Bargain Hunt is normally such a gentle show, but in today's edition an item was disqualified, prompting one of the team to say they were "heartbroken".
The red team — mother Jenny and daughter Caitlin — were aghast to find that their purchase had broken the show’s rules and thus they couldn't score any money for it. To make matters worse, the £90 they spent was deducted from their total in the episode shown today on BBC One (a repeat from a previous series which you can watch here on iPlayer).
The offending purchase was a broach, but it was kicked out because it didn't fulfill the challenge set by host Natasha Raskin Sharp.
Chatting about the item with the auctioneer, Thomas, she said: "This broach was supposed to fulfill my challenge of an item from the arts and crafts movement. Now the team have also used it to fulfill the big spend of over £75 [and] that works. But arts and crafts movement?"
The auctioneer replied: "Late 19th century, very early 20th century up until the First World War. This does not fall into that bracket. I'm afraid I think this is post-war."
Natasha added: "It’s the arts and crafts style… but not from that period. So I am loathed to do it, I think I will have to disqualify the item… the consequence is that the team will incur a penalty and the penalty is the price. It was £90. It will go under the hammer but none of that will go to the team’s total."
Before the broach was sold (it actually made just £20), Natasha informed the red team that the item had been disqualified. Business owner Jenny said she was "heartbroken" by the ruling.
While it has happened before, it's certainly highly unusual for an item to be disqualified.
But despite the hefty penalty they still won thanks to their other items — a stepladder, bought for £10 which sold for £20, a bowl bought for £70 which sold for £100 and finally, their bonus buy, military shields bought for £40 which sold for an impressive £150.
Somehow they ended up with a total profit of £60, which saw off the blues who lost £58. So, it just shows you should never give up on Bargain Hunt!
