CURIO connoisseur David Harper and TV celeb Penny Lancaster were on the hunt for bargains at Halstead Antiques Centre as they dropped in to film a new series of BBC One’s Celebrity Antiques Road Trip this week.

Famous model and Loose Women panellist Penny, who is married to Sir Rod Stewart, were on the look-out for rare period pieces as they were joined by production crews to shoot the popular TV show on Wednesday.

The antiques show, which first aired back in 2010, sees two experts in all things antique and collectable each join forces with a celebrity as they go on the hunt for the country’s hidden gems.

The winning team is decided at the end of the show based on how much money they get when their discoveries go under the hammer at auction.

John de Bruyne, who owns Halstead Antiques Centre, said: “We were quite busy when Penny came in, but the customers were very pleased to see her, and she was absolutely lovely and the nicest possible person.

“She knows what she wants, and she bought a lot for both her and her husband Rod, because he is building a new bar and wanted stuff for that.

“She was very knowledgeable on Victorian silver and glassware, and David was also very nice and very professional.”

The series has filmed at the Halstead Antiques Centre before, something Mr de Bruyne puts down to the high quality but affordable products, and film crews will be back again next week.

Mr de Bruyne, who took over the antiques centre in April, said: “We have another programme filming here next week, but it’s always hard work filming because you usually have to do every take about five times, so you have to keep repeating yourself.

“But it meant I got a lot of hugs from Penny and it was a really lovely day.”

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip returns later this year.