Danny Sebastian

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

Being asked to present Bargain Hunt is such an honour and a pleasure. It’s a great, fun, exciting show that’s aired all over the world. I mean come on… talk about the cat that got the cream!

How do you find life on the road?

There’s not a lot better than starting that journey off to do a Bargain Hunt shoot. We get to see some pretty and interesting places too. It’s fair old graft but always worth it.

What is the favourite part of your role?

I’m a people-person so obviously it’s meeting and engaging with the contestants; they’re always such happy folk. That moment when I say “Let’s go Bargain Hunting” is a firm favourite too.

Why did you choose a career in antiques?

It was fate! I was at an auction down south and stumbled across a room that was being prepared for a Mid-20th Century sale and all that I saw I just loved. Straight away I thought ‘I’m getting into this game; I’d love to sell this tackle’.

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

I’ve always thought of having my own bar, which could possibly still happen, but if I weren’t in the antiques game, who knows, I could be cleaning windows or flogging Ferraris.

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

If you love it, go for it. It’s such a diverse world with so many choices of fields. Try to get to as many auctions, fairs and centres as possible, and always look listen, learn and ask questions, touch, feel as much as possible; it’s a great lesson.

How did you get involved in Bargain Hunt?

One of the crew suggested that I may well fit in; I did a wee test and must’ve passed.

Who has been your most memorable Bargain Hunt team?

All the teams have left a memory; they’re always fun, friendly and a pleasure to work with. A chap named Malc and his wife, spring to mind. A fantastic team and they won a golden gavel.

What has been your best ever Bargain Hunt find?

I found a gorgeous set of huge haberdashery shop scales on a glass shelf – stunning, a real decorative piece. I’m sure it made a loss, but I class it as one of my best finds and should’ve made a healthy profit.

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

All the fairs offer something different and in honesty they’re all great, but I do enjoy the large outdoor fairs, where you have a lot of dealers and a lot of choice. Newark, Ardingly, Lincoln and Peterborough are all great fairs.

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

A set of mushroom Mid-20th Century retro chairs I found at Nottingham Showground were one of my big finds; they did make a very tidy profit. Biggest losses… let’s not go there!

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Mmmmmmmm, maybe footwear. I do like a good pair of shoes - quality, style, design and comfort! Maybe my love comes from me being born in Cobblers County or is it because, with big slabs of meat, it’s important to have tidy feet.

How do you spend your free time?

I honestly don’t get a lot of free time. So much to do and so many places to be. I do enjoy dog walks, dining, dancing, music, travel and the occasional drop of rum!

Do you collect anything?

I collect Tretchikoff pieces - I want the full collection. I’m also interested in and collect a lot of African art and artefacts.

Why do you think Bargain Hunt has such appeal?

Bargain Hunt is a show that attracts a wide aged audience, and it obviously shows how much fun it is to play. Everyone and everything about the gig is fun and there’s also some take-home, so you get the best of both worlds… learn a bit, laugh a bit!

Why would you encourage anyone to appear on Bargain Hunt?

To get on Bargain Hunt is a blessing, there are so many applicants, you gotta be real lucky. A lot of people believe they could do better than those shown on TV. Believe me, it’s difficult, but the experience is second to none.