Interview: Inside the TV journey of Thomas Forrester, one of the UK’s leading celebrity auctioneers
From auction rooms to primetime television, Thomas Forrester has mastered the art of valuation — not just of antiques, but of opportunity.
As a celebrity speaker he brings charm, expertise and decades of insider experience to every stage.
Thomas Forrester’s career bridges the tangible and the televised. Rising from a junior auctioneer in Bath to a familiar face on national television, his journey embodies both expertise and entertainment.
Known for his polished presentation and deep knowledge of antiques, Thomas combines professional skill with a compelling personal story that makes complex valuations both accessible and exciting.
Film News Blitz this exclusive interview with the London Keynote Speakers Agency, Thomas shares how a chance opportunity transformed his life, what inspired him as a young auctioneer, and the sharp instincts and traits he still uses to spot high-value pieces today.
Q: What first sparked your path into television, and how did that early opportunity evolve into a long-running career on screen?
Thomas Forrester: “Purely by chance really. It was one of these… I never wanted to be on television. It wasn’t one of these things.
“I’ve always wanted to be an auctioneer, no question. And I was working for a saleroom in Bath at the time, and I was a very junior auctioneer, 26. So yeah, just a bit older than you.
“And I’d just got on the rostrum. Bargain Hunt came to visit us and they said, “We’ve got this new show.
“The dates work for your next sale. Would you accommodate us?” This was 2000.
“Would you accommodate us, would you… do you have an auctioneer who’d like to do it?” And my manager at the time, this lady called Lynn, said, “Yeah, we’ve got Thomas.”
“I met the producer, who came to sort of have a chat about what they did, how it would work. And basically, I bought myself a new shirt, new tie, new suit for the day, and then when it was all booked in to do the filming, it was all ready to go.
“And then in walks David and, you know, his sartorial elegance blew me away as only David Dickinson could.
“And the rest is history. I can’t watch those shows back, to be honest with you. Really, I can’t. I can’t watch them back.
“I was so rude about all the items that people had bought. I was just hideous. It’s really embarrassing. It’s one of those hide-behind-the-sofa moments.
“Huge sideburns.
“And yeah, I was 26. So, there it is, there it was. And basically, the rest is history. From that day on I did the day’s filming and then the auction.
“And I got a phone call two or three months later. I thought nothing of it. I literally thought nothing of it and thought, well, you know, it will go out. I’d done a bit of TV before, as in a bit of sort of antiques TV.
“And then, you know, in my youth, I think we walked down the steps of… you’re too young to remember this, but there was a children’s television programme called Rainbow with Zippy, Bungle and George.
“I know Zippy.”
“You know Zippy? Yeah, yeah.”
“Anyway, so we walked down the steps of the airplane in Rainbow as a family. And then I did a bit of TV filming when I was skiing years ago when I was a child, about 11 or 12. Anyway, so yeah, I thought nothing of it.
“I thought, do you know what, I didn’t even think it would come off as an expert.
“And they phoned me up and they said, “Yeah, we like you as an expert. You seem to know what you’re doing.
“Would you like to be on TV? Would you like to be one of Bargain Hunt’s experts?” And the rest is basically history, 21 years later.”
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Q: Which auctioneers or antiques experts shaped your early interest in the profession and influenced your style today?
Thomas Forrester: “Well, it kind of ties into why I wanted to be an auctioneer. Because my dad’s a farmer or was a farmer.
“He’s still alive but he doesn’t do much farming now. We used to farm cattle. I used to go to the cattle auctions.
“And the reason why, I suppose, the cattle auctioneer inspired me is that they were clean. They weren’t, you know, they weren’t with all the cows… and they were well dressed.
“So, they weren’t wearing bloody, stinky overalls, having to deal with the beasts. And they were up there and they were in charge of everything.
“So it was that idea of the person in charge. I was really young, sort of seven, eight… my dad said nine maybe. Yeah, nine. Really young.
My dad said, “He’s probably the richest man in the room.” I mean, that was a lie because all the farmers were there. I mean, farmers are never poor, because he was selling the cows in the guinea.
“So really, it was… I didn’t sit at home and watch Lovejoy. No. And I used to watch The Antiques Roadshow, but there was nobody there who I would have thought, “Yeah, I want to be like that.”
“I just thought it looked like quite a cool job. But I didn’t want to sell cattle because it’s really, you know, very quick. And I thought, what else do they sell? And he said, well, there’s antiques.
“I liked history, and I liked the arts, and I did all the arts at school. So yeah, great. Absolutely great. So that’s the inspiring bit.”
Q: For people hoping to spot high-value antiques, what is the single most important principle they should rely on when assessing a potential bargain?
Thomas Forrester: “That’s a difficult one.
“Do you go out antique shopping?”
“Not necessarily antique shopping. I like going to second-hand stores and seeing what they have, particularly older, more vintage second-hand stores to look at the furniture and all the different items, not as many clothes.
“But I think it’s difficult for people to see something and know whether it’s a high value item or not.”
“I think you just… I think you do it inadvertently. Because when you’re looking at that vintage piece of furniture, you’re thinking: are the proportions right? Does it look good? Do those drawers… have they made those in that sideboard the right size?
“If you’re buying one of those vintage teak sideboards, there are normally drawers on one side, sliding doors on the other. Are the drawers too long, or are they not too long?
“The whole idea about buying a high-value antique is to look at the quality. Is it done to the correct proportions? Are they fixed there?
So, it’s not a case of, “I know that’s a good item because of X, Y and Z.”
“Well, there is that. And history, and the actual… yeah, the history of the item, what the item is, and the quality of the item will make it more valuable.
“But it is: does it look right? For a start.
“And the second thing you can always say is provenance. That makes all the difference. If it was owned by, you know, King George III, well then, it’s always going to be more valuable than if it was owned by, you know, Tom Smith, so to speak.
“Do you know what I mean? It’s one of those.
“And it’s got to look right. So, what’s my top tip? Use your eyes. Look with your eyes. Don’t go with your heart.
“The heart is a very bad thing. But it’s very good. It’s very bad in some ways.”
This exclusive interview with Thomas Forrester was conducted by Megan Luptonof The Motivational Speakers Agency.
