Roo Irvine

What’s it like to be part of the Bargain Hunt presenting team?

I love every second of it! It’s a fabulous presenting team with each person bringing their own personality and style, so it’s a real honour to join such a line-up! I feel like a conductor in an orchestra made up of experts, contestants and crew, and the joy lies in bringing them all together in harmony to make our very own Bargain Hunt music!

How do you find life on the road?

I don’t mind life on the road, but the older I become the more of a home bird I am, although I am so blessed to have seen so much of the UK these last few years and have met some fabulous people that I never would have met had it not been for ‘life on the road’! My big yellow suitcase becomes my trusty steed, but there’s no better feeling than coming home at 1am after four days on the road to three furry little faces waiting for their momma (our cats)!

What is the favourite part of your role?

Definitely, the social element of it! I love people, and the best part of this role is meeting new people and working with an amazing crew where everyone is in sync. As a presenter, I feel it is very much my responsibility to make sure everyone has the best, easiest, smoothest and most fun day possible. When everyone finishes up for the day, and there are big smiles and laughter all round, that is the best feeling for me. The crew, the experts and the presenters all bring the contestants into the Bargain Hunt family, and I believe that element of fun and togetherness really comes across on screen!

Why did you choose a career in antiques?

I think the world of antiques found me, if anything. My husband and I both had our own marketing consultancy, and we were used to travelling a lot for work, but then both of our fathers passed away within three weeks of each other back in 2013. We left the corporate world behind and pondered what to do, as our mums both needed us. We had recently become addicted to auctions, having furnished our house purely with antiques. We started to sell some pieces online, which was very successful, and then opened up our wee shop in the village and haven’t looked back since!

What would you do for a living if you weren’t working in the antiques trade?

Good question! It was a hugely unexpected change in personal circumstances that led us here, so who knows? Maybe I would’ve eventually gone back to the corporate world but it wasn’t making me happy anymore. If I could pick any other career it would definitely be the world of food! I’m a huge foodie, and restaurant critic/reviewer would be an ideal role, or even presenting my own food show (where I get to eat all day)! Village life has already brought out the old creative part of me that I left behind after art college, so I may have got back into art and writing!

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work in antiques?

Start off small and slow, do your research, and figure out what you love first. Will you start collecting one thing that you love, buy as a future investment or buy to sell? Either way, buy with your heart and buy what you love. You have to be invested in it before anyone else can be! Research online and through books, and try to handle as many objects as you can to be able to decipher between items that are genuinely from a period in time, a reproduction or an outright fake. You will also get an idea of market value. Condition is key, so try not to impulse buy at auctions or in shops. I’ve done it and been burnt! That fabulous table you’re buying for a steal may have a broken leg! That Georgian glass may have a chip on its foot or have been ground down, so proceed with caution, but go all in when it’s the right piece!

How did you get involved in Bargain Hunt?

When we opened up our antiques shop in the village of Kilcreggan, the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip visited with Paul Laidlaw, and I was the shop dealer! A few months later, they asked if they could put me forward to become an expert and so I joined the Road Trip team in 2017, and in 2019, Bargain Hunt very kindly got in touch, and I’m so happy they did!

Who has been your most memorable Bargain Hunt team?

All teams are fantastic in their own way, but there was a fabulous mother and daughter team that it just felt like a day out shopping – there was so much laughter and we were all in sync with our tastes too. Plus, we bought a knight in armour that ended up selling for way over £500, so it was a brilliant end to a great few days! All teams are special to me because they all bring their own character and personalities!

What has been your best ever Bargain Hunt find?

I tend to do really well with stone animals, or anything animal themed. I have bought a few pairs of stone dogs/greyhounds that have sold for over £200-£300 but I think the knight in armour was just a jaw-dropping moment. I expected it to do well, but at over £500 we were thrilled! It’s an even better feeling when it’s not a favourite of the presenter or auctioneer; it’s nice to say “Hah, told you so”, albeit, followed with a sigh of relief, because it is ultimately down to who is there on the day too!

Which fairs do you particularly like shopping at when ‘bargain hunting’?

I love fairs that have a good mix of indoor and outdoor areas. Fairs like Southwell and Anglesey are great but so is Edinburgh, as there’s a great big roof over your head when it’s cold and wet! It’s as satisfying to browse the fine delicate treasures indoors as it is to rummage outside among the hidden quirky items!

What’s the most profit/greatest loss you’ve made at auction?

I think the biggest profit was £395 for the knight in amour. We bought it for £125 and it sold for £520. It really was a statement piece! As for losses, I can’t remember what the biggest loss has been - perhaps close to £60-£80 - but as we know, that can still be a winning score on Bargain Hunt!

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

I do believe there are no such things as guilty pleasures, just pleasures, but there definitely are some that feel a little naughtier and self-indulgent! I LOVE food… I’m a huge foodie and I daydream about food and I also read menus like books, making each dish come to life in my head! My foodie guilty pleasure is mayonnaise; I eat far too much of it, but I have it with everything - Indian, Chinese, Italian… there are no limits! When I’m having healthy days, it has to strictly be off the menu, as I have no self-control when it comes to mayonnaise portion size! A small jar would barely wet my whistle!

How do you spend your free time?

Free time is a luxury these days - I rarely allow myself to unwind - but a perfect lazy day would be a crackling log fire, cosy blankets, good books (or cookery books… I have over 300) and soothing jazz in the background! Board games with my hubby and our three cats happily snoozing beside us, and of course, lovely food at the end of it! Days like that turn up once a year at Christmas unfortunately, but I and all of us, must remember the importance of ‘me time’!

Do you collect anything?

The first things I started collecting were bells, but I sold my collection. I don’t collect anything today, except perhaps a small collection of Georgian glass, and with regards to non-antiques, I’ve started collecting soft vegetable toys! That’s my guilty buying pleasure! I’m hugely anthropomorphic, so I can’t get enough of soft food toys with faces!!! My brie is my favourite (he is called Du Brie). I’m really just a big kid at heart, and proud of it too!

Why do you think Bargain Hunt has such appeal?

I think at the core of Bargain Hunt is its relatability. The world of antiques can be a daunting place and intimidating for some people, but Bargain Hunt manages to take that knowledge and information, break it down into bite size chunks and throw in a good dollop of laughter and fun! I think that we can all relate to it. Our contestants could be anyone’s friends, neighbours or acquaintances from down the road! The people that take part are relatable just like you and me, and we, as the viewers are also getting to take part in going around the fairs by watching the teams do it! It draws you in. I know many people who won’t leave the house between 12.15pm and 1pm weekdays, and rightly so!

Why would you encourage anyone to appear on Bargain Hunt?

I’m amazed at the number of people we have had on who say Bargain Hunt has been on their bucket list and is now officially ticked off! It’s a claim to fame, a rite of passage and a belly-full of laughs along the way! You never know, you might find that item for £10 and it could make £1000! It’s all possible, and what better way to try than with an expert by your side and lots of fun along the way! Yes? YES!