is Dr Evan Jones.

-Good morning, Jo.

-Philip. How are you? Good to see you.

-Welcome to the Matty. Please come aboard.

-Thank you.

MUSIC: He's A Pirate by Klaus Badelt

Phil and Jo are setting sail on the Matthew,

a replica of the type of ship used by daring explorers

in the 15th century.

One such man was John Cabot,

born Giovanni Caboto in Italy in 1450,

the same town and year as legendary explorer Christopher Columbus.

And the comparisons don't stop there.

Both set out in search of lucrative trade routes,

returning home with discoveries that completely transformed

the perception of the world at that time.

If he was Italian, how come he was in Bristol doing this?

Well, he was...

He'd been a merchant in Venice, but he'd gone bust there,

and he'd gone on to Verona, actually.

He tried to go to Seville and to Lisbon and persuade them

to let him lead a voyage of discovery across the Atlantic,

but they weren't interested because they had their own explorers.

So he came to England and went to Henry VII,

the first Tudor monarch, and said,

"Look, I can discover Asia for you.

"I can... We can sail across the Atlantic.

"Columbus has sailed already, but he has only just discovered

"the Caribbean islands, and that is clearly not part of Asia."

-There is no silk there.

-There is no silk there.

There is no spices. "We can go together.

"We can go on a more northerly route.

"We'll find China and Asia and it'll make us all very rich."

If these are the first guys going out there to find these things...

We are saying they're looking for tea and silk and, you know,

things to trade. Are they just looking for things to trade or...?

We are saying now they're looking for silk,

or did they know that silk existed? Did somebody somewhere...?

Oh, yeah. Silk had been coming to Europe for 1,000 years or more.

They knew these goods existed, and they were fantastically prized.

-Right.

-So the idea was...

If you can get there, you sail west across the ocean,

reach China and Japan, you can

buy these goods for just a tiny fraction of your selling

price in England, bring it back and then sell it for 1,000% profit.

I mean, that was the whole thing about it. It was all about trade.

The search for a route to Asia was seen by most as suicidal.

But it was potentially so lucrative that for the very brave,

Cabot and Columbus,

the rewards outweighed the dangers.

However, undertaking sailing this 5,000-mile journey

into the unknown was no small feat.

When he sailed off, what do you think he wanted to achieve?

Where did he want to go?

He wanted to sail west across the ocean and find China and Japan.

The thing you have got to remember is people didn't know how big

the world was. A lot of people, certainly Cabot and Columbus,

-thought the world was much smaller.

-What kind of crew would he take?

How many people would he get together for this boat?

There was a crew of 20 on the ship. Which is actually a bit bigger

than it would be normally.

Boats... This ship was normally used for just sailing

to things like islands in western France

-and would probably have about ten or 12 men aboard.

-OK.

But he wanted a bigger crew because you're sailing across the Atlantic.

He thought Asia was North America, or vice versa,

whereabouts exactly did he land?

Newfoundland. Actually, the new found land.

-Do you know, that has never dawned... New found land.

-Uh-huh.

So it's like the eastern tip of what's now Canada.

Blimey.

Like Columbus before him,

Cabot failed to discover the lucrative route to Asia.

But he was the first European

since the Vikings 500 years before to set foot in North America,

opening up a new world of trading routes and perceptions of the planet.

Mystery surrounds his next and final attempt to secure a route to Asia.

Despite leaving with a bigger and better fleet, he never returned.

By the turn-of-the-century,

legendary explorer Vasco da Gama finally navigated

the prized route to Asia,

securing a century of unprecedented wealth for the Portuguese nation.

John Cabot may not have achieved his dream of discovering

an Asian trade route, but his legacy remains to this day

amongst the people of Canada and, in particular, his new found land.

What an intrepid man. I have fallen for him. I think he has got...

He has got some guts, hasn't he?

Landlubbers James and Sunetra

have pootled northeast

to the town of Tetbury,

in the Cotswolds.

