Bargain Hunt expert suffers huge loss as co-stars say ‘it’s disappointing’

Bargain Hunt expert Ben Cooper suffered a huge loss on Wednesday (January 29), leaving his co-stars disappointed.

The repeat episode of the antiques show, which aired on One, saw host Charlie Ross head to the market town of Shrewsbury, where a group of contestants were ready to go bargain hunting at the Antique and Collector’s Fair.

The red team featured excited friends Alec and Josh, who were being helped by Ben. The blue team consisted of father-and-daughter duo Paul and Ruby, and their expert Tim Weeks. Armed with a hefty budget, the teams scoured for unique items that could earn them a big profit.

The red team ended up spending £35 on a collection of surgical instruments, £20 on a 19th century mahogany commode, and £75 on a silver pocket watch. Meanwhile, the blues paid £12 for eight toy soldiers on horseback, £19 on a pocket-sized silver pencil, and a whopping £180 on a painted butter churn.

In the auction room, Alec and Josh had a total loss of £38 after their first three items. Ben then revealed his bonus buy, which was a river gauge that the trio had previously encountered during their search.

“Stunned silence,” Ben jokingly said, as the red team looked on in shock, remembering the item’s hefty price.

“Every now and then in the trade we have a thing which is known as buyer’s remorse, and I think that I possibly have it. I was really rather sold on it because the chap was talking about it being a river gauge and everything else, and we were there on the banks of the Severn,” Ben then explained.

“And I don’t think it is,” he continued, with Charlie nodding his agreement. The expert went on to share that he thought the contraption was actually for a surveyor.

Ben shared that the seller was asking for £150, but he managed to get him down to £125 – still a large sum. The reds were emboldened and chose to “go big or go home” with the risky item.

Auctioneer Philip Serrell was in disbelief when he learned what Ben had paid. As the item went up for auction, Philip started at £50 but no one responded. He ended up getting the gauge sold for just £20, resulting in a whopping £105 loss on that item alone.

“That’s disappointing,” said Alec, before Josh similarly added: “That wasn’t what we wanted.”

The red team lost overall with a deficit sum of £143, with Charlie jokingly saying: “If you had never met Mr Cooper, you would have won by miles!”

Bargain Hunt airs weekdays at 12.15pm on One