Bargain Hunt's Gary Pe's life off-screen from biggest regrets to Philippino roots

Bargain Hunt is back on BBC One with expert Gary Pe offering advice to the red and blue teams. His interest in antiques stems back to his childhood when he was growing up in the Philippines.

"There is a strong storytelling tradition," he explains. "Often, these stories would revolve around objects that have been passed on from generation to generation.

"And there was no better weaver of tales or keeper of old objects than my own grandmother. She kept everything because they were full of 'recuerdos' (memories), she said. And her memory was elephantine!

"The older the object, the more vivid the memories, the more fascinating the stories. Often, they would turn into epic reminiscences.

"Now what child doesn't love a good story? From that point, I began to look at old objects as keepers of secrets, of tales just waiting to be unlocked. I was hooked," he continued to Source Vintage Antiques.

One of his favourite finds was a Picasso ceramic wall plaque in a junk shop in Sweden, which ended up being sold by Christie's in New York.

There are, however, some things he has regretted selling, one in particular came from his time living in Montreal.

He had a large collection of Moorcroft ceramics, which included rare and early patterns, that he had collected from garage sales.

"I sold them all before moving to the UK in 1992, fearing breakages if I took them with me. Big mistake," he admitted.

Gary's other passions in life include nature and animal welfare, and he is a talented singer.

He his has own YouTube channel showcasing some of his songs as he labels himself an "occasional crooner".

The star paid tribute to his wider Bargain Hunt family on X, formerly Twitter, sharing a series of photos of the cast and crew.

He added: "The real heroes of Bargain Hunt- the production team and crew who do all the hard graft."

Bargain Hunt airs on BBC One on weekdays at 12.15pm