Where is it filmed and who are the dealers?

As antiques fans tuned into the new series of The Bidding Room recently, one question was on their minds – where is the show filmed?

Hosted by Nigel Havers, this BBC show sees people come into the area from all over the country to try and score the best price for their antiques from a panel of expert dealers. It’s one of the latest shows to capture our attention, after The White Lotus aired in the UK and Strictly Come Dancing is set for another incredible season later this year.

So as we sit down for another episode, where exactly in leafy England is The Bidding Room filmed? And who’s who in the panel of dealers?

Where is The Bidding Room filmed?

The Bidding Room is filmed in West Vale, near Halifax in Yorkshire, at the Andy Thornton showroom.

The programme itself describes the stunning location as “a wondrous old mill, deep within the rolling hills of the Yorkshire countryside.”

According to Andy Thornton’s official website, the showroom in Victoria Mills contains workshops as well and it offers a “unique and inspiring environment with stunning room sets and product displays, showcasing most of our standard product range and vintage stock.”

Such stock includes restaurant and bar furniture, lighting, vintage shop displays, themed decor and other antiques.

Who are the dealers on The Bidding Room?

After consulting with a valuation expert, the seller meets five dealers out of a potential eight. They include:

James Broad, interested in furniture.
Jane Cave, interested in bright decorative homeware from the 1970s.
Natasha Francis, entrepreneur and owner of The Urban Vintage Affair brand.
Adi Higham, passionate about furniture and mechanical objects.
Ian Humphries, interested in items from the 17th to 20th century.
James Gooch, interested in Victorian and early 20th century items.
Moses Utonuia, passionate about items from the mid-20th century.
Lucy Ryder Richardson, interested in items from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, along with post-WW2 chairs and Scandinavian furniture.

Then the bidding begins! The expert dealers don’t know how much the show’s valuation expert, Simon Bower, has set the item at but the seller does what they can to get the best price for their item regardless.

Dealers offer increasingly rising bids on the items, based on how much they think they’re worth, and drive up the price for their competitors.

After the bidding is over, the seller can decide whether they want to part with their antique after all or keep the item for themselves.

Those with a love for antiques shows will notice that in many ways, The Bidding Room is very similar to The Repair Shop, another BBC Show that restores heirlooms. This is because they’re both created by the same people.

Who is James Broad from The Bidding Room?

James Broad is an antiques dealer and owner of James Broad Interiors. He joined the panel of dealers when the series began in July 2020.

“This meant massively stepping out of my comfort zone and actually having to go behind the camera and be filmed doing the thing that I love – buying antiques,” the 25-year-old says on his website.

Following a stint working in a local auction house, James quit his job at the age of 21 and went into business for himself. “I quit my job and pursued my dream of being an antique dealer and, honestly, I’ve never looked back”, he says.

James now exclusively selling antiques and original items from his own workshop and showroom. And as of last year, this expert dealer manages the business alongside his girlfriend, Emma.