Earlier in 2020, new BBC One antique series The Bidding Room became the channel's latest daytime sensation, and now it's back for the remaining 10 episodes of its first season.

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The series is presented by actor Nigel Havers and follows sellers keen to get the best price for their antiques, with The Bidding Room dealers in competition to make the highest bid.

For many viewers the real star of the show is valuation expert Simon Bower - read on for everything you need you need to know about Simon.

Who is Simon Bower?

Bower, 52, hails from Anglesey in North Wales, and has loads of experience in the antique business, having first entered the profession back in 1987.

His first job was as a salesroom assistant at Morgan Evans & Co, before five years later he graduated to the role of antiques auctioneer.

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To this day Bower still works for Morgan Evans, and as of 2019 he is now the senior auctioneer and a director of the company.

According to the BBC, Bower has a genuine passion for his career - and in his time in the business he has learnt that the job requires you to be really good with people.

His job sees him travel to the houses of various clients and giving valuation quotes, often making surprising discovers about items which owners did not realise were so valuable, including a wooden cupboard which ended up fetching £45,000 after he saved it from being chucked out by an elderly woman.

His favourite items to value are silver and ancient books while he has less expertise when it comes to the huge market for oriental antiques, an area where he is still learning.

In the thirty years of his career, the definition of what qualifies as an antique has changed significantly, which he illustrates by explaining that a piece of music memorabilia is now often worth far more than an ancient vase.

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The Bidding Room airs weekdays at 4.30pm from Monday 12th October to Friday 23rd October. Find out what else to watch with our TV Guide.

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