Zoe Ball and Ian Waite Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

The nation's favourite celebrities...

-Ooh, I like that.

-..paired up with an expert...

-Oh, we've had some fun, haven't we?

-..and a classic car.

It feels as if it could go quite fast.

Their mission - to scour Britain for antiques.

-SQUEEZE-BOX HONKS

-Yes!

-Fantastic.

I'll do that in slow-mo.

The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

-Come on, boys!

-But it's no easy ride.

-Da-daa!

-Who will find a hidden gem?

-"Don't sell me!"

-Who will take the biggest risks?

Go away, darling!

Will anybody follow expert advice?

I'm trying to spend money, here.

-There will be worthy winners...

-Yes!

-..and valiant losers.

Put your pedal to the metal. This is the Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Today, we're gliding through the countryside

with a graceful pair of Strictly pals.

There is something about it,

that nostalgic feeling of driving through the countryside

in a lovely old vintage car, don't you think?

I know. With a beautiful woman at your side.

Sadly, she couldn't make it today, so you're stuck with me! Sorry.

Yes, it's top dancer Ian Waite and broadcaster Zoe Ball.

Right now, it's time for Blobby.

Zoe burst onto our screens in the mid-'90s

as an energetic and exciting new TV children's presenter

on shows like SMart and Live & Kicking.

Line one this morning, who's on line one?

She was an icon of late '90s culture,

and was unveiled as the first solo female host

of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show in 1998,

before going on to become one of television's most trusted presenters.

In 2005, she took part in Strictly Come Dancing,

where she wowed the judges...

10!

..and made a lifelong friend in dance partner Ian Waite.

Do you think you and I will still be friends at the end of today?

Um, I doubt it. Unless you let me win!

Professional competitor Ian started dancing aged ten.

He has had an illustrious career as a professional dancer,

representing England at European and World Championships,

before joining the Strictly Come Dancing team.

He now shares the screen with his pal Zoe,

bringing his own inimitable personality

to a spin-off show, It Takes Two.

-It's a bit like this.

-Oh, my Lord! Look at him go!

Ha! But today's talk is strictly about antiques.

What do you know about antiques, Ian Waite?

Well, I know absolutely nothing.

That's OK, then, because today's experts,

auctioneer Paul Laidlaw and dealer Margie Cooper,

seem keen for a bit of a turn.

Do you ballroom dance?

Actually, Scottish national champion, 1980...

-You...?

-No. No.

-Doing what, the Gay Gordons?

Yeah...!

I know where you're going with this! How very dare you?!

Fancy being thrown round a few antique shops by Ian?

I'd smash a few pots!

I think it's only natural that Zoe and I pair up,

-given that we've got the same dad.

-Yep...

-Why's that?

-Because, frankly,

in the 1980s, Johnny Ball, Think Of A Number...

He was amazing!

Well, there may be some family rivalry there, Paul.

I'm not saying the Balls are competitive,

but whatever happens today, I have to beat my dad.

He came on this, he was up against John Craven,

he managed to lose £105.

And he's the one who's good with maths!

-Johnny, are you there?

-Yep, things didn't go too well for TV legend

Johnny Ball on his Road Trip.

-It was great fun.

-Smashing, Charlie.

-Thank you.

I've never enjoyed wasting money so much.

So, if I can beat my dad today, that would be a turnout.

Ha! There's a lot riding on this one, then.

Our celebrities and experts will have £400 per pair

and will be sashaying around the country

in a pre-seatbelt era 1965 Lotus Elan

and a 1965 E-Type Jag.

Very nice.

Can I just say, Ian Waite, this is one of my dreams come true.

It's one of my worst nightmares!

E-Type Jag, how can that be a nightmare for you, though?

-Look, it's beautiful!

-Well, my legs are up near my ears, darling.

Time to get things moving, then.

Here they are!

I want the car. I don't care about this, I want the car!

That's to be decided!

Good morning!

I'm never going in a car with him again!

-Why, has he frightened you?

-No, I'm joking. He was amazing!

I don't know how to get out!

We can't get him out cos his knees are round his neck.

-Here he goes.

-God!

LAUGHTER

Oh-ho!

-Good morning.

-It wasn't so bad getting in!

-Morning.

-Lovely to see you.

-How are you?

-Yeah, really good.

-How are you?

-Good to see you.

-You and me together?

-Yes!

-Come on!

-MARGIE:

-It's us.

-Amazing.

-Promise you'll teach me how to dance.

You're a good height for me to dance with.

-I'll wear my heels.

-ZOE:

-I'm going to get jealous now.

He's started already!

Come on, we can do that, we can do that. Come on.

So, which car are we having?

-You've got to drive it.

-How do you decide who drives?

-Can I do this?

-It's got to be you.

-Do you trust me with your life?

-I'm getting in. Good luck, darlings.

-And you. Enjoy!

-Have fun, folks.

With everyone squeezed into their vehicles,

let's set off into the countryside.

Our hopefuls start their journey in Dulverton in Somerset.

They'll wind and twist through the countryside of the south-west,

clocking up over 250 miles

as they head through Devon and Dorset

en route to an auction at Selborne in Hampshire.

Now, time to get acquainted.

-Had you danced before?

-I think I did a bit of ballet when I was five,

but I was a giant child, and there's one photograph of me doing ballet

where there's a little line of all these pretty little ballerinas,

and then this huge lump on the end.

It didn't suit me, so I gave that up pretty quickly.

Have you thought about doing Strictly yourself, Paul?

Behave yourself!

So, what are your tastes, then?

Well, do you know what? I love Art Deco, and paintings as well.

I mean, I sort of, you know, grew up painting a lot.

-Did you?

-Yeah, so I'll definitely be looking at the paintings.

Well, let's see what we can do, then, Ian.

Amongst Exmoor's woods, valleys and wild moorland

lies the village of Dulverton,

and the first shopping stop of this trip.

Acorn Antiques.

-Hi. You're...?

-Peter.

-Peter. This is Ian.

-Hi, Peter.

-I'm Margie.

And I'm Tim.

This antique shop has been around for nearly 30 years,

and the offerings look a little on the classy side to me.

-What's that?

