'I was on Bargain Hunt and one crucial detail is staged'

Bargain Hunt, the BBC's staple antiques programme, has come under fire amid allegations that it stages deals with stallholders prior to filming, leaving participants to merely perform mock haggling on air.

Insiders have come forward with accusations that showrunners frequently set up prices beforehand and sometimes guide contestants towards certain items and vendors.

A past contestant disclosed: "We were steered to a stall at the antiques fair and pretty much handed the stuff they were to buy."

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The same source noted the seller's readiness to accept an offer as evidence of pre-negotiation: "And it was obvious that negotiations had gone on beforehand as the seller was way too quick to take an offer."

Another shared an experience where a friend was prepped for a staged negotiation by the production team: "My friend and I were doing a boot sale, a runner or producer came up to us and said they were filming for the BBC and they negotiated a price beforehand, and that involved my mate ringing his landlord to ask what he'd let it go for."

They continued, explaining the contrived bargaining process: "They said the expert and contestant will come over and can he pretend to bargain, and then they'll agree on the price."

It was also mentioned that if a genuine seller refused to be filmed, producers would substitute them with someone willing to act the part. In one instance, a stand-in vendor had to phone the real owner during shooting to confirm a price that had been agreed upon in advance, reports the Express.

Furthermore, another informant described how a bronze figurine, supposedly available for purchase at a car boot sale, had its price fixed before the cameras started rolling, bypassing any authentic negotiation.

"They negotiated a price beforehand," they revealed. "Then they said the expert and contestant will come over and he can pretend to bargain, and then they'll agree on the price."

Put simply - the arrangement was already sealed. What audiences witnessed at home was essentially choreographed drama crafted for television.

Those who have followed the show for years may have believed Bargain Hunt was relatively innocent daytime entertainment - two teams, some good-natured bartering at antiques markets, tense auction moments, and the odd eccentric expert sporting a vibrant tie.

However, after hearing from those who've witnessed the behind-the-scenes reality, fans could begin to view the programme through an entirely different lens.

It's important to note the auction segment does appear legitimate - the BBC cannot interfere with that process. What transpires in the salesroom genuinely happens.

And in fairness, most participants don't appear bothered by the theatrical enhancement. They receive a decent meal, some screen time, and crucially - the coveted Bargain Hunt fleece.

Nevertheless, if you've spent years viewing, marvelling at those crafty negotiations and thinking, "Blimey, they're brilliant at haggling," you might feel rather disappointed.

As one participant observed: "It's telly, innit? You don't go on Come Dine With Me expecting anyone to actually like the food."

A BBC spokesperson refuted the allegations in a statement to Express.co.uk, asserting: "We don't recognise these claims which are factually incorrect. The antique deals, interactions and last-minute dashes are all entirely genuine."

Bargain Hunt airs on BBC One at 12.15pm on weekdays