-Something... Something dainty or small.

-Something small and shiny.

-Yes! Small and shiny.

-Small and shiny.

If it has got sequins, all the better.

They have got over £300 weighing down their pockets.

-This looks promising, doesn't it?

-Wow, yeah.

-This is great.

-Come on.

I have got a good feeling about this place, James.

Look, there's jewellery!

Lots of jewellery. Look at that.

-Oh, I'm excited.

-Yeah. Come on, let's keep going.

-There is lots.

I love the enthusiasm, Sunetra.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hi, I am Sunetra.

-Hi, Sunetra, nice to meet you.

-Hi, James.

-James.

You are going to have to be our best friend for the next couple of hours.

We are looking...

We are desperately looking for some nice, clever,

-girlie antique jewellery, maybe.

-Brilliant.

-That is something

-I am keen on finding.

-I'm pretty confident

-we will have something for you.

-Really?

-Yes, good.

That doesn't really sound up James' street.

Whilst that might be.

-That George and the Dragon. I love enamel.

-It is actually a crown.

-I'll get the keys.

-Yes, I'd like to have a look at that.

What do you reckon?

-I don't know.

-A crown that has been enamelled into a brooch.

So when do you think the enamelling was done?

-I would say probably about 100 years ago.

-Yeah.

And is this a silver crown or silver-plated?

-Silver crown, solid silver.

-Solid silver?

-Yeah.

-And it is £35?

-Yeah.

That sounds rather cheap to me.

Well within your budget, that's for a fact.

That one is possible.

But what about something Sunetra loves?

This green is fantastic.

This really does fit in the modern world.

I mean, it's stylish, it's plain.

There's a real trend for vintage jewellery like this by Norwegian

silversmith Ivar T Holth.

Could be a winner, Sunetra.

What would be the price that you would suggest

on something like this?

Listen, we need to warm you up. £60.

Cos we want to get something happening here.

You haven't...you haven't dealt with...

You haven't dealt with Sunetra before.

-We've become friends!

-The poor chap.

We left him weeping.

Yeah, stand by, Julian.

So this is a silver brooch, definitely silver,

beautifully green.

-Nicely marked.

-Nicely marked.

And if you... Say for argument's sake, I started at 45.

-Eh...

-I'd start at 35.

See, if you gave us both of those for 70,

that means that we're not even bargaining with you on that one.

I reckon, sort of, meeting in the middle, about £80.

I think that'd be a good deal.

-35. And that's 35. 70. I think 70.

-70. Come on.

-Come on, chief.

75 and we have a deal.

-If you say 70, we can...

-We can call it a day.

-..put our paws on that.

But if we have to go to 75, we'll just keep looking.

Cos you've got so much beautiful stuff for us to carry on looking at.

Hang on, James.

I think this delaying tactic lark might be part of Sunetra's

-master plan.

-£70, deal done.

-£70.

-Yes!

-Thank the man.

-Fantastic.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, really kind. Well done.

-Well done, you.

-Well done.

-Thanks.

-If you had mentioned I got a kiss...

You definitely get a kiss for that.

-We're done. Come on, Julian.

-Are we really done?

-Yeah, we're done.

-OK.

Come on. Can't go on forever.

I could, you see.

I can believe it.

Fantastic.

Another excellent piece of negotiation from Sunetra

secured the George III silver brooch for £35.

And the Norwegian brooch also for £35.

I think we've done very well.

Meanwhile, Phil and Jo are on an adventure of their own.

They are having a root around the countryside. The village

of Westerleigh, in South Gloucestershire, to be precise.

-Have you any idea where we are?

-No, but it is beautiful.

We'll get somewhere eventually. There must be antiques.

Where there's hedges, there are always antiques.

Well, that is certainly Phil's philosophy.

Oh, hold on. This looks more like a farm than an antique shop to me.

Hello. Is this your farm?

-Are you just going about your everyday work?

-Trying to, yeah.