-The old pawnbroker's sign, isn't it?

-Oh, is it?

-That's what would be hanging outside pawnbrokers' shops.

3,200. Yeah. I think we're a bit short for that.

Yeah, I think we are.

These dummy boards - really lovely, those, aren't they?

-850. They're expensive, aren't they?

-Yeah.

-BOTH:

-Brass bowl.

£290.

OK, it's out of our budget for now.

Well, all we need is a bit more money in here.

-Yeah.

-And then we'd be fine, wouldn't we?

Never mind, Margie. I'm sure you'll find something.

You know those little lazy Susans that whizz round?

Ian does not look convinced.

Quite sweet, isn't it? I'm assuming...

-£45.

-£45.

-Yeah.

I think it's quite...

-What's the word?

-Yeah?

-You can use it a lot - what's that word?

Yeah, useful!

Blimey! Well, at least it's in your price range.

Oblivious to their opponents' woes,

Zoe and Paul are 30 minutes further north in Watchet,

home to Smuggler's Cave.

-Watch it!

-Hello, sir.

-Hello.

-I'm Zoe.

-I'm Simon.

-Simon, nice to meet you.

-Hi, Simon, I'm Paul.

-Who's this lovely chap?

-This is Barney.

-Hello, Barney.

Barney, I was just wondering if you could give me a few tips.

When I stand next to an object, if it's good, if it's worth the money,

if you could give two yaps, that would help.

Hm.

He doesn't look keen. You'll have to settle for a yap from Paul.

-Shall we divide and conquer, Zoe?

-OK. Yes. OK, we're stronger.

You do what you're doing. I'm going to recce over here.

Come back to me. Good luck.

Oh, do you know what? Backgammon - my favourite game.

-BELL DINGS

-Dinner!

What the dickens is that?

Now, I wonder if that might be some kind of shaving mug,

where you put your soap in and your brush and go...

It's probably a gravy boat!

No, you were right the first time.

You're looking at me like I'm an absolute lunatic.

Really?

Oh, do you know what? I love an old tap.

Yeah, so do I.

See, normally when I go shopping, I'm very quick.

I know what I want, go into a shop. I'm sort of known for my speed.

So this is quite interesting,

cos I'm having to take my time and really have a good old think.

OK, we'll leave you to ponder

and see how your competitors are getting on back in Dulverton.

-Do you like that?

-Yeah. It's quite nice, isn't it?

-It's just like a painted artist's...

-Board.

-Hm.

-Yeah. If it had an attribution, it would be fine.

£75.

It's like a painting, isn't it, on the wall?

Yeah. I mean, I do wonder...

-You're a bit of an artist, aren't you?

-I AM a bit of an artist.

-What do you paint?

-I like modern art, or abstract art.

So, big pieces of just colourful...

-Right.

-That's what I like in paintings, actually,

-when you can see the texture of the paint.

-Right.

-I love that.

-Yeah.

Yeah, it is nice. It is nice.

-But will it sell? That's the thing.

-Yeah, this is it. Ohh!

-That's the billion-dollar question.

-Mm.

Hey, it's £75 rather than 1 billion, but still,

time to speak with Peter, perhaps.

What sort of price would the palette be?

-It could be 65.

-Mm.

-Could you do it for 60?

Possibly?

I'll come down to 60.

MARGIE CHUCKLES

-Well, it's up to you now.

-I'm happy to go for that as our first item.

I think it's a nice item, and it's an unusual item.

-Yes.

-Shake the man's hand.

-£60.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thanks.

-Well done, chaps.

First item of the Road Trip bought.

Let's take that.

-I'd quite like it for my house, actually.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Now, what have Zoe and Paul got their eye on?

-What do you make of that?

-What is that?

-And what does it say to you?

-That says to me, "Huh?"

-You know what I think it is?

-Yeah?

I think it's a lightning conductor.

Wow. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it in my life.

-It's the second I've seen.

-Really?

-The point...

-Yeah.

-..attracts the lightning strike,

-channels it down a big copper rod, to earth.

-OK.

The cage is counterintuitive to me. I don't understand the cage.

-Because that cries out what's called a Faraday cage...

-Mm-hm.

..which, if anything, would protect the spike from the electricity.

But, hey, look, we're getting way too serious.

-I know!

-There's someone out there for that.

-There is someone out there for that.

-Not just me.

-I know.

-What do you think?

Just the fact that you've got so excited about a lightning conductor

and given me a miniature science lesson as well,

so I feel that that, like you say, it's a great talking point.

Something to think about. Anything else?

-The last thing you want to take to auction...

-Mm-hm.

..is someone else's manky old hairbrush, OK?

I needn't explain that.

-Gentleman's...

-Yeah.

-..hairbrushes - never seen a head, these.

-But here's the biggie.

-Yeah.

That's not nickel or chrome. That's sterling silver.

-ZOE GASPS

-£28. Can you believe that?

I think that's rather a smart gentleman's grooming set,

very much good to go.

Sounds like Paul's keen.

Simon's got dealer Alan on the phone.

-Hang on, I'll put her on.

-Good luck, Zoe!

Hello, gorgeous Alan.

Tell me about gentleman's hairbrushes.

INDISTINCT REPLY

£20-ish.

Yeah, that sounds better than £28-ish.

I thought you were going to say, "As it's you, I'll do it for 15."

But, no, we're sticking with 20!

£18.

Alan, you're amazing. Thank you so much.

And they're beautiful brushes.

I'll hand you back to the boss. Thank you, darling.

-Result!

-"I'm no good at negotiating"! What?!

Well done, Zoe. A £10 discount on the brushes.

The problem is, Alan has set a very high benchmark in niceness.

Back to the lightning conductor!

Oh, yeah, right, Paul. It had an original price of £55.

-Come on, then, show me how this is done.

-30.

This is like Federer and Murray.

That is... That is a giveaway price for such an unusual item.

25.

Well...

Just clipped the net, just clipped the net. It's in, it's in. It's good.

28.

-Still 25.

-Oh!

-Ohh!

-Have another look.

-Let's have another look at that.

You see, that's... That says, you know...

20, at least, you know...

I'd say possibly £26.

-Oh, you've moved, you've moved.

