Antiques Roadshow

VE Day Special (42x19)

: 10, 2020

In this special edition of Antiques Roadshow, Fiona Bruce marks the 75th anniversary of VE Day. She looks back at some of the most powerful and moving stories ever heard on the programme – and some never seen before – which give personal insights into the momentous events of the Second World War. Through cherished objects, the programme traces the personal stories behind key events of the Second World War, including Dunkirk, D-Day, the Dambusters raid and the atrocities of the Nazi concentration camps. There is first-hand testimony from those who were present at VE Day, including the roadshow’s own Henry Sandon. Fiona also delves into the BBC archives to discover the challenges of reporting the VE Day announcement and the celebrations across the UK and abroad. Given the nature of these stories, no values will be given on items, which include the typewriter of journalist Claire Hollingsworth, who got the scoop of the century when she witnessed the Nazi invasion of Poland, a shrapnel-damaged memento from the first great naval battle of the war (the Battle of the River Plate) and some surprising items that celebrate the famous ‘Blitz spirit’, including an incendiary bomb that was extinguished and used as a doorstop.