1 week Ago By [email protected] (Sasha Morris, Matt LLoyd)
Bargain Hunt fans were left gobsmacked, labelling an episode of the BBC One show as 'scandalous' following a contentious disqualification of an item. The episode, broadcast in March 2023, featured two teams embarking on a treasure hunt at Exeter's Westpoint Arena. The programme's host, Natasha Raskin Sharp, introduced the red and blue teams, each given a specific item to find.
The blue team, made up of mother-son pair Ann and James, were tasked with finding a maritime object, while friends Lisa and Helen, who formed the red team, were set the challenge of finding an agricultural item. The blue team splurged a whopping £70 on a menu holder from a shipping liner. On the other hand, the red team stumbled upon a mole spade, costing them a modest £18.
The red team, along with their expert Phillip Serrell, believed that the spade was used for digging out moles, fitting perfectly into their chosen category. However, they faced a setback at the auction house. READ MORE: Inside BBC Escape to the Country star Ginny Buckley's life off screen with teenage son At Ottery Auction in Ottery St Mary, David Sumner inspected the spade and declared it to be a 19th-century bread peel - used for removing crumbs from the oven.
David reached this verdict after consulting other experts, who agreed it was not a mole spade, thus not an agricultural item, reports the Express . Natasha disclosed that the Bargain Hunt team had also scrutinised the spade and agreed with David's evaluation. This led to Natasha informing the red team that she had decided to disqualify the item.
Bargain Hunt enthusiasts were left in disbelief as the red team's item was disqualified, even though antiques expert Phillip contested that the decision was "wrong". The moment their spade went under the hammer, it sold for £50, netting a surprising £32 profit, much to the dismay of the disheartened team. The show's controversial call to dismiss the red team's find ignited a storm of debate among fans, who took to social media to express their strong opinions.
One upset viewer posted on X: "Absolute scandal. The way they made them stand there and watch it make a profit. A villain origin story unfolds.
" Another simply stated: "Disqualified spade makes a profit." Despite the unforeseen gain from the disqualified piece, Lisa and Helen ended up with a £55 shortfall. In an ironic turn, the blue team did even worse, ending with a £63 loss.
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