-Hang on!

-26, sold!

-26.

-£26.

-That was more than you were going to pay, Paul.

Not sure you meant that, but that's the deal done.

-That's not bad - two things, one shop.

-I know!

Two things. I'm really excited about both of them.

-This is good.

-Yes, this is good.

Beg your indulgence...

Oh, hang on a minute. I thought we were done in here.

Well, either Paul's hidden something he found earlier,

or he's about to do some magic.

A pair of 19... I would say '60s cufflinks.

Do you recognise the device, the badge?

No.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - Nato.

Ooh, Nato. Tell me more, then.

-I'm just going to tell you they're a fiver.

-OK.

-Let me buy them.

-OK.

-Are we buying them?

-Are you going to surprise me?

I am putting my trust in you.

Come on, Paul. What do you know?

EVIL LAUGHTER

-The evil laughter!

-These are quite good.

-Are they really?

-That there says "Ole Bent Petersen".

-Ohhh!

Oh, good find, Paul.

Ole Bent Petersen, a well-regarded silversmith,

worked alongside the greatest names in Danish jewellery,

and, if you didn't know, this kind of thing floats Paul's boat.

-Seriously?!

-Look how excited you are.

-These are fantastic!

There's virtually steam coming off the top of your head.

-These are awesome.

-Are they really?

-Laidlaw strikes again.

-I'm not haggling, OK?

-Yeah.

-Fiver.

-They're yours.

-Fantastic. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

That's £49 spent, three items bought,

and one very happy expert.

That was magic. What a start!

I know, what a great start. It was only the first shop.

Several miles away from all the cufflink-induced excitement...

When you were a little boy did you say, "I want to learn to dance,"

or did your parents say...?

No, do you know what? I was ten years old

and my parents got divorced.

It's a great story!

And my father was told there were lots of single women

at the dancing school.

So he went along and loved it so much he thought,

"Oh, well, why don't you go, Ian, and your brother?"

-What a story.

-Actually, my dad married my dance teacher, yeah.

So she encouraged you?

-Yeah.

-So the whole thing worked really well.

It was cheap lessons after that!

Margie and Ian have travelled 14 miles down the road to Tiverton.

They're here to discover just how these gentle waterways and horses

combined to play a crucial role in developing Britain as an industrial powerhouse.

We're here, darling. We are.

Barge owner Phil Brind is here to tell them all about it.

-What a beautiful day.

-It is. Isn't it great?

-Lovely to see you.

And here's the barge.

Indeed, this is the last horse-drawn barge in the south-west of England.

-Right.

-They're very, very rare now.

And there is your horse.

-Ah, he looks stunning.

-His name is Ross. Would you like to meet him?

We'd love to.

Horse-drawn barges were Britain's answer to a problem caused by the

first flourishes of the Industrial Revolution.

The latter part of the 18th century was bristling with commercial

endeavour, as cottage industry moved towards large-scale manufacture.

To help meet this demand for these new industries,

a familiar source of power needed to be harnessed in a new way.

The horses actually played a massive part in the beginning of our

Industrial Revolution, because long before steam or diesel was ever even

invented, horses had the job of pulling our loads

around Great Britain.

-Yeah.

-Whilst they pulled small loads along on wheels on land,

canals were built, and with canals, you could actually pull 30-40 tonnes

of weight along and you only needed one horse to do it.

-Good gracious.

-I suppose once they've got it moving,

it's actually not as difficult.

That is absolutely correct.

There is actually about a 40:1 ratio approximately, land to water,

which means to say that one tonne on land

is equal to pulling 40 tonnes on water.

Horsepower was certainly more efficient at pulling cargo on water,

but few waterways went where the commerce needed them to go.

Mines near Worsley used pack horses to carry coal the eight miles

over land to industrial Manchester, a slow and inefficient process.

That was until 1761, when England's first canal opened.

Horse-drawn barges working the new Bridgewater Canal meant the price of

coal halved overnight.

This success sparked the fever of canal building that resulted in over

4,500 miles of inland waterways being constructed.

In a time before engines,

horse-pulled barges became a familiar sight across the country.

Horses that actually pulled barges along are pulling at an angle,

because, of course, they're on the towpath and that rope goes on a

slight angle out to the middle of the canal,

and is pulling the barge along.

So, the horse has got to be used to this angle.

The term "towpath", does it actually come from towing a barge?

I'm glad you brought that up,

because most people actually believe that the towpath is T-O-E,

but, of course, on canals in Great Britain it's T-O-W,

because, of course, the phrase comes from "towing path", and that's what we

-have on all our canals in Great Britain.

-So it does come from that?

It does indeed.

In the 19th century it was generally donkeys or small breed horses that

pulled their way along the towpaths,

with larger breeds being left to work on farms.

Here, on this branch of the Great Western Canal,

each horse pulled up to 30 tonnes of lime and coal in each trip to the

lime kilns near Tiverton.

-What do you think?

-I think it's absolutely unbelievable.

-It's so peaceful, as well.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

We're controlling now. We're in charge.

You're controlling it, yes, you're controlling it.

That's a bit scary.

Canals had become the arteries of the Industrial Revolution,

allowing quick and economic transport of goods.

But as new technology developed, their days were numbered.

Phil, what brought on the demise of the horse-drawn barge in the end?

Well, first of all it was steam.

So they started building railways and they started to take the loads

that the canals took.

That really was the start of the end of the canals.

But really it wasn't until the diesel engine came along that the

canals really took a dive.

We started taking a lot more by road and, of course,

by diesel boats as well.

We had diesel boats like this,

and instead of actually only having one horse and one boat with a load,

one diesel boat took twice the amount of payload.

The ceaseless drive of progress that ushered in the golden age of canals

was the same force that made horse-drawn barges outdated.

The Tiverton Canal is now a country park and the last horse-drawn barge

on its waters takes visitors along the canal as a reminder of its once

crucial role in Britain's industrial history.

It's been an absolute privilege, hasn't it, Ian?

-It has.

-To step back in time and be on one of the last horse-drawn barges.

-Thank you very much for coming today.

-Thank you.

-Pleasure.

While their counterparts have been messing about on the river,

Zoe and Paul have been quickstepping their way

to Carhampton to squeeze in some shopping at Chris's Crackers.

-Here we go.

-So we've a wee bit of interest in this one.

I know. I'm quite excited by this.

Right.

Hello.

-Hi, nice to meet you. Zoe.

-How are you doing?

-Who's this?

-Little Frankie.

-Hello, Frankie.

-Frankie is being carried by Peter,

who also happens to be in charge.

Time for the guided tour.

-This is our main junkyard.

-Yeah.

-Did he say junkyard?

The antique barn over there with the garden stuff,

mostly furniture inside, there's more out the back.

-Off we go.

-Everywhere you want to look.

This place specialises in reclamation and salvage.

And there's plenty of it. Time for a good rummage, eh?

What do you think's going to be in there?

There's going to be nothing but silver-plated cutlery, if anything.

-Yes.

-There you go, fish knives. Is that fish knives and forks?

-Yes.

Work ethic, that's the problem, worth ethic.

I'm just going to read this...

Oh, hello. I do love me a casserole, I have to say.

-Anyway, where did they go? Sorry!

-Do keep up, Zoe.

Oh, hello, Peter has something he wants to show.

Look at that!

Look.

-They're big, aren't they?

-Balls. Look at those.

Lignum woods, by FH Ayres.

One of the bigger names in garden toys.

They're great. When would they date back to, then, a set like that?

They're going to be early 20th century, aren't they?

-Right.

-They're decoration for your gardens, your sunroom.

I mean, come on, evocative.

Or you could put your empties up after a few shandies

and play skittles, you know?

Very good. No, you're right, very good.

Yeah, yeah. What's your price on those, then?

25 quid, something like that.

-25 quid.

-I wouldn't even haggle at that price.

I think when you get given a fair price...

-The box is worth that.

-..don't be silly.

Do you know what? If it doesn't sell at auction, maybe I'll buy it.

That's not really how it works.

But it's still a good deal.

£25 for a set of vintage bowls wraps up shopping for the day with

plenty of time for our experts and celebs to be reunited.

I've never won anything, so I've not got high expectations.

I was a European Champion, but that will...

-Of course.

-Just forget that.

Have you ever won Strictly Come Dancing?

-All right, don't rub it in!

-I feel partly responsible.

Nighty night.

Another day dawns in the glorious south-west scenery.

These high hedgerows are something to do with this part of the world,

-aren't they?

-Don't know.

I'd rather be able to see the field, personally, wouldn't you?

Should we write a letter?

On the other side of another hedgerow...

I have no clue what I'm doing,

because the stuff I would buy is basically bric-a-brac which is worthless.

It did make me laugh, actually, because I kept realising all those

things I'd bought in the past were complete junk.

Now you know what we feel like when you buy us presents!

I'm sure it's not as bad as all that.

Yesterday, Zoe and Paul's thrifty spending bagged them a pair of

silver cufflinks, a set of gentleman's hairbrushes,

a lightning conductor and a set of vintage lawn bowls...

-Result!

-..leaving them with £326 in their pocket.

Margie and Ian, meanwhile,

only picked up the painter's palette and still have a sizeable £340 to

-spend today.

-I'd quite like it for my house, actually.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Time for round two.

Morning, campers. It's never easy getting out of these things.

-I'm very well.

-How are you doing? Good to see you.

-Are you all right?

-Yeah, I'm fine.

-Good.

-Another day.

-Are we going to do this again?

Yeah. We're off again.

He has promised he's going to teach you some moves today.

Right. I'm ready.

We'll have a little competition at the end of the day.

I'm going to let you drive, is that all right?

Paul, do you want to drive today?

-Shall I?

-Yeah!

-Oh, can I?

It'd probably be safer.

Off we go, then. Good luck. Have a lovely day.

Bye, gorgeous.

But how is everyone feeling about the day ahead?

-Are we chilled this morning?

-I feel very chilled.

It's interesting talking to Ian and I'm feeling quietly sort of...

Not smug, because I love and adore him and I want him to do well,

but sort of thinking, "Yeah, we could, actually,

"have quite a nice day today."

Like that. Oh!

I have to say all thanks to you, Paul, and your incredible eagle eyes.

Did Paul tell you what they found yesterday?

-What they bought?

-He didn't have a lot to say but he knows how to wind

me up. Did Zoe say anything to you?

No, she just said that she was rubbish.

-She does want to do well...

-Yeah.

-..so she will want to win.

She'll be gracious when she gets beaten.

-Yeah.

-Blimey, things have got competitive all of a sudden.

Time to get a move on, and Ian and Margie are meandering south to the

Dorset coast and Lyme Regis,

where they'll kick-start another day shopping.

-Are you Colin?

-I am.

-Margie and Ian.

-Hello, Colin.

-Ian.

-Nice to meet you.

-Right, so a lovely day in Lyme Regis.

It always is, even when it's raining.

But will the sun be shining in their hearts after a rummage around the

shelves of the Lyme Regis Antiques Centre?

Just have a look here.

Look at that old chicken up there.

Look. He's actually so awful, it might be worth something.

We're in Paul Laidlaw land now.

-Are we?

-I am not going to blow it, because...

Quite a few people have had their lips around that.

I wouldn't, if I was you.

Rings. Maybe we've got a chance here, because some of these have got

a bit of age to them.

That's quite nice. Very similar to your ring. It is.

-Amethyst.

-Yes.

-Gosh, that's a small finger.

-That's my birthstone.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-January.

-January the 29th.

Don't give away all your secrets, Ian.

-We'll get letters.

-Gosh, that's for a small finger, isn't it?

-Yes.

-They're better a bit bigger.

You can always have them altered, can't you?

You've got to have a bit of thickness in them.

The ticket price is £140.

-It's quite expensive, though.

-It is, yeah.

Well, we can have a word with him.

-One to think about.

-I like this vase up here.

-Is that you?

-It looks sort of retro.

-Is it retro?

-Is that the sort of thing you would buy?

1940s/50s. It's not the sort of thing I'd buy for my house,

but if I was looking for a piece to sell...

-It's pretty.

-£90.

-Yeah.

-1940s to '50s.

I reckon it's worth about 45-50.

Is that all we'd get in auction?

I think so.

It's time to turn on the charm, Ian.

Does he remind you of anybody?

-He does.

-He looks like Frankie Howerd, doesn't he?

Not what I had in mind.

Colin gets the vendor on the phone to get a best price.

Unfortunately, he said he overpaid a little for that, as we all do,

and it's £70.

-Gosh.

-Sorry. I can't do any more.

Out of the corner of my eye,

I spotted that colourful little tea set down there.

Oh, yes. It's very nice. Derby-esque, isn't it?

-That's very sweet, isn't it?

-Well...

-It's Imari-ish.

-Yes.

-Imari's a pattern.

-Is it?

-The blue...

-How about 55 for the lot?

-I haven't said I want it yet.

-Go on.

How about not 55 for the lot?

What about 35?

We've got to make a profit on this, Colin.

I'll tell you what, I'll go in the middle for you. 45.

How many pieces, Colin?

Have a count.

One, two, three, four, five, six. Six cups.

Maybe more than that. Eight cups. Yes, there's eight cups there.

I think we've got to go for that, Colin.

-Do you like it?

-Like it? Has he even seen it?

Well, it's not my taste, but you like it, so let's go for it.

-Oh, gosh, he's not keen.

-No, no, it's all right. It's good.

If you think we can make a profit from it, let's do it.

-I do.

-We've only got one item so far.

40, Colin. Come on!

-Right, 40 because I'm nice.

-Thank you very much!

-40!

Yes! I love you, Colin.

-I hope you do.

-That's one deal done.

Since they're on a roll,

Margie wants to know what that £140 ring could be.

You know the worry about that, Col. There's always some worry.

It's very small. It's for a very small finger.

I sell lots of them.

-Big, small...

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So not everybody has big fingers and not everybody has small.

-I know.

-So that's it. So you're going to ask me now...

That's got to be really, really cheap, because I'm worried about it.

-Cheap?!

-75.

Why don't we say 50?

-It's worrying me.

-60 and I'm done.

I like it because it's my birth stone, isn't it?

If we buy the two items...

Do we get a little chip for two?

No, 100. 100. That's it.

-95.

-Only if you'll dance with me.

-Come on.

-Not now.

-Come on.

-Not now.

No, my feet are hurting.

95.

-Thank you.

-Yes, we'll do that deal and we'll do that dance.

That's two items for £95.

Well done, folks.

Elsewhere, Zoe and Paul are enjoying their jaunt in the countryside.

Oh, look at this!

Have we just entered Middle Earth?

That's an incredible gorge that we've just gone through.

Now, I'd love to be able to tell you about what was going on there and

-how that was formed.

-I'd love to tell you what county I was in.

Yeah! Where are we?

You're on your way into Devon, as it happens,

heading for the village of Honiton.

This beautiful village is home to one of the most intricately

patterned materials.

Since Zoe's time on Strictly means she's no stranger to a

glamorous costume,

she's here to discover how this area of the south-west became one of the

most important lace producers in the world.

They're at the town's museum to meet lacemaker Pat Perryman.

I was always a bit of a tomboy, I have to say, Pat,

but doing Strictly Come Dancing really opened my eyes to costumes...

-Fabrics.

-Yeah, fabrics. This piece, here, what can you tell us about this piece?

This piece is very early, about 1630, 1640.

It's made of linen and it was most likely worn by a man rather than a

lady. So maybe Paul might have worn something like this in those days.

Can you imagine yourself in lace, Paul?

In the 16th century, a new type of material was taking Europe by storm.

Lace was the new process of looping and twisting cotton or silk threads

to make intricate, open fabric patterns.

It wasn't until the late 19th century that ladies wore lace.

This is a rather large actual triangular shawl.

Maybe you'd like to wear it.

-I'd love to.

-Maybe Paul would like to help.

-Where Zoe's hand is should go at the back of her neck.

-Shall I turn?

-That's the way. Excellent.

-No Miss Havisham comments.

Lacemaking was a painstaking process.

One square centimetre could take five hours to weave.

Lace instantly assumed an almost priceless value,

ensuring it was the perfect status symbol.

It's only the upper echelons of society that can wear it.

Absolutely. You showed your wealth by the quality of your wife's lace

in those days. The posher you were, the more expensive your lace was.

Honiton lace was particularly intricate and was unique in manufacture.

Complex patterns were sewn together, with each specialist weaver

concentrating on a single motif.

Honiton's elaborate patterns became unrivalled across Europe.

Honiton lace is motive lace.

In other words, we make it all in separate motives and join together.

So these are patchworks, in a sense?

Yeah. The more experienced ladies made the edge pieces.

The boss would have said, "I want 40 of those."

They would repeat, repeat, repeat.

The more often they did it, the quicker they did it so the more

pence they earned.

The less experienced made the plainer pieces and the children did

the small bits that filled in.

How old would the children have been?

They started at five years old for 12 hours a day.

-Goodness me.

-When you tell that to children these days,

they don't get it.

I know! I must have a word with my children, actually.

The intricate designs from Honiton gained a great reputation and by the

end of the 17th century,

a quarter of east Devon's population was employed in lacemaking.

Children were crucial to the industry, and when an education act

was passed requiring them to attend school, the town defied the Government.

Local boys and girls continued to work.

The lace industry around Honiton was the heart of the community for generations.

When a factory was opened bringing new lace machines down

from Nottingham, it struck a heavy blow.

Does mechanisation harm this industry in any way?

Absolutely, it did and a great deal.

In 1810, when the machines were invented,

the handmade-lace industry almost died.

Then in 1839, when Queen Victoria wanted her wedding dress made of

lace, she wanted Honiton lace, a veil and a dress,

and that brought back the industry.

At the time of Victoria's reign,

wedding dresses were often brightly coloured.

Queen Victoria's desire to have a white Honiton lace dress cemented

wedding tradition in this country and saved the handmade-lace industry.

Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert was the first marriage of a reigning

monarch in Britain for 300 years and attracted huge attention.

The lace dress she wore,

including a train that required 12 bridesmaids to carry it,

became an iconic fashion statement.

