For many of us, watching the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow is a Sunday night ritual. For Lee Young, now in his 15th year as an Asian Art expert on the show, travelling the UK every summer to film it, has become his. Here Lee shares some behind-the-scenes insights.
Take us through a day on set
Even after nearly 50 years on air, we continue to attract record visitor numbers, and it’s common for experts to work a 12-hour day. With 100s of people to see, it can be hard to take a break, luckily, we have excellent runners on-hand to bring tea! If we’re fortunate enough to see something exceptional, the producer is alerted and these items are filmed, but we see many, many more items off-screen.
What is the most challenging aspect?
Balancing the demands of filming in beautiful, often far-flung locations, with my day job – as owner and director of Dore & Rees auctions in Frome. I took over Dore & Rees in 2020 and it is now one of fastest growing auction houses in the UK. With a busy sales calendar to oversee and an Asian Art department to run – I am kept very busy! But I am fortunate to do what I love.
Most memorable piece on the show?
Filming the exceptional Chinese robe in 2024 and delivering the £200,000 estimate to a stunned couple and crowd, is something I will never forget. Kept by the owner in a dressing up box as a child, the robe caught the attention of the national media and even Gogglebox! It still holds the record as most expensive Chinese treasure ever-recorded on the show.
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