Bargain Hunt's Ben Cooper unveils his 'true release' as he opens up on personal life

Bargain Hunt is back on BBC One with Ben Cooper offering advice to the amateur teams. He admitted he did not know if he chose a career in antiques, or rather it chose him.

His love of antiques began as a child, as he explained: "I am the youngest of four boys, and when I was growing up my parents always encouraged us to learn, and within that learning was antiques. As boys, we would be taken to antiques shops and fairs.

"At the age of eight, I was given my first antique, a fob seal which had belonged to my grandmother. From then on I was encouraged to collect more (and given many by my dad). From that point, my love of antiques began."

Viewers may be interested to hear he has another passion besides antiques, and very nearly chose to pursue it instead. He said: "When I left school I decided I had a choice - antiques or music.

"I chose antiques as music is my true escape. Now, I suppose I would help my mother with her catering and B&B business [as an alternative career]... believe it or not, I'm quite a good cook."

He spends all of his free time singing, as he is a member of various choirs.

"Singing is my true release" he revealed. "Some use a squash court to release pent-up energy, I use my voice.

"I sing with the Worcester Festival Choral Society, The Three Choirs Festival and The City of London Chamber Choir."

He added: "I also sing in an acapella group called 'Men in General', just four blokes who have a lot of fun singing arrangements of well-known songs, coupled with a spot of silliness."

As for his other guilty pleasures, he admitted a "fine glass of tawny port with a good chunk of stilton" wouldn't go amiss.

He is also a patron for Headway Worcestershire, a charity supporting people affected by acquired brain injuries.

Ben first became involved in Bargain Hunt in 2014, having initially sold items to Bargain Hunt when he had a stand at the Malvern Antiques Fair during its early days.

Bargain Hunt airs on weekdays on BBC One at 12.15pm