Holkham date for Antiques Roadshow

RICHARD PARR Friday, March 10, 2006
10:00 AM

RICHARD PARR

Holkham Hall is to host the BBC's Antiques Roadshow for the first time. Several thousand people are expected to converge on the historic estate, near Wells, when the programme is filmed on Thursday May 18.

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Holkham Hall is to host the BBC's Antiques Roadshow for the first time.

Several thousand people are expected to converge on the historic estate, near Wells, when the programme is filmed on Thursday May 18.

It continues the show's link with Norfolk, having previously come from Blickling Hall, Norwich Cathedral cloisters and the grounds of Houghton Hall, near Fakenham.

The Holkham estate, which is now run by the Earl of Leicester's son, Viscount Coke, is delighted that such a high-profile programme is being filmed in its grounds and believes it will give a major tourist boost to the whole area.

The show will be screened later in the year.

When the roadshow - now in its 29th year - was filmed at Houghton Hall a few years ago, a woman arrived with a suitcase containing drawers filled with silver baby teething rattles she had bought mainly at car boot sales.

She was delighted to be told that the whole collection could be worth about £50,000.

Last night, series editor Simon Shaw said: "The team are all looking forward to visiting Holkham Hall. It's always exciting to see what will come to light on the day.

"We regularly see between 1500 and 2000 visitors on the day and often it gets quieter in the afternoon. Despite the high turnout, everyone will get to see an expert."

Holkham events manager Paul Gray, who has previously worked in a similar post at Blickling Hall, said everyone was delighted that such a high-profile programme was to be filmed on the estate.

Mr Gray, who knows Antiques Roadshow producer Michelle Burgess through his involvement when it was filmed at Blickling, said he rang her one day and asked if she would like to film at Holkham.

He said the programme was also likely to include some historical information about the hall and its history.

People with larger pieces of furniture or other big items can send details and photographs of their objects to: Antiques Roadshow, BBC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol Bs8 2LR or by e-mail to: antiques.roadshow @bbc.co.uk