Antiques Roadshow looking for hidden NI treasures

The Antiques Roadshow team will be filming at the Ulster Folk Museum in Cultra

Do you suspect you may have a possible fortune hidden away at the back of your attic, or sitting on your mantle?

If so, Antiques Roadshow wants to hear from you.

The popular BBC series is set to record in Northern Ireland in September and wants to hear from people in advance.

The team will be filming at the Ulster Folk Museum, just outside Belfast, but on a closed set with an invited audience only due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members of the public are asked to submit their car boot bargains or treasured family possessions via the show's website.

Successful applicants will then be invited to attend a recording session where they will share their items with a expert who will be able to reveal more about the craftsmanship, history and provenance of each piece - as well as the all-important value.

Titanic treasures

Series editor Robert Murphy said the team were looking forward to returning to Northern Ireland.

"We always love visiting Northern Ireland as we find such amazing items," he said.

"On our last few trips to Castle Ward and Stormont, we've uncovered items with an incredible history such as a diving helmet used to build the Titanic, a diary of Shackleton's trip to the Antarctic and a collection of George Best memorabilia.

"We can't wait to see what long-lost treasures and family heirlooms might be lurking in the attic or gathering dust on a shelf."

Host Fiona Bruce said she was hoping for some great finds

Returning for her 14th year at the helm, Fiona Bruce acknowledged the team's success at recording the show under challenging circumstances in 2020 and encouraged people to apply to be a part of the programme.

"We were thrilled that we managed to make a series of the Antiques Roadshow last summer despite all the difficulties of filming during the pandemic," she said.

"Hopefully things will be easier this summer, though life may not yet be back to normal by the time we start filming.

"So if you have an item that you'd like to bring along to the Roadshow, do please get in touch with us beforehand. Here's hoping for a summer of great finds!"

Other venues for the 44th series include Ham House near London, Dyffryn Gardens in Cardiff and Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden.