Bargain Hunt

Bargain Hunt
Bargain Hunt logo (Series 24 onwards)
Starring	Guest Presenters (2016–) Tim Wonnacott (2003–2016) David Dickinson (2000–2004)
Theme music composer	Dust Devil - "Horny Baby" (until 2009)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	39 (Completed)
No. of episodes	1,264 (as of 22 January 2016)
Production
Running time	30/45/60 minutes
Release
Original network	BBC One
Picture format	576i (16:9 SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Original release	13 March 2000 (2000-03-13) – present
External links
Website

Bargain Hunt is a British television programme in which two pairs of contestants are challenged to buy antiques from shops or a fair and then sell them in an auction for a profit. It has aired on BBC One since 13 March 2000 in a daytime version, and from 22 August 2002 to 13 November 2004 in a primetime version. Presenter Tim Wonnacott replaced original host David Dickinson from 2003 to January 2016. When Wonnacott ceased presenting, the format changed to a rota of hosts from a "team of experts" fronting the series. First to replace Tim was Thomas Plant on January 25, 2016, followed by Christina Trevanion, Charlie Ross, Paul Laidlaw, Natasha Raskin, Anita Manning, Charles Hanson and Eric Knowles.

Bargain Hunt has undergone various format and rule changes since it premiered in 2000. Most episodes are 45 minutes in length, though 30-minute versions and one-hour "live" editions have also been produced.

Two teams – designated the "Reds" and the "Blues" – compete. Each team has two members, who wear matching tops that correspond to their team's colour. The contestants in most episodes are members of the public, though some shows feature teams of celebrity players instead. At the beginning of the show, each team is given a set amount of money with which to purchase antiques. The objective is to find items that will earn the team a profit when later sold at auction. Each team is accompanied by an antiques trade expert, though it is the contestants' decision whether to heed the advice given by their expert. After the contestants have completed their purchases and presented them to the host, home viewers are shown a "what the auctioneer thinks" segment in which the auctioneer appraises the buys and gives the auction estimate. At the auction, as each item is sold, the host compares the auction sale price to the price originally paid by the team, with the difference being either subtracted from or added to the team's total. If the final total shows a profit, the team receives that profit in cash; otherwise, the team receives nothing. The profit/loss does not take into account commission (buyers' premium) or VAT.