Wiltshire’s most famous antiques expert is set to return to our screens with an “exciting” new Channel 5 show.
Paul Martin, the former BBC presenter best known for his work on popular shows like Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip, will be the face of the channel’s new daytime programme, The Great Auction Showdown with Paul Martin.
The Wiltshire based antiques dealer has spoken to this paper about how much he loved the “pressure” of filming the show, which will see him take up an entirely new role.
While Paul has made his name valuing people’s goods, Auction Showdown will see him try his hand at auctioneering.
He said: “The highlight was being on the rostrum in different salerooms, learning the art of auctioneering, and trying to develop my own style.
“It was quite difficult because I’d be surrounded by great auctioneers, and you have to learn a little bit from all of them.
“You have to be a little bit different and keep the energy and excitement up.”
Paul revealed that he enjoyed the pressure of this task, with people’s sales depending on his performance.
He added: “At the end of the day, you’re up there selling stuff and you don’t want failures because it doesn’t look good.
“It was a lot of pressure, but I enjoyed it, it was a very new experience and I thoroughly loved it.
“For me, it was a challenge… and it was very interesting to go behind the scenes.”
The show will see owners bring items in for valuation days across the UK before auctioning them off, as well as featuring other challenges based in local antiques shops around the country.
Paul hopes there will be something for everyone in each episode.
He said: “If you like Flog It!, Antiques Road Trip and Bargain Hunt, then you’ll love this because it’s a mixture of everything.
“You can learn a lot, it’s great fun, and I’m on the rostrum at the end being an auctioneer which is really exciting for me.
“It kind of encompasses everything that antique shows are all about.”
The Great Auction Showdown with Paul Martin will be aired on Channel 5 this year, although at the time of writing no specific launch date had been set.
Outside of his 20 years of TV work, Paul has taken up a role at Devizes auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son.
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