Fans of Bargain Hunt were gobsmacked when host Eric Knowles revealed that one team, Geraldine and Washington, made a historic mistake that’s never before seen on the show.
In an unforeseen turn of events during the latest instalment, the pair fell short of the programme’s expectations by presenting only two items for evaluation, rather than the required three.
The popular series pits two teams against each other in a treasure hunt showdown, with the goal of turning a profit from their savvy picks, but for this unlucky duo, things hit a snag right from the off.
Already flustered, Geraldine and Washington mentioned they “needed positive energy” ahead of the big reveal at the auction house knowing they didnt meet the full brief.
But harsh reality struck as Eric dropped the bombshell: “I’ve got to say, you have made Bargain Hunt history by virtue of you only managing to buy two items,” reports the Express.
Despite their best efforts which resulted in snatching up a prized Doulton jug and two retro tennis rackets, they missed the mark when it came to completing their haul.
With clear disappointment, Eric had no choice but to lay down the law: “The fact you were unable to buy your big spend and your big challenge means that you get penalised, I’m sorry to say.”
This blunder inevitably meant they would start the auction at a loss (£75), shadowing the strict guidelines of the programme, and as Eric clarified: “The ruling is that, because you didn’t do the £75 spend, you start with minus £75.”
The Bargain Hunt episode took a sour turn as the team faced a significant hurdle, ending up with a paltry £1 profit following the auction, according to the Daily Star.
However, expert Charles Hanson offered a silver lining by presenting them with a chance to invest in an Art Deco clock valued at £200, which could flip their luck.
Charles extolled the virtues of the piece: “When you want to buy something Art Deco, it’s always in demand. When you want to buy something which is silver and enamel, that’s very much in demand as well today. People love silver and enamel, put the two together, a gorgeous Art Deco timepiece. Do you like it?”
Their risky purchase paid off handsomely when the clock garnered a healthy £380 at auction, earning them a tidy £130 gain.
Nonetheless, the victory wasn’t celebrated by all, as viewers expressed their vexation on social media. One irate fan took to Twitter, stating: “Wasn’t worth the hype […] red team were gifted a win by @HansonsAuctions – but they shouldn’t have been allowed a bonus but if they hadn’t bought three items! “.
Another one tweeted their annoyance: “Shouldn’t have been allowed to compete with only a £75 forfeit. Others can just do that now, but like the red team, still win! Should have been disqualified in my opinion!”
But among the outcry, there was jubilation, with one viewer rejoicing online: “Brilliant! This has got be the best episode ever! What larks!”
Bargain Hunt airs weekdays at 12:15pm on BBC One
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the saleor sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Privacy Notice.