Bargain Hunt contestant who ‘STRANGLED’ antiques expert after £115 loss claims producers encouraged contestants to react ‘animatedly’ for the cameras but insists shock moment wasn’t ‘planned’

A former Bargain Hunt contestant who mockingly ‘strangled’ an antiques expert after a £115 has claimed that producers encouraged contestants to react ‘animatedly’ for the cameras.

Stevie Turner left both viewers and antiques specialist Charles Hanson stunned  when he proceeded to ‘throttle’ him after a Edwardian silver Vesta case that Charles encouraged him to buy made a staggering loss at auction.

Liverpool native Steve, 58, had joined his pal Bill Smith, 83, on the BBC show and had hoped to make a profit, but was left ‘frustrated’ when Charles’ advice to purchase the case went pear-shaped.

Though contestants were urged to ham things up for the sake of entertainment, Stevie insisted that the shock moment wasn’t ‘planned’, but was it simply was his ‘natural reaction’ after being wound up by Charles. 

The Vespa case in question was embossed with a golfing design and was bought at a market for £195, but only managed to bag a measly £80 at auction – with Charles, 48, making quips about the item ‘not teeing off’, much to the annoyance of Stevie.

Wow! A former Bargain Hunt star who mockingly ‘strangled’ an antiques expert after a £115 has claimed that producers encouraged contestants to react ‘animatedly’ for the cameras

Fuming: Stevie Turner (second left) left both viewers and antiques specialist Charles Hanson (far left) stunned when he proceeded to ‘throttle’ him after a Edwardian silver Vesta case that Charles encouraged him to buy made a staggering loss at auction

Speaking to The Sun about the incident, which aired in September last year, Stevie said: ‘My natural reaction was to throttle him. I hadn’t planned it, and Charles definitely looked shocked and didn’t see it coming. 

‘I don’t think that had ever happened on the show before. We had a laugh about it after and when I saw it on TV it was hilarious.’

He added that after losing ‘so much money’, he believed it to be a ‘record-breaking loss’ on Bargain Hunt.

Recalling his time on the show, Stevie told how he and Bill were ‘up against it time-wise’ to purchase their final item and had to quickly snap up the Vespa case on Charles’ recommendation, having haggled the price down from the original £220.

He told how Charles had wound him up by ‘going on and on about that b**dy Vesta case’, adding it was ‘frustrating’ when the item made such a loss.

When it came to the auction scenes, Stevie insisted that producers like it when contestants behaved ‘animatedly’ for the camera, noting that’s exactly what he did when it came to his turn.

He said: ‘They know what to do to make it a good TV show and as a contestant, you’re conscious that you want it to be entertaining for viewers. You don’t want to come across as boring, so you get a bit more animated and they ask you to react for the camera… I certainly did that when I strangled Charles.’

In the interview, Stevie went on to share other backstage tidbits from his time on the programme, detailing how he and Bill felt ‘under pressure’ to find three items on time while rushing around a busy market.

Not impressed: Liverpool native Steve, 58, had joined his pal Bill Smith, 83, on the BBC show and had hoped to make a profit, but was left ‘frustrated’ when Charles’ advice to purchase the case went pear-shaped

Drama: Though contestants were urged to ham things up for the sake of entertainment, Stevie insisted that the shock moment wasn’t ‘planned’, but was it simply was his ‘natural reaction’ after being wound up by Charles

Loss: The Vespa case in question was embossed with a golfing design and was bought at a market for £195, but only managed to bag a measly £80 at auction

He also claimed that the experts got to scout around the markets beforehand so they could ‘show off’ their expertise on certain selected items, adding that he had a ‘sneaking suspicion’ that Charles did this before the cameras began rolling.

He also recalled the embarrassing incident when a cameraman accidently smashed an expensive antique ‘to smithereens’ – a moment that didn’t make the final cut.

Despite losing to the blue team, Stevie told how he had ‘no regrets’ about appearing on the show, telling how he and Bill held a fundraiser screening for the episode and managed to raise £1,300 for charity.

It comes after Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson has moved out of his family home after police responded to a ‘domestic incident’ at the property in June. 

Hanson, a regular on popular daytime shows Bargain Hunt, Antiques Road Trip and Flog It!, had lived at the £1.5million property in rural Derbyshire with wife Rebecca Ludlam and their two children since 2014. 

Reaction: ‘My natural reaction was to throttle him. I hadn’t planned it, and Charles definitely looked shocked and didn’t see it coming’

TV: ‘They know what to do to make it a good TV show and as a contestant, you’re conscious that you want it to be entertaining for viewers. You don’t want to come across as boring’

But he is understood to have moved out after local constabulary were called to an unspecified incident at the six-bedroom pile.

A source told The Sun: ‘It is not the sort of place you expect police to turn up… It is a tiny village so a few people have been talking. It is all very shocking.’

In a short statement, Derbyshire police  confirmed: ‘The force was called to reports of a domestic incident at an address in Quarndon on June 13.’ 

Hanson and Ludlam originally met through friends in 2008. They married two years later during a traditional service at All Saints Church in Mackworth, in front of 150 close friends and family members. 

Speaking in 2010, the auctioneer revealed he was late for his very first date with Ludlam, a diagnostic radiographer, but was instantly swayed by her natural beauty. 

Gone: It comes after Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson has moved out of his family home after police responded to a ‘domestic incident’ at the property in June

Moving on: Hanson has lived at the £1.5million property in rural Derbyshire with wife Rebecca Ludlam and their two children since 2014

Controversy: But he is understood to have moved out after local constabulary were called to an unspecified incident at the six-bedroom pile

He told the Derbyshire Telegraph: ‘She is a beautiful, blonde, elegant and lovely lady. I’m used to dealing with beautiful things but Rebecca is the most beautiful treasure of all and I’m very lucky she is my wife.

‘We’re very busy people but we understand each other very well and I think we’ll be very happy together.’ 

They moved into their Derbyshire home nine years ago after purchasing it for a reported £920,000.  

But a woman at the property has since told The Sun on Sunday: ‘I can’t comment. But what I can say is that he’s moved out. He’s not here anymore.’ 

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