Fiona Bruce breaks silence as 'irreplaceable' Antiques Roadshow expert dies

13 April 2023 , 17:10

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Antiques Roadshow host Fiona Bruce has paid tribute to her late colleague Judith Miller (Image: Getty, Handout)

Antiques Roadshow host Fiona Bruce has paid tribute to her late colleague Judith Miller, