Antiques Roadshow’s Judith Miller dead: Show favourite dies suddenly aged 71 after a short illness as Fiona Bruce leads tributes to ‘irreplaceable’ expert and ‘doyenne’ of the team

Antiques Roadshow favourite Judith Miller has died suddenly aged 71. 

The show expert and author passed away over the Easter weekend after a battle with a short illness. 

Antiques Roadshow host Fiona Bruce led the tributes after Judith’s publishing firm issued a statement saying her death has been a ‘huge shock’ for all. 

The BBC have also announced the show will pay a special tribute to Judith in a forthcoming episode. 

Fiona, 58, who has presented the BBC programme since 1988, said Judith is ‘irreplaceable’ and will be sorely missed. 

She said: ‘When I started on the Antiques Roadshow, I was in awe of the experts – and none more so than Judith. 

Antiques Roadshow favourite Judith Miller has died suddenly aged 71. The show expert and author died over Easter weekend, after a battle with a short illness 

Talented: Judith first began collecting antiques while studying history at the University of Edinburgh (pictured in 1999) 

‘She was Miller of Miller’s Guides no less, the bible of the antiques world when it came to valuations. 

‘Plus, she had authored many other books, too many to list, some of which were already on my bookshelf. 

‘But she was always gracious and generous with her knowledge, helpful to me and our whole team. 

 ‘And when our filming day had finished, she was never short of great stories accompanied by a glass of her favourite tipple, Pinot Grigio. She was the doyenne of the antiques world and of our show. Irreplaceable. And hugely missed.’

Antiques Roadshow Series Editor Robert Murphy said: ‘Judith was a really popular member of the Roadshow team and an inspiration to a generation of aspiring antiques experts. 

‘Judith brought so much warmth and good humour to a show, whether it was chatting with visitors and hearing about their treasures or sharing a few stories with the team after a busy day.

‘She had a lovely way of delivering a story on camera, always putting the owner of an item at ease and imparting her knowledge with care and enthusiasm, and she was also unfailingly kind and patient behind the scenes. We’ve lost an immensely knowledgeable expert, a passionate advocate for antiques and a much-loved member of our team.’

Devastating: Her publishing firm issued a statement in tribute to Judith and said her death is a ‘huge shock’ for all 

Alison Starling, from publishing firm Octopus, said: ‘I’ve been lucky enough to work with Judith on and off for the past 30 years and the news of her death is a huge shock. 

‘She had such energy and spirit – and always combined her impressively broad-ranging, in-depth knowledge of antiques with a life-long passion to make the world of collecting accessible and unintimidating to all.

‘Judith will be much missed by all those readers and viewers who looked to her for expert and reassuringly friendly advice.’ 

Judith’s Antiques Roadshow colleague Marc Allum posted a photo of him and Will Farmer with their ‘great friend’ in a moving tribute. 

He wrote: ‘It’s with great sadness that I post this picture of our great friend and @BBC_ARoadshow colleague Judith Miller who passed away this weekend. 

‘She was magnanimous in giving me writing work early in my career. Here with Will Farmer too, all our thoughts are with her family. RIP.’ 

BBC Senior Head of Commissioning, Catherine Catton added: ‘Judith was at the heart of Antiques Roadshow for many years and her warmth, wit and expertise will be very much missed by the team and viewers.’

Antiques Roadshow Series Editor Robert Murphy also said: ‘Judith was a really popular member of the Roadshow team and an inspiration to a generation of aspiring antiques experts.

Family: Judith leaves behind her husband John Wainwright, three children and four grandchildren (pictured in 2009) 

Sad: Antiques Roadshow host Fiona Bruce led the tributes as the programme will air a special tribute in her memory

‘Her astute knowledge of ceramics was a given, but Judith also had an eye for the eclectic and the bizarre, from ingenious mechanical toys to quirky dolls with colour changing eyes.

‘She was a great champion of costume jewellery and vintage fashion, and her eyes would light up when she had the chance to appraise a rare piece from Biba or Vivienne Westwood.

‘Judith brought so much warmth and good humour to a show, whether it was chatting with visitors and hearing about their treasures or sharing a few stories with the team after a busy day.

‘She had a lovely way of delivering a story on camera, always putting the owner of an item at ease and imparting her knowledge with care and enthusiasm, and she was also unfailingly kind and patient behind the scenes.

‘We’ve lost an immensely knowledgeable expert, a passionate advocate for antiques and a much-loved member of our team.’

Fans of the show also took to Twitter to also share their condolences following the sad news. 

One viewer wrote: ‘My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones and friends of Judith Miller – a towering figure in the Antiques industry. 

‘Her Guides brought knowledge to wider public. A hero of mine I was lucky enough to meet her on a couple of occasions, she was very kind and encouraging, RIP.’

Judith’s Antiques Roadshow colleague Marc Allum posted a photo of him and Will Farmer with their ‘great friend’ in a moving tribute

Fans of the show took to Twitter to also pay tribute following the sad news

Judith first began collecting antiques while studying history at the University of Edinburgh and soon developed a passion.

Another added: ‘Really sorry to hear this. Her books were my start for a love of antiques. RIP Judith Miller’. 

Another fan of Antiques Roadshow wrote: ‘Miller’s Price Guides got me on my antiques journey in the early 1990s and so sad to learn Judith Miller passed away over Easter. I had lunch with Judith a year ago and we ignored the menu price guide for once… A delightful lady.’

‘Saddened to read this, I met her at Newby Hall a few years ago when she valued an item for the Roadshow. A wonderfully engaging lady. Condolences to her family and friends’, said another. 

Judith co-wrote the famous Miller’s Antiques Price Guide with her first husband Martin Miller in 1979.

She went on to publish more than 100 books on antiques and interiors from Care & Repair of Antiques & Collectables to a Collectors Guide to Costume Jewellery. 

The expert joined Antiques Roadshow in 2007 and has been a regular on the show for the past 16 years. 

Judith leaves behind her husband John Wainwright, her three children and four grandchildren. 

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