Victoria had reinstated handmade lace as a must-have garment.

Her support of the British industry continued throughout her life.

Of course, much later, when Prince Albert died in 1861,

she wanted black lace.

She wore black for the rest of her life.

If she wore black, all the smart ladies wanted black, of course.

The success of Honiton lace survived long after Queen Victoria but the

austerity of wartime Britain and new fashions saw lacemaking in the town

decline once again.

But Honiton lace is still taught and handmade by dedicated individuals,

like Pat, and soon Zoe Ball.

Thank you, Pat, for lending me your readers, because I wouldn't be able

to see this otherwise. You've got to have such incredible eyesight to

-do lacemaking. So, Pat, where do we start?

-Think about weaving.

Think about what the threads do...

-When they're passing over each other.

-Absolutely.

The yarn for Honiton lace is wound on bobbins,

which is then twisted and crossed over each other to form a pattern.

-Simple.

-There you go.

-Good.

-I'm quite heavy-handed.

Now you're going to twist each pair three times.

Right bobbin over left or towards....

Right bobbin over left? So one, two, three.

And also the other pair.

I hope you're taking note here, Paul.

Three. You're next. How am I doing, Pat?

-Fine. Absolutely.

-For a beginner, I'm all right.

-Perfectly correct.

-We haven't looked too closely at the lace yet.

There is little Honiton lace made commercially nowadays but the town

fiercely guards its history as a humble cottage industry that gained

worldwide popularity and the support of the royal family.

How long will I be here, do you think, to finish this piece?

Well, if you got a little bit faster I think you'd probably be here for

-about four days.

-OK, that's all right.

For about ten hours a day for about four days.

That's fine. My husband can feed the children.

Let's leave them to it, then.

While Zoe and Paul finish up their handiwork,

Ian and Margie are in Axminster, where they're going for a gander in

the Old Chapel Antiques Centre.

-Hello.

-Good afternoon.

-I'm Richard.

-Margie.

-Hi, Richard. I'm Ian.

-Hi, Ian.

Richard is overseeing three floors crammed with antiques.

Right, here we go.

Plenty to keep everyone happy, which is just as well, really.

Look, they're here already!

Play nice, everyone.

Drat.

-Found them.

-I know. No time to waste.

Thankfully, neither of them would know a bargain if they saw one.

That's harsh, Paul.

Ian and Margie are taking this very seriously.

Rock, back, side to side.

Rock, forward, side, close, side.

Rock... Side, close, side.

Rock, rock, side, close, side.

I wonder if we can get Ken Bruce on this.

-Come in, Ken Bruce.

-Anyone planning to do any shopping today?

Back, forward, cha-cha-cha. Forward, back, cha-cha-cha.

Oh, do concentrate, Margie.

-That's not good news.

-What's not?

-The back.

-Oh, that taping.

-That tape, yeah.

What does it say?

-So, do I have to put it back down again?

-Cheeky.

Am I picking it up?

There's some people over there.

I think we're going to put it back, aren't we?

Yes, we are.

-Paul.

-Hello.

-What can you tell me about this?

Studioware, surely 1960s.

Lava glaze refers to this very fluid-looking, intense acid colour.

-Funky.

-Groovy.

Ticket price is £68 for the bowl and £48 for the dish.

Would you take that home? If I bought you that for Christmas, is

it going in the charity shop at New Year?

Do you know what? No, I probably would use that.

I mean, I love the bright colours. They really appeal to me but, yes,

it's quite a narrow market.

-It's niche.

-Yeah, that's the word.

Niche. OK, I'll walk on.

-I shall follow.

-Quite the pair now, aren't they?

How are things going upstairs?

Let's look at these.

Railway armour, they call it.

Would they be on the actual trains?

Yeah. No, that would be on the track here.

These, I'm not sure what these are.

Not being an ex-railway worker.

-Right, what does it say there?

-Bridge number...

Bridge number 15.

-Feel that.

-Whoa. Wow. I haven't been to the gym today.

-Lovely.

-They're quite good fun.

-I've worked my triceps out.

I've worked my quads out getting out of the car and now I've worked my

triceps out with that.

Look who's here. Hiya.

-Oh, hello! How are you?

-Very well, how are you?

How's it going?

Very, very well, isn't it?

-Excellent.

-She hesitated.

-She did hesitate there.

Is she bluffing? You know her better than I do.

-Brilliant!

-Come on.

There's plenty of space for everyone.

Well, they're about 30-odd pounds each, aren't they?

-God, it's heavy.

-Cast iron, aren't they?

I like this one because it's nice and big.

And with the three collated numbers.

One, two, two. One, two, three and one, two, four.

-What do you think?

-Yeah.

-Shall we try and get them for 80 quid?

-I think you'll be fine.

-Shall we start at 60?

-You're getting it.

-Do we take them with us?

Start at 65. That just sounds a bit easier.

Then he might say 70.

Those four signs have a combined ticket price of £134.

But it's worth a try.

Richard, we've found something.

Oh, well done.

-Let's have a little look.

-We've got these wonderful bridge plates.

-Wow! They're heavy.

-We're thinking of a one-off price.

-A one-off for the lot.

-Yes.

-For the whole lot.

-For the whole lot.

I'm thinking sort of £65.

-For the whole lot?

-Yeah.

Ian has asked for around a 50% discount.

So Richard is off to speak to the dealer.

You did well. Let's see if you've pulled it off.

-It's good news.

-Oh, it's good news.

So £65 the lot.

-Yes!

-There you go.

-Good.

-Thank you very much and thanks to the dealer.

I was going to high-five you.

-Don't worry, that's great.

-I'm old-fashioned, you see?

Yes, I struggle with that sometimes. I'm scared I'm going to miss them.

I'm with you, Richard. Either way, that's a cracking £69 discount.

How's it going, Zoe?

I hope I remember all these things that I'm learning from Paul.

It's quite interesting, because coming into a shop now having

heard a few of the things, I'm now scanning and looking for...

I'm never going to find the treasures that he finds

but I hope I remember all that information, because it's...

You know, it's priceless.

Yes, he's quite the chap.

Now, anyone found anything else?

Margie, come and have a look at these.

-They look familiar.

-Don't you think the poppies are lovely on there?

They are. Nice and bright. They are.

-Big, colourful dishes.

-What would you put in there?

-Salad.

-A fruit bowl. I would have that.

-Would you bid for that?

-Yes, I would bid for that.

Do you want to speak to the man, then?

Well, yeah. I mean, yeah.

For both pieces?

I think so. I think both would be nice and sell them as a job lot.

The ticket price is still £116.

What's the best price Richard could do on behalf of the dealer?

For those two pieces the very best would be £80.

Yeah, I quite like those for £80.

-Let's do it.

-They might not make anything but they look nice.

Well done, folks.

£145 gets you the two 1960s dishes and the railway signs.

Like that, your shopping is done.

Which leaves Zoe and Paul the run of the shop.

I'll tell you what I am interested in...

If it's what I think it is... And it is!

Miss former presenter on Radio 1 and still a big thing.

So is this an early radio system?

-Yes, it is.

-It's wonderful.

This is a crystal receiver.

It uses a little galena, which is lead oxide crystal,

which is in here, and this little wire, here, termed the cat's whisker

makes contact with our galena crystal.

It makes the circuit...

Don't ask me to explain the science behind it.

That's how you tune the thing in,

fiddling about like that.

It dates to... This is the early years of radio broadcasting.

1920s.

So Pa is in the front parlour.

With this on your ear, they're quite heavy.

This is the World Service calling with a very strange accent.

Nobody ever spoke like that, did they?

They did. Their lips didn't move.

Hello, Westminster 321.

Do hurry, Harry. I'm not receiving you.

-That's where it all began.

-Didn't it?

-I know.

-The price tag says £60.

I think, to a collector, that's a good buy.

From our point of view, it's the high-end of where it could end up

and that's before auctioneer's costs.

So, some work to do on the price.

We haven't seen Richard for a while.

So he's got £60 on it at the moment.

-Again, I can speak for him and I know he'd do it for 45.

-45.

-Confer, confer.

-Do you know that is the bottom line or do you just know

that's where you can go at the moment without making a call?

I know that's where I can go at the moment.

What sort of price were you thinking?

I'd be happier at 35 than 45.

That's OK. I'll take the risk.

He must be a dear friend.

Well, also, I want you to win, anyway, don't I?

Richard, I knew I liked you.

No taking sides, Richard.

The 1920s radio hails the end of shopping for this Road Trip.

Time to own up to what you bought.

Ta-da!

This looks very Laidlaw, this.

Has he been influencing you?

This is like a Laidlaw...

It doesn't look like you picked any of these, Zoe.

-What do you want to know about first?

-That.

-This? Open the box...

-Is it a shoebox?

-..and see.

Bowls! That's nice, isn't it?

That is quite cute.

They make good doorstops.

They do, they make great doorstops.

-How much did you pay?

-How much do you think we paid?

25 quid.

Spot-on. Spot-on.

Right, next.

Cufflinks, there.

Here we go, he's building everything up.

Who made them?

-Ole Bent Petersen, major artisan.

-Well done.

Those are nice. Very nice. Very special.

-A fiver.

-Wow!

My dad lost so much money when he did this that we thought maybe it's

better to... With the Balls, you know, maybe we should spend a little less.

You're not really playing the game, are you?

The whole game is to spend as much money as possible.

-Come on, then.

-Come this way. Show us what you've got.

We were looking at £80 per item.

-One, two, three.

-Chuck it.

-Wow!

-We've got an array of things.

Very colourful, don't you think?

-Interesting.

-That caught our eye earlier today.

-We got it for £80 for the two.

-What did he want originally?

Just over 100.

-Yeah.

-Not a bad price.

-Cool.

-That's attractive.

This is my first purchase that we made.

It's a 19th-century palette.

An artist's palette.

-Did it belong to Turner?

-What did you pay for that?

It could...

-Hit me with it.

-How much did we pay?

-I'm going to enjoy this.

Six quid. That's too much.

-No, no, no, no.

-60 quid?

-60 quid?

-60 quid?

-Did it come with his ear?

Seriously, I like what you've bought. I like your offering.

You sound surprised.

This will be an interesting auction.

-Yes.

-Haven't we had fun?

-Yes, we've had great fun

and you've learnt to dance.

-What more could you want?

-It wasn't long enough.

-No.

-I could do with another hour.

Come on, then. We'll give you another hour's lesson.

Time to stop dancing around the subject, what did they really think?

They had a lot of masculine items, didn't they?

-He led her on.

-They didn't spend very much, really.

That's the way, you can't spend money for the sake of it, can you?

-Well...

-I think the cufflinks will definitely make a profit.

They bought the lava ceramics.

You weren't keen.

You're not worried about those at all.

What did they pay? £80 at the end of the day?

-Yeah.

-I am not remotely worried about the lava wares.

There's one or two things of ours that I'm worrying about already.

Like the palette.

-The palette?! What the...? The palette?!

-I know.

-I'm quite happy. We've had a great time.

-Yeah, I'm very happy.

I think we had a fantastic time.

It's anyone's to win, this.

It's going to be interesting. But we're winning.

Well, it won't be long until we find out.

After a delightful leap and bound across the south-west, our pairs are

heading east to the auction in the Hampshire village of Selborne.

But are they still feeling confident about the lots they've bought?

Do we have to accept now that our items may not fetch very much money at all?

Well, I am fully prepared for that.

Without Paul, it might have been quite interesting

to see what I would've bought.

A Miss Marple cape and a matching bag is where I was looking.

-I don't think...

-I wish you'd bought that.

Today's sale is taking place at Hannam's auctioneers.

Fingers crossed the people of Hampshire are ready for our

celebrities and their lots. Finally, here they are.

-Good morning.

-Good morning. Wow!

-It is a gorgeous day, isn't it? It is.

-Your partner.

-How are you doing?

Look, we've got the sun with us.

It's gorgeous.

Fingers crossed. Come on, then.

Let's go.

Let's remind ourselves of what they bought.

Zoe and Paul picked up five auction lots,

parting with a meagre £109 from their budget.

Ian and Margie threw caution to the wind,

spending £300 on their five auction lots.

What does auctioneer Harry Hannam make of it all?

The tea and coffee set might be a struggle.

Made in the Derby style but made on the Continent in the late part of

the 19th century and really a little unfashionable.

20 to £40 maybe.

My favourite lot are the cufflinks.

I think they are very stylish and commercial.

He's a good maker.

They should do well.

With an expectant online audience and a full saleroom,

it's time to get things under way.

It feels like we're just about to go on the dance floor, doesn't it?

-It really does. I think we should all hold hands.

-Let's hold hands.

Come on.

Right, our opening lot was Ian's first purchase,

the painter's palette.

£35 is bid on commission.

40, five, 50, five.

60, your bid and I'm out at £60.

Really happy. Really.

£60. On my right, £60. Five, anywhere?

Out online. Commissions are out. Fair warning.

£60, and selling at 60.

-What we paid for it?

-Yeah.

You didn't lose any money.

Not a flying start but better than they might have expected.

-Well done.

-I'm shocked.

-I'm shocked.

-It looked gorgeous.

Concentrate on your own quirky purchases.

Zoe and Paul's lightning conductor is up next.

-A nice little novelty piece here.

-Novelty.

-Five, ten, 15, 20.

£5 is bid. At £25. 30. £30.

35. £38.

Your bid. Commission is out.

-More profit.

-That's fine.

-Selling on the right at £38.

-We started well.

-We started well. We started well.

Oh, it's such a thrill.

Zoe and Paul are off to a great start as they strike a cracking

-little profit.

-You're furious, aren't you?

-You're furious.

-No, I'm fine.

-We've got more...

-There's more to come.

-..stuff in our back pocket.

Time for Ian and Margie's dress ring.

£55 is bid.

-Making profit already.

-At £55.

For the dress ring. At £55.

60, five, 70, your bid.

Commissions out at 70.

It's your bid at £70.

Third row selling.

-Profit. We haven't had that yet.

-£70.

That's a rather good profit for the ring.

-Well done.

-A small profit.

Well done.

Looks like Margie's mastered the high five.

Time to see if Zoe's haggling will pay off.

It's the gentleman's hair brushes.

Five, ten, 15, £20.

20. 25 on the phone.

-It's not one of your dealers, is it?

-25!

-30.

35. 40.

-I can't sell these.

-£40 in the room.

-Your bid.

-Good profit.

Selling at 40.

-A very lucky escape.

-Double your money and some.

It feels good. That feels good.

I'm glad you feel good because that's a very nice return.

It could be your biggest profit.

It could be. But at least it's a profit.

Well done.

The auctioneer wasn't convinced by Ian and Margie's next lot, but will

-it come good?

-£15. 20, now.

-Oh, no!

-£15.

18 at the back.

£20. 22.

Are you sure? 25.

-Did he say, "Are you sure?"?

-Oh, crikey.

-Get there.

30 on the net. I'll take two. 35 on the net.

-It's getting there.

-Oh!

-Now, now!

-£40.

42. 45.

Thank you, anyway. £45, net bidder.

At 45.

Well, they got there in the end.

A small profit keeps them in the race.

I'm not sure if I'm livid, if I'm relieved for him.

I'm so confused. I don't know if I can handle this.

Pull yourself together, Ball.

Paul's cufflinks next.

-How exciting.

-I think they're going to do well.

Do you know something?

I'm not even going to wish you good luck, because you don't need it.

You don't need it.

I've got a bit of interest in these and I have three commissions.

-Three commissions.

-That's good.

-30, 40, £50 is bid.

On commission at £50.

60 on the net. 65 with me.

People are on the net bidding and everything.

75.

85.

-It's going to hit a ton.

-90, I'm out.

£90 and selling. Fair warning.

-£90.

-You've only made 85 quid.

-That's 85 quid. Yes!

-Very good.

-Laidlaw, you beauty.

-Shall we applaud?

A round of applause. A great find and a stunning profit.

I'm not worried. I've always been the bridesmaid, never the bride.

Don't give up hope just yet, Ian.

Everyone saw them, the colourful dishes

are Ian and Margie's next lot.

30 bid for the two lots.

35, 40. 45.

At £45. 50 anywhere?

Commissions out.

Selling. Fair warning at £45.

Last chance at 45.

That is a tough one to take.

Someone got a real deal for those dishes.

-I'd have bought it.

-Mean.

-We're the mean girls. We're the mean girls.

-Bad.

Can the vintage radio broadcast a victory for Zoe and Paul?

Ten, 15, £20 is bid.

-Five, I'll take. At £20. Five, anywhere?

-Oh, no!

35. 38. 40 is your bid.

A profit. Not expensive but a profit.

Commissions out at £40.

A small profit for the radio

gives Ian and Margie a chance for the comeback.

That's a disappointing profit for you, isn't it?

-Well...

-Don't rub it in, Margie.

Now, Ian secured a great discount but will it be a sign of a profit?

We've had interest in these, and 40, 50, 60.

£70 is bid.

-Five, I'll take.

-Mock you not.

-I'm just going to laugh on the other

-side of my face.

-Five, 90.

One more. 95 is your bid.

At £95. 100 now.

-Go on!

-95. At 95.

Selling at 95.

The hammer comes down at £95.

-Well done.

-Hey, that was all right.

-Thank you very much. Goodbye.

-Quick, let's get out of here.

-Not just yet, Ian.

There's one final lot to go and it's Zoe and Paul's lawn bowls.

And we have two bids and coming in at 110.

120. £130 is bid.

At £130. 40 now.

-At £130.

-That's it.

Fair warning. Best of two and selling.

-That's ridiculous!

-At £130.

That was a good deal.

-Well done.

-This is so exciting!

An incredible profit leaves Zoe jumping for joy.

Is there such thing as steward's inquiry?

-I would like to have it.

-A recount.

-Come on.

I'm the steward round here, Ian.

It's time to find out just how it all went.

Margie and Ian began the Road Trip with £400.

After auction costs, they made a small loss of £41.70,

giving them a final total of £358.30.

Zoe and Paul also started with £400.

After costs, they clocked up an impressive profit of 168.16,

giving them a final total of £568.16, making them the winners.