THE BBC’s Antiques Roadshow is coming to Hampshire this summer- and they are looking for members of the public to appear on the show.

The hugely popular programme, which has been running since 1979, will film an episode of its 44th season at Portchester Castle in Fareham with host, Fiona Bruce. 

The date of the recording and the broadcast date of the episode will be announced soon.

Portchester Castle wrote on their Facebook yesterday: “We are thrilled to announce that Portchester Castle will host BBC Antiques Roadshow when they return later this year! We can’t wait to welcome Fiona Bruce and the team of experts as they uncover your family heirlooms.”

Members of the public interested in taking part in the recording in Hampshire can apply online here.

Only a select few will be chosen for the filming, the BBC website states: “We are continuously monitoring the rules and advice in regards to the safety of public events. At this moment in time we are only taking online submissions for items that you wish to show to our team of experts and will not currently be publishing the dates for any of our Roadshows publicly.”

Successful applicants will be invited to Portchester Castle later this summer where they will be able to share their items with a Roadshow expert who will reveal more about the craftsmanship, history and provenance of each piece – as well as the all-important value.

Returning for her 14th year as presenter, Fiona Bruce has acknowledged the team’s success at recording the show under challenging circumstances in 2020, and is encouraging people to apply to be a part of the programme in 2021.

Fiona said: “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.

“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 at bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow. Here’s hoping for a summer of great finds!”

More information and frequently asked questions can be found at on the Antiques Roadshow website or on the show’s Facebook page.

For more information about Portchester Castle visit the website here.