This is certainly different.

Anything that is sitting about that we can take off your hands?

-Galvanised tanks?

-Have a delve in the shed, if you want.

Would you mind us having a look?

-Have a look.

-That would be great.

-Yeah, yeah.

James is a farmer, but you never know what might be lurking about.

So these, I'm guessing, would be somewhere between

1920, 1960.

So you don't want any of these?

Probably not, no. They have been sat there for as long as I can remember.

Those three at auction...

They aren't going to make a fortune, but they might make between...

-..I would guess 20, 40 quid, something like that.

-OK.

Which would mean we'd need to try

and buy them cheaper than that.

-Let's continue.

-JAMES LAUGHS

Let's continue.

-He's looking.

-Think of it as, like, removal, scrap removal.

Good point, Jo. That's the milk churns as a possible.

Where are they off to now?

Oh, look. I love the door already.

Uh, I'm not sure it is Phil-sized.

I like the look of that as well.

Ah. Phew!

Phil, there is actual furniture in here.

It looks like Jo is being treated to the full Serrell experience today.

I think this is a bit cheeky, clearly.

But you know what, if we could get something here and then arrive

and tell Su and James that, you now,

"In your face," that would be great.

And Phil has spotted a galvanised trough,

right at the back of the barn, as you would.

James, you're going to hate me. Would it...

Could we have a look at that galvanised tank?

-You are never going to get that out.

-Uh, I'll try.

-Yeah.

-Do you mind?

-Yeah, I'll have a try. It's in there, look.

Just getting it out is going to be difficult.

Yeah, you would have to pick the thing right at the back, Phil.

-How strong are you, my friend?

-We'll see in a minute.

Careful, gents.

Right, can you bring it up?

That is bloody heavy, that is. It is awful heavy, Jo.

Sorry about that.

I got a chair, though.

You got the rest of my elbow with it.

I told you to be careful.

I think you should move.

You've got all this fabulous furniture in here,

and we are taking a galvanised tank.

James, if it comes to a fight, will you be on my side?

You are doing great, guys.

Don't worry, James, in your own time.

Is that a smile of pain, Phil?

-No, I don't like that.

-Hilarious, Phil(!)

We are going to give you,

if you'll take it, 20, 25 quid for it. Cos that's...

At auction, it's going to make, looking like that,

hopefully £30 to £50.

That's what I think.

And the old milk churn, I would see that at like ten or 20 quid.

Maybe we could have the two for 25, and that would be amazing.

That is what I am thinking.

People would talk about James the farmer forever.

Might be laying it on a bit thick there, Jo.

Oh...

What do you think?

-Nice sunny day.

-30.

-You were just pottering about, at work.

-Can I just give you a bit...

Just a slight hint here, right.

-I have been with her now for two days. OK?

-And you've had enough.

-Yes!

-No, she is a really, really...

-He's going to swap you.

She is a really lovely lady. She is a lovely, lovely lady, but...

-You know, if she doesn't get her own way, she is difficult.

-Oh!

-Oh, 25 for the churn, please.

-You know what these television types

-are like.

-For that and...?

-Yeah, because...

-20 quid for that, five for the churn.

Really, you were just going

to have it in your barn forever and ignore it.

-Go on, then.

-Yes!

-You are a star.

-Thanks, James.

-Thank you.

-Thank you ever so much.

-Thank you.

-You have been amazing.

Jo, you certainly know what you are doing, girl.

£20 the big clunking trough and a fiver for the milk churn.

This should be interesting.

Time to have a gander at one another's buys.

One, two, three, lift and throw.

-Oh!

-Oh, right.

-Look, this looks a bit classy.

-I like the brooch.

-Do you?

-I like the brooch, yeah.

-Good.

-That's lovely. That is really, really lovely.

-Really?

-The one at the front?

-Yeah. I do, yeah.

-Do you really

or are you just saying that? Is this fighting talk?

It's an old silver crown.

