Fiona Bruce, 55, has been a firm favourite on Antiques Roadshow since 1998 and has celebrated her 13th series on the programme. The BBC programme has a long standing tradition of revealing the true worth of items found in lofts or family heirlooms handed down by generations.
During last Sunday’s episode, an “exceptionally rare” guitar which was once owned by John Lennon and George Harrison was valued up to an eye-watering £400,000.
But Fiona has since broken her silence on what she found a little “frustrating” about the moment and she admitted it was mainly due to the British audience reception towards large sums of money.
In a new interview in this week’s Radio Times, she said she felt American audiences reactions to staggering valuations are mostly met with more enthusiasm.
“The Roadshow has been going for 41 years, so how come George Harrison’s guitar turns up now?” pondered Fiona. “We valued it at around £400,000. He didn’t pay a bean for it.”
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She continued: “People obviously love the valuation, and it can produce absolutely brilliant TV. But generally we British don’t like talking about money.
“When someone is given an absolutely stonking value they tend to say, ‘Hmmm’.”
Fiona added: “Whereas in the American version, people actually faint to the ground. It is a tiny bit frustrating.”
Her comments come the guitar’s current owner, a former session musician, explained to expert Jon Baddeley that he was given the piece because he could play it better than Beatles legend George.
Jon said: “I think in 25 years it’s by far the most expensive thing I’ve ever seen.”
Valuing the guitar at between £300,000 and £400,000, Jon continued: “You know to a guitar collector it’s initially a very rare guitar.
“Then to somebody who’s a Beatles fan, to own a guitar that was once owned by both John Lennon and George Harrison, can you get a better history? Two of the most important rock stars of the 20th century.”
The owner was taken aback by the value of the guitar and he still plays it regularly.
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“I never really thought about value, as George being a mate and all that,” he said. “I don’t know what to say actually, I’m really taken aback by it.”
“I didn’t realise it was worth that much money. It’s lucky I don’t keep it in the house.”
The owner also unveiled to the audience a photograph with George and the guitar, further proof of his impressive collection.
Jon added: “What’s really important is the provenance and there it was in the photograph, in George Harrison’s collection. Wow, you can’t do better than that.”
Radio Times [RADIO TIMES]
Meanwhile, the Antiques Roadshow host has had a career in television which has spanned over 25 years.
Fiona is also a host of Question Time, formerly presented by David Dimbleby after he held the top spot for 25 years.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, prior to her Question Time debut, Fiona commented: “I am expecting people to say ‘Who the hell is that?’ ‘Why have they got her?'”
Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays at 8pm on BBC One.
You can read the full interview with Fiona Bruce in this week’s Radio Times out now.
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