An antiques shop in Corfe Castle in Dorset, is to feature on the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip show following a visit from two experts, Raj Bisram and Briony ‘Bee’ Harford.
The 31st series of the hugely popular antiques programme is screening every weekday afternoon on BBC One, with two industry experts touring the UK, visiting local shops with a daily budget of £200 and trying to find items to sell for a profit.
Steve Amey, of The Old Curiosity Shop, hosted the Antiques Road Trip gang in March 2025
Arrived in Corfe Castle by steam
Seasoned road tripper Raj Bisram visited The Old Curiosity Shop in Corfe Castle in March 2025, along with newcomer to the show Bee Harford and was kind enough to show her the Road Trip ropes before attempting to outshine her at the auction house.
The results of their visit to Dorset will be shown at 4.30 pm on Monday 1st December 2025, kicking off a week’s adventure which takes them on to Hampshire, Kent and Essex in a bid to find the best bargains.
But while the third star of the show is usually the classic car driven during the road trip, Corfe Castle residents didn’t get a chance to see what Bee and Raj will be driving – as they arrived in the village by steam on the Swanage Railway.
Steve Amey, co-owner of The Old Curiosity Shop, said the camera crew filmed the antiques experts alighting from a train before they all headed for The Old Curiosity Shop to see what treasures they could find there.
Bee Harford and Raj Bisram filmed at Swanage Railway with station ambassador Jack
Raj and Bee are about to take a trip to Corfe Castle in style
“They spent four hours here filming”
Steve Amey said:
“I had a call from the show’s producers at the beginning of February saying they would be interested in bringing the show to my shop, and it just grew from there, like Topsy.
“Our two experts were Raj Bisram and Bee Harford, a director of Bonhams, and they spent about four hours here and outside in the village, filming and selecting items.
“I forgot to ask which auction house they were taking their finds to, and was told later that we’d have to wait to watch the programme before we know how much they made!”
Filming inside and outside the Corfe Castle antiques shop took four hours
No matter how busy the filming schedule, there’s always time for cake!
“My retirement project”
Steve added:
“The Old Curiosity Shop is my retirement project, after working in catering businesses all of my life. I fell in love with the building as soon as I saw it – it was a gemstone shop before we moved in, a real part of history in a wonderful setting, a lovely village with very friendly people.
“It used to be the old village meeting rooms and dates back to the 1700s, but it doesn’t have water so I can’t offer my guests coffee – but the BBC crew took it very well!
“In fact, they told me that they would like to come back here for the next series of Antiques Road Trip in 2026, though I’m not sure whether it would be the same two presenters or different stars, they probably don’t plan that detail so far in advance.”
Raj is hoping to gallop away with victory over newcomer Bee Harford
“These shows are TV gold”
Antiques Road Trip is filmed by STV for the BBC and has already been renewed for a 32nd season, with filming expected to take place in February and March 2026.
Craig Hunter, creative director of STV Studios Factual, said:
“We are thrilled by the BBC’s continued commitment to supporting Antiques Road Trip and the Travelling Auctioneers, and we’ll continue to refine both brands to produce more jeopardy, more expertise and even more entertainment for the daytime audience.”
Muslim Alim, commissioning editor for BBC Daytime, added:
“These shows are TV gold, packed with great stories, brilliant finds and led by experts in their field.
“Antiques Road Trip and the Travelling Auctioneers have become firm favourites with our audiences and it’s easy to see why – they’re warm, feel-good and endlessly entertaining.”
Raj Bisram is looking to set new records on the Antiques Road Trip
A qualified ski instructor
Raj Bisram, an antiques expert and auctioneer, is also a qualified ski instructor and has represented the British Army in competitive downhill skiing.
He is a resident expert for the Antiques Roadshow and visited Swanage with the programme when it filmed from Prince Albert Gardens in June 2023.
Raj has also appeared on other shows including Flog It!, Posh Pawn, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Bargain Hunt, and Would I Lie To You?
Raj discovered a treasure trove of antiques at The Old Curiosity Shop
“Childhood love of dusty junk shops”
Raj Bisram said:
“It was lovely to visit Swanage and Corfe Castle again, I really enjoy being able to travel the country, and learn more about our fascinating culture and history while getting to meet lots of interesting people, and hearing about their lives and interests.
“I discovered early on that a 9 to 5 job was never going to be for me, so I turned my childhood love of old and dusty junk and antique shops into my job and, later, my career.
“But if I wasn’t working in the antiques trade, I would like to work in sport. In my youth I had a job as a road manager and team member of The Flying Skis, an aerial ski stunt team!
“I hope the antiques we found in Corfe Castle do well at auction – but you’ll have to watch the show to find out if they do!
“The most exciting item I sold at auction was one of Admiral Lord Nelson’s signed wills, but I do have selective amnesia when it comes to anything that made a loss – and there have been one or two!”
Bee Harford was a presenter on The Travelling Auctioneers before she joined the crew of Antiques Road Trip
“He gets a lucky pat on the head!”
Bee Harford, regional manager of fine art auctioneers Bonhams, grew up in the Malvern Hills with her graphic design expert parents, who ran their own agency from the family home and said that art and design was always a huge part of her life and upbringing.
Bee said:
“I’m a bit of a magpie! I am attracted to anything shiny, I collect antique jewellery and antique silver and I’m also known to buy bronzes.
“My favourite is a sweet little Japanese 19th century crab that I bought from an antiques fair, he’s no bigger than two inches, but he sits on my sideboard and gets a lucky pat on the head most mornings!
“Sadly, none of us have a crystal ball to foresee what treasures will stand the test of time and what will grow in value, so my best advice is to buy what you love and enjoy the entire process of researching and collecting the objects.”
Bee Harford ends up with more toys than she can bear during her travels
The newest Antiques Road Trip team, Raj Bisram and Bee Harford
The Old Curiosity Shop in Corfe Castle may get a repeat visit from the stars next year
Further information
- Watch the TV show on BBC One on Monday 1st December 2025 at 4.30 pm or afterwards on iPlayer
