Travelling Auctioneers has been filmed at the home of Liz Stewart for BBC One

A LOCAL teacher’s home will feature in a popular mainstream TV show scheduled to air on BBC 1 next March.

‘The Travelling Auctioneers’ was filmed over two days in August at the home of Liz Stewart between Forres and Alves - the episode will showcase her varied collection of potentially valuable items including a long case grandfather clock, historic army badge cap and carvings picked up during her charity work in Africa.

She said: “Filming was fun but it was weird walking around my house and being told “Shh! We’re filming!”.

“On one of the days, my neighbour Robbie Paterson and I were hiding in a dark bedroom and when we came out we found the crew eating their lunch in my dining room!”

She added: “I didn’t realise just how much stuff I had until they came round.”

A few years ago, Liz and Robbie took items to ‘The Antiques Roadshow’ at Brodie Castle. Afterwards, Liz received emails from Lost in TV audience services, offering spectator places for comedies and other shows which she turned down. Eventually, just as she was considering building a new house in her garden, Liz was offered a visit by The Travelling Auctioneers.

“I said yes,” she explained, “as I would like to get rid of some stuff! Robbie and I were then interviewed on Zoom and told the producers would like to make a programme with us. I suggested several things that might sell and the producers hid items around the house that they later pulled out on camera to discuss.”

The programme’s presenters take their travelling auction house on the road to help families around the UK cash in on unknown treasures. Sifting through one home at a time, the team identify items with the biggest selling appeal. Christina Trevanion and Izzie Balmer call on auctioneer contacts and expertise, while JJ Chalmers and Robin Johnson use craft and restoration skills to bring new life to neglected finds, ready for auction at the end of each episode.

“There were 8 people in the film crew,” said Liz. “They were all really nice. I got on with Robin best as, me being a Home Economics teacher and being practical too.

“I hope they filmed me and Robin working on the bike with him as I forgot the cameras were there and felt totally relaxed.”

She added: “Izzie sat down with me on film. Robin restored items including my grandfather clock and folding bike in his wee van - I was filmed polishing the bike.

“On the second day of filming, another producer interviewed me about my Malawi stuff. I helped rebuild a school with the help of many former students of Forres Academy. I also rebuilt a old building and helped a group of disabled girls set up a textile work shop.

“I also helped villagers following flooding in southern Malawi which let many without food.

“I showed off items given to me in Africa and given them to sell to help raise funds.”

Liz was interviewed about her charity work, as well as her family history. She is descended from a Major General in The Royal Scots Greys, a cavalry regiment of the Army of Scotland that became a regiment of the British Army in 1707 and continued until 1971.

Liz said: “I have a regimental cap badge that was taken for auction. The grandfather clock needed repairing so I suggested the House of Automata on High Street could help. The producers had worked with them before so were happy to spend another half day with co-owner Michael Start to get the clockwork repaired.

“Unfortunately, Robin was repairing the clock’s casing outside and it was blown over by the wind but it was also repaired locally!”

The production crew also took items away to be auctioned including jewellery, pottery and paintings.

“All in, they filled half a Transit van!,” said Liz. “One was a folding Raleigh bike they found in my outhouse. It was marked Forres Auction House, which was on Tolbooth Street. I’d bought it when I owned a boat I’d planned on using it for bread runs but sold the boat and forgot about it.

The items were auctioned at John Milne's in Aberdeen last Wednesday - Liz and Robbie were there for their reactions to be filmed.

“We had a fun day with lots of surprises and laughter,” finished Liz. “There were also a few tears as we remembered the people who had gone before me though their belongings.”