Thomas has been a regular on Bargain Hunt for many years
Thomas Forrester is a regular expert on Bargain Hunt(Image: BBC)
Bargain Hunt’s Thomas Forrester is a familiar face on our TV screens after regularly leading the red and blue teams on the popular daytime BBC programme. The 50-year-old has also appeared on Antiques Road Trip, touring the UK for valuable antiques and fulfilling his life-long passion.
Away from the screen, Thomas is also the director of the Special Auction Services in Newbury, providing expertise in valuation. His love for antiques stemmed from a young age and he couldn’t imagine his life without it.
Forrester grew up on a farm and always admired the job of the auctioneer at the cattle actions. He explained how both of his grandmothers played a huge part in his love for antiques.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: “One was an architect and the other was in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in WWII and was a massive fan of antiques and auctions from very early on, and she would take me to the local saleroom.”
After Thomas developed a keen interested in antiques, he studied fine art valuation at Southampton Solent University. After graduating in 1996, Thomas joined Philips in Bath as a porter and worked his way up to become an auctioneer and valuer.
Despite always admiring antiques, his gig on Bargain Hunt came about by chance. While working at auctioneers Phillips, the BBC approached the business to film one of their auctions.
The production crew only intended to film an auction for the show, but producers fell in love with Forrester and asked him back to join the show as a regular expert.
Speaking of the unexpected opportunity, he said: “I was filmed as the auctioneer is my first salesroom in Bath – the rest they say is history.” Since his first appearance on the show, Thomas has become a regular and has been a hit with fans.
Thomas has been open about how he loves life on the road and grabs every chance he can to see new places while searching the UK for antiques.
Thomas Forrester on Bargain Hunt(Image: BBC)
When asked on his favourite part of the role, he shared: “It’s so funny meeting the teams – when they turn around all of a sudden or I surprise them. Once I was hiding, and the team said they smelled something lovely, was it Caroline Hawley? It was very funny when they saw it was me!”
Speaking about his biggest profit on the show, he said: “One of my largest profits was a Royal Lancastrian bowl which I convinced the team to buy for £200 and it went on to make over £600!
“One of my funniest losses was early on in my Bargain Hunting career when I bought a toy cat for £90 and I’m very sorry to say it sold for £10!”
In 2018, Thomas changed his surname for unknown reasons. He was previously known as Thomas Plant, but changed to Thomas Forrester seven years ago.
A statement from Thomas’ company, Special Auction Services, addressed the name change at the time. It said: “Thomas has been Thomas Forrester for some time now so to avoid any further confusion he decided it was high time his details were updated.
“Of course, those of you who know him as Thomas Plant will always call him as such, for the avoidance of doubt he is in fact one and the same!”
Thomas often keeps his fans updated on his busy life away from the screen. He took to Instagram to share a personal update after experiencing a health scare.
The BBC star revealed he had been diagnosed with a painful trapped nerve in his hand. Thomas believes the condition is a result of his hobby of fencing.
He has previously said: “The thing is I’m a fencer. I fence three times a week and I’m going to continue fencing. They have released it [the trapped nerve] and massaged it and hopefully within a week it will sort of stop.”
Bargain Hunt airs on BBC One on weekdays at 12.15pm
