One viewers was left stunned during an episode of Antiques Roadshow when an expert valued an antique doll at thousands of pounds, causing her to faint.
The woman in the audience seemed to lose consciousness after learning about the doll’s rarity. An expert explained that special editions were “marked on the sole of the right foot. If she’s one of those, we’re talking in the region of £100,000.”
Even though the doll hadn’t been checked for the marking yet, the woman unexpectedly collapsed.
However, things weren’t as they appeared. The episode of Antiques Roadshow was actually a prank orchestrated by comedian Michael McIntyre for a special segment on his popular BBC series, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show.
Michael decided to play a joke on audience member Danny, a big fan of Antiques Roadshow, with the help of Danny’s wife, Pauline, reports the Express.
Michael created a fake version of the BBC show using items from Danny’s home, including the antique doll. As Danny watched the episode at home, his reactions were filmed while his wife kept quiet about her involvement.
“She fainted, did you see that?” Danny exclaimed. “They’ve not done anything, they’ve left her!”
Danny was surprised to see so many items he owned appear on the episode, as the experts examined a flask and an exercise bike.
He said: “Can we just get this right, lets recap here. The doll is the same, the vintage flask is exactly the same, and then the two tankards are exactly the same. This is not right.”
However, the prankster’s antics didn’t end there, as he went on to make a surprise appearance in the episode dressed in a grey wig and fake nose, introducing himself as Seymoor Biselle, a newly-hired specialist.
It didn’t take Danny long to catch on, though. He asked suspiciously, “Who is the man? Is that Michael McIntyre?”
Breaking the news to a stunned Danny, Michael revealed: “Danny, of course, what’s happened is lovely, Pauline has set you up!”
A pleased Danny described being “blown away” by Michael’s “surreal” trick, with him later appearing in the audience at the comedian’s BBC One show alongside Pauline.
Later, looking back on the experience, Danny said: “You see things like that on TV and think, ‘There’s no way, you’d see it coming!’ but it completely got me – it was great fun.”
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Antiques Roadshow airs on Sundays on BBC One at 8pm.
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