Bargain Hunt star forced to apologise after £130 gamble goes wrong
A Bargain Hunt presenter was forced to say sorry to viewers after a risky move didn't pay off during the auction segment. The episode, which aired last year, saw two teams – Ben and Mandy, and Janet with her son Xander – go head-to-head to see who could make the most money.
During the show, both teams were given the challenge of purchasing antiques with a budget of just £300 at a location in Brackley, Northamptonshire. However, when the auction kicked off, host Thomas Forrester found himself having to apologise to fans.
The red team, Bill and Mandy, were first up and suffered a total loss of £30 after their Clarice Cliff pot and Swedish glass vase didn't fetch as much as they had paid for them. They then decided to take a punt on their "bonus buy," which Thomas revealed to be a 20th-century "sack barrow".
Assuring them that the "trolley" could "make them a fortune," the pair agreed to put it up for auction. However, despite being told that it could bring in up to £180, it only sold for a mere £45, resulting in a total loss of £115 for the couple, reports the Express.
Addressing the pair, Thomas said: "Oh no, no. We can't have that. That's awful, I'm sorry". But this sparked outrage among viewers who took to social media to comment on the surprising price.
One viewer complained on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Sack barrow for £130? Lunacy." Another person who tuned into the show also commented: "I would have said £20 for that Thomas".
In the end, the blue team came out on top with a modest profit of £2.
It comes after last month fans took to social media to voice their complaints about another Bargain Hunt presenter and her "annoying" habit. Caroline Hawley, who lives in a huge Yorkshire home, was in Exeter to assist two teams in finding a number of items before auctioning them off.
BBC viewers couldn't help but be distracted by Caroline's presenting style. One person grumbled on X: "Hawley sounds like shes presenting playschool." Another viewer also chimed in: "Is Caroline talking to a class of 5 year olds."
A third similarly posted: "Hawley's voice is so fake and insincere." A fourth also commented: "Volume down."
In the end, the red team bought a cast iron toilet roll holder for a mere £10, a crystal glass decanter for £70, and an antique soup ladle for £101. The blue team opted for a retro fire extinguisher lamp for £75, a tableware set for £50, and a magnifying glass for £11. The red team on Bargain Hunt saw a modest profit of £16, but the blue team outdid them with a smashing £77 win.
