AN auction house has welcomed television cameras and two singers turned presenters for the recording of a popular game show.

Children’s TV presenters Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes visited Thomas Watson’s auction house in Darlington on Tuesday to film part of BBC2’s new series of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

The duo who shot to fame after their appearance on Pop Idol in 2003 and have since hosted various programmes on the BBC - most notably TMi and Top of the Pops Reloaded - battled it out to see who can raise the most money for charity by buying and selling antiques.

The show, which is now entering its eighth series, sees two celebrities paired up with antiques experts who travel across the UK in classic vintage cars to see who can make the biggest profit by buying antiques on their journey and then selling them at auction.

Whatever money is made at the end of the show is donated to the Children in Need charity.

Sam and Mark followed a three-day route that took them from Bridlington to Darlington via Driffield, Filey, Scarborough, York, Malton and Pickering.

They travelled in a 1968 Jaguar MkII and a 1960 Morris Minor accompanied by antique experts and experienced road-trippers Charles Hanson and Natasha Raskin Sharp.

Starting with a budget of £400 each, the teams visited antique shops in search of bargains that were then be sold at the end of the trip at Thomas Watson’s Antiques and Collectables Sale.

David Elstob, director at Thomas Watsons, said: “We are delighted to welcome back the Antiques Road Trip film crew and it is particularly exciting to have a visit from the celebrity teams.

"It is always intriguing to see what objects are picked up on these journeys, which could be anything from rare antiques to fun collectable items.

"We look forward to helping the teams achieve the best possible prices and raise as much money for charity as possible.”

Thomas Watson’s auction house has already hosted a couple of the regular Antiques Road Trips, with filming taking place in March 2016 and August 2017.

The programme is expected to air at the end of the year.