Antiques Road Trip's Izzie Balmer shares ‘rare’ moment on BBC show she calls 'true honour'

Antiques Road Trip star Izzie Balmer impressed BBC viewers with her hidden skills in a recent episode of the long-running programme. Last week, Izzie and James Braxton were scouring Cheshire and Staffordshire to find hidden gems that could earn them a profit at an auction.

During the trip, they took a brief break from their antique hunting to visit the grounds of Stoke City Football Club in Stoke-on-Trent. While there, they met former football pro Nigel Johnson before taking part in their own penalty shoot-out.

Up first, Izzie was in the goal as Nigel provided the commentary while James attempted to score. However, he was no match for his BBC co-star as she managed to save it from going in.

Next, it was time for her to showcase her footballing skills, putting the ball on its mark, she said: “I feel the pressure!” Taking her penalty seriously, Izzie took a huge run-up to the ball before trying to score.

Although James attempted to stop it from going in, Izzie’s ball went into the net as she cheered in joy over the goal. Nigel could be heard saying: “Top corner! Izzie’s done him, no problem.”

Meanwhile, the show’s commentator said: “What a worldie Izzie!” Her co-star didn’t seem to mind her triumph as he congratulated her as they left the pitch joking he’d be on the bench.

On her social media, Izzie reflected on their visit to the football stadium, calling it an honour to meet the former football professional. Sharing some behind-the-scenes snaps, she wrote: “I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to a football stadium.

“But what a joy to be invited behind the scenes at the @stokecity grounds and to kick a ball around. But the true honour was meeting Nigel Johnson, a true gent! Thank you Stoke City for having us. Come on, the Potters![sic]”

She added: “If you missed this truly rare opportunity of seeing me don a pair of football boots and, the first (and probably last) time @jamesbraxtonofficial wears a tracksuit, you can catch the episode of @antiqueroadtrip on @bbciplayer.”

It wasn’t long before people watching commented on the clip, with many impressed with Izzie’s hidden football skills. One person said: “You took that penalty like a professional footballer. I hope James wasn't too injured."

Another added: "What a penalty that was! Unstoppable!!" Someone else wrote: “For someone who isn't a football fan, that was a very good penalty kick!”

One fan commented: “Fantastic penalty, Izzie! Premier League players couldn't have placed it better.” Another person said: “It was a fab penalty.”

Someone else praised: “That was a great shot.” While another follower wrote: “You scored a great penalty x”

Antiques Road Trip is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.