Bargain Hunt star Izzie Balmer has discussed her job change after previously pursuing a career in music.
The TV star and jewellery expert, 34, has admitted that the previous job path ‘wasn’t for her’.
Izzie has become a household name thanks to her appearances on several antiques shows like Bargain Hunt and Flog It! over recent years – but it wasn’t her original career choice.
She had originally wanted to be a musician and attended music college before realising it wasn’t right.
Speaking to Great British Life, Izzie confessed: ‘I planned to be a professional musician but didn’t enjoy music college. It wasn’t for me.’
Bargain Hunt star Izzie Balmer has discussed her job change after previously pursuing a career in music
The TV star and jewellery expert, 34, has admitted that the previous job path ‘wasn’t for her’ (seen on Bargain Hunt)
Her move to Bargain Hunt was then fairly spontaneous as she stepped in for her boss to auctioneer on the show when no other auctioneers were available.
She said: ‘There were no other auctioneers available it had to be me. I had to auction the Bargain Hunt lots in front of the cameras.’
It was her mother Sheila who encouraged her to go into the antiques business full time after graduating and moving back home to look for a job.
After some work experience she secured a full-time job at a local auction house.
Then after becoming a regular on the hit show Antiques Road Trip, she landed a full-time role.
This ignited a passion that led her to study at Birmingham’s School of Jewellery.
In a 2019 interview with Bristol Post, she revealed: ‘I kind of fell into this job but I absolutely love it.
‘I have always loved jewellery and been a fan of sparkly things, like most girls. I cannot think of anything I would rather do.’
It comes after last week Bargain Hunt viewers were left fuming on Monday as what was described as a ‘mega repeat’ episode aired.
Izzie has become a household name thanks to her appearances on several antiques shows like Bargain Hunt and Flog It! over recent years – but it wasn’t her original career choice
She had originally wanted to be a musician and attended music college before realising it wasn’t right
Speaking to Great British Life, Izzie confessed: ‘I planned to be a professional musician but didn’t enjoy music college. It wasn’t for me’
Fans of the show tuned in for the latest instalment to find they were presented with a compilation episode featuring past footage.
Many members of the television audience at home instantly gave up on the programme, unwilling to give their time to a compilation of episodes they were likely to have already watched.
Some complained that not enough effort was being put into making new episodes of the BBC One show given that the TV licence is going up from £159 a year to £169.50 a year from April 1.
Viewers took to social media to express their disappointment over a compilation episode being broadcast.
One person wrote on Twitter: ‘Yet another compilation episode of Bargain Hunt. Considering we are paying more for our tv licence when will we see some new programmes during the day instead of constant repeats?’
While another person wrote: ‘How can they list this as a new episode when it’s more like a mega repeat! #bargainhunt.’
‘Compilation, nope not for me im out, back to St Trinians on itv 3,’ shared another viewer.
While someone else posted: ‘Hate these specials I’m out #bargainhunt #bbcbargainhunt.’
It came after Bargain Hunt’s most expensive item ever was unveiled last month.
Branding the item as the ‘most important item ever sold’, Bargain Hunt expert Charles Hanson managed to flog the pot for an eye-watering £390,000 at auction.
The ‘rare Chinese wine ewer’ had been collecting dust in a Derbyshire attic for 50 years before being brought on to the show.
The astonishing find was brought into the salesroom, as one curious client wanted to make sure the china piece was worth anything before donating it to a charity shop.
The valuable antique previously inherited from World War II serviceman Ronald Wadsworth, who was a Burma Star medal owner, left experts astonished.
Describing it as the ‘ultimate Bargain Hunt find’, auctioneer Charles Hanson told host Natasha Raskin Sharp on the repeated 2023 episode that the ewer was ‘only one of three known’.
The other two ‘very sacred, very important and very rare’ ceremonial ewers currently sit in two museums located in Beijing and Taiwan.
According to Hanson, the 18th Century ceremonial teapot would have been used to hold water in Chinese Emperor Qianlong’s court.
He added: ‘Emperor Qianlong who was that great Emperor of the Arts, he wanted his Beijing enamelist to make the very best. And the quality is simply out of this world
‘This is one of only three known, one’s in a museum in Taiwan, one’s in the museum of Beijing, China, and out of humble Burton-Upon-Trent, voila! unbelievably we have another.’
‘It’s probably what Faberge is to Russians and what imperial enamel is to Chinese billionaires and this to me, is a must-have object for any important Chinese connoisseur wishing to buy the best of Emperor Qianlong’s treasures.
‘This object for me, is in its historical placement, the most important object I’ve ever sold.’
It comes after last week Bargain Hunt viewers were left fuming on Monday as what was described as a ‘mega repeat’ episode aired
Fans of the show tuned in for the latest instalment to find they were presented with a compilation episode featuring past footage
Initially believed to be worth £150, the items precious item was bought by the pre-auction owner’s grandfather the 1940s.
The construction worker discussed how he felt about the illustrious find going on auction to the BBC in 2020.
‘I’m thrilled, this will change a few things for us all.
‘I sat and watched the auction live at home with my brother and family, it was tense, I got a few cans of Guinness in beforehand.
‘We’ll be going for a drink tonight and toasting granddad.’
