BBC Antiques Roadshow guest in tears as he discovers beloved item is worth five figures

An attendee was visibly moved when he brought in his deceased father's cherished Rolex for appraisal on the show back in 2021. Accompanied by his spouse and offspring, the middle-aged gentleman proudly presented the exquisite timepiece, a parting gift from his dad just months before his death.

He recounted to horology specialist Richard Price how his father acquired the watch back in 1972 for £132 and retained not just the original receipt but also two additional straps. "It means absolutely everything to me, it's part of my dad. Very, very special watch that is, and it will be forever," he confided, with his relatives supporting him in the background. Richard lauded the timekeeper as "lovely watch" and delved into its backstory, noting the significant value of the straps themselves.

He confirmed: "With a receipt and the straps, it's going to be around the £20,000 mark". The revelation of the family heirloom's significant value left the man momentarily lost for words, engulfed by emotion.

Expressing his thoughts later, he remarked: "My dad, he loved this programme and he would have loved to see his watch on here but he wouldn't have cared what it was worth."

Emotions ran high among viewers at home too, who shared their sympathies on X - formerly known as Twitter. One user penned: "The chap with his Dad's Rolex got me too #antiquesroadshow [teary-eyed emoji]".

Another penned: "The emotion of the guy knowing how much his late father's Rolex is worth and his son's face seeing his dad react like that is proper #antiquesroadshow."

It comes after host Fiona Bruce threw doubt over the future of the beloved antiques programme. In a recent episode of the show, she was seen helping builders add a large stone to the structure of Sailsbury Cathedral.

As she discussed the poignant rebuild, she shared with viewers that she wondered just how long the show would remain on air. She explained: "So there we are, Antiques Roadshow has left its mark on Sailsbury Cathedral.

"And who knows, maybe in a few hundred years time, a stone mason will come along and slide that's stone out and see out mark. I wonder if we'll still be on the air by then." Bruce has fronted the BBC mainstay for 15 years, but has admitted she doesn't expect to be irreplaceable.

The presenter recently celebrated her 60th birthday, and has since addressed the reality of having to leave the iconic role at some point. She revealed: "Maybe next run, they will ring changes. I'll be sad but I will totally accept it. That's the brutal realit of TV. You rarely leave at a time of your choosing."

Antiques Roadshow airs on Sundays from 7pm on BBC One or catch up on BBC iPlayer.