It is an old silver crown that's been enamelled.

-I like the green brooch here.

-That's an age thing, isn't it?

I mean, I wouldn't bid for it at auction.

-Well, you won't have to.

-THEY LAUGH

The sign is quite nice, I like that.

You are a little bit in Serrell country there

cos there is just a hint of rust.

-How much was that?

-£99.

-How much?

-£99 for a sign?!

-Yeah.

-Do you know what? I think...

Profit, profit, profit...

loss, profit.

Now for the unveiling of Phil and Jo's goodies.

Oh! Whoa! Whoa!

-Ee-ah!

-I like the shape of that.

-Thank you.

-It is rusty. How much?

-A fiver.

-Profit.

-Yeah.

£5? Yeah, a churn.

-How much...?

-You have moved into a new sector of erosion here.

Because normally you do rust and woodworm,

but now you're doing moth.

-Yeah.

-How much was the boar?

-That was our top buy, 90 quid.

-90?!

-And you questioned our sign for 99?

-I like your Dame Edna.

-Do you like my Ednas? Look, six pairs of interchangeable frames.

-Jo!

-Aren't they fabulous?

-They are fabulous.

-Go on, James, you give us your thoughts.

-I like the shape of that.

-I don't like the moth-eaten boar's head.

-No, I don't. But, you know...

Trough, how much did you pay for the trough?

-20 quid.

-20 quid. Which is cheap.

I'll tell you what, it's a cheap coffin, isn't it?

'Oh, cheeky!'

I'm not standing this.

-Listen to me...

-Leave them. Leave them.

-I'm so sorry.

I can only apologise, but you know...

-We'll see you at the auction.

-Bye!

OK, I feel a little bit better now. I feel a little bit better.

Good. But what do you really think, gang?

The other side looked like

-Scrapheap Challenge, didn't they?

-SUNETRA LAUGHS

I really like that green brooch.

-That's a personal thing.

-See, I like the other brooch.

You like the other one. Which you both guys like that, so...

You are the guys in the know,

so there is something about that one that is a winner.

Jo has made a valiant effort to bring a feminine touch to the

-thing, hasn't she?

-She has. I have to say, those glasses...

-I like those glasses.

-I like the glasses and the bag.

And then Phil, you know, has introduced rust,

moth, woodworm... Normal sort of stuff.

-I think we have the upper hand. Would you swap?

-No.

I would swap the green brooch for the boar at the moment,

but I know that you are very good about this.

-You are confident about this.

-I don't know about that.

You know, we are going to win.

-We are going to win. I feel it.

-We are going to win.

-We are going to win!

-BOTH:

-We're going to win.

-They are confident!

And so it is off to auction

in Devizes, in Wiltshire.

This will be Sunetra and Jo's

first foray into an antiques auction.

-So, I have a little surprise.

-Oh!

Which is while James and I were out doing our hunting,

I came across a really lovely straw hat.

-Oh.

-In fact, it is just down here.

It is...the winner's hat.

-It can be our joint prize.

-I love it.

-No matter what happens.

-Thanks.

-Aw.

-You know I'm winning.

Aw.

We'll soon find out.

Today's auction is being held at Henry Aldrich & Son.

Hi, boys.

-Look at what I brought!

-The winner's hat!

-The winner's hat.

This is all very lovely, but we have got an auction to attend, guys.

-Phil.

-Yeah.

-This is called the winner's hat.

-Oh, pass it over.

-It has a feather in it.

-Pass it over. Really?

You start with it, let's see where it ends up.

-Do you...?

-Yes!

Very suave. Let the battle commence.

Henry's Aldridge is today's auctioneer.

Now, what does he make of the rather unusual mix?

£10, 15. Ten, ten, ten, ten. Going, ten.

The boar's head, I think Lee said it is mended.

The Norwegian brooch, I think, is the nicest thing.

They are always very collectible.

Sounds promising. Jo and Phil were this trip's big spenders.

Jo demonstrated her flair for shopping

and added a sparkling feminine touch to the usual offerings from Phil.

They spent £235 on five items.

James and Sunetra were quietly tactical,

although Sunetra was very loud when it came to settling a price.

They spent £184 also on five items.

Get comfy, the auction is about to begin.

First to dip their toes in the auction waters are Jo

and Philip with their big milk churn.

20 to start me.

Ten I've got. Ten I've got. 15. 20.

Look, it's going up.

Look, it has got 25.

£25 seated in the middle of the room.

-That should do you.

-'At 25, am I all done?'

You sold it!

Yeah!

-Oh, gosh, who are these people?

-The winning hat.

Good start for a random farm item.

And here's another one, the galvanised trough.

20 I've got. 30. 40. 50.

-I love this.

-Look at this.

-'50, new bidder.'

60 anywhere else? 60?

70. 65. 70.

-James the farmer, I love you!

-No.

80. 85.

JAMES LAUGHS

At £80. At £80.

Anyone going to give me five?

-That is good.

-I'm so excited!

-Keep the hat.

-That's it.

£85.

I am going to auction houses every weekend.

£85 on my left.

That was the best performance you have ever done in your life.

Just goes to show, our Phil knows

a thing or two about buying and selling.

Excellent result.

-We are in trouble. We are in big trouble.

-No, we're not.

No, you're not.

Well, maybe you are.

What about the doll's house?

Yay!

Ten I've got.

Someone's grandchildren are going to love this.

What about 12 then?

-SUNETRA LAUGHS

-'12.'

14.

16.

18.

At £16.

-Oh, my word!

-He worked hard at it.

18 anywhere else?

'At £16, all going.'

We'll just keep the hat for a while, shall we?

At least it sold for a bit of a profit.

-It's a profit.

-£6, Jo!

-It's all profit. £6!

-It's still profit.

-See?

Hey, they're laughing now,

but your big risky boar head is next.

20. Five. 30. Five.

Somebody wants it!

40. Five.

50. Five.

60.

At 55. 60 anywhere else?

Oh, 60! Fresh blood.

Fresh blood!

Five. 70. Five.

At £70. At £70. Is there five?

-At £70.

-That's enough.

-All going.

-Well done.

-Yeah, I don't think Jo is too happy, Phil.

Poor old boar didn't bring home the bacon.

-You know when you were in EastEnders...

-Yeah.

I buried my husband alive, actually, on that, yeah.

-If you want to go there.

-Yeah, thanks.

Um, I don't think he does.

Now, it is Sunetra's big risk item, the enamelled sign.

I'll start at the bottom. 15 quid.

No.

'But it gets better.'

Trust me. 20. Five. 30. Five.

-'40.'

-SHE WHISPERS

45. 50. Five. 60. Five.

We've got to try to get 99.

'70. Five.

'80. Five.'

90.

Five. 100.

James, I take my hat off to you, mate.

Ten. And 20.

And 30.

At 120. At 120.

Yay! Well done.

It's wiped its face, as we say in the business.

But they are still behind Jo and Phil.

We better put this somewhere in the middle again.

Let's keep that just over this side of the woods.

And we are sticking with James

and Sunetra. The silver-plated Indian tray is next.

£20.

-We hope.

-'Thank you, sir. £20 I've got.'

20 I got. 22. £20. 22.

'At £20. At £20, is there two?'

-I wanted more. I want more!

-We should have been on the same team.

They're saying come on.

Come on, guys, this is a lovely tray

and it looks really pretty.

Leave it there, you've done enough.

-It's brass!

-At £20.

Is there two? Any more, quickly?

At £20, all going...

-Another little profit for the Sarker team.

-Oh, stop it.

Nice and steady profits from James and Sunetra.

This is a close-run race.

Can Phil and Jo's little occasional table offer a weighty profit?

I can see why you bought it, Phil,

because it has got a bit of rust on it.

You are turning into a really nasty piece of work.