BBC Antiques Road Trip expert mortified as he smashes 188-year-old item

An Antiques Road Trip expert was left red-faced after he accidentally demolished a historic artefact during filming. The cherished BBC programme, renowned for its shocking appraisals of unusual collectables, saw a mortifying moment unfold in a 2017 episode when Charles Hanson made an expensive mistake.

The instalment showed Charles and his colleague Christine Trevanion setting off on an adventure to Manchester. Whilst browsing through different antiques, Charles became fascinated by a pistol and observed: "This is George IV. It's a duelling-type pistol and it's 188-years-old." He highlighted the delicate condition of the firearm, commenting: "You can see that because its handle here is just about to fall off," To his dismay, the pistol then crumbled in his grasp as he uttered an "Oops."

Caught red-handed, Charles looked around awkwardly and quipped: "It has fallen off actually!"

The narrator, Tim Wonnacott, couldn't resist laughing at the blunder, branding him a "silly boy!"

Obviously flustered, Charles went on: "Oh dear me. Well that's just great, isn't it? I might have to buy it now just regardless. It is pretty tired but the reason I like it is because it's in its original condition."

He finished on an optimistic note: "It would never, it could never be fired now and it's purely a relic. It could be cheap. That's it really. It could be cheap."

Antiques Road Trip has produced its fair share of jaw-dropping moments, but none quite as extraordinary as expert Paul Laidlaw's legendary triumph back in 2021. The incredible scene left audiences stunned when what appeared to be a humble £60 buy became a staggering five-figure fortune.

During the unforgettable episode, Paul discovered a vintage camera amongst the chaos of a packed antique shop, which subsequently fetched a breathtaking £20,000 at auction in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

The shopkeeper had initially described having "stuff everywhere" before Paul caught sight of his treasure.

Whilst browsing through the establishment's collection, Paul offered £50 for an optical piece tagged at £75. However, following negotiations, the duo agreed on £60. At the salesroom, with Edward supervising, several telephone bidders drove the action up by thousands.

As the offers rocketed well beyond the tens of thousands, Edward confirmed the remarkable bids weren't quite a "record price" - the general sale record remained at £15,000.

The frenzied competition for Paul's camera find continued rising until it reached an incredible £20,000.

A stunned Paul conveyed his amazement, declaring he was "flabbergasted" at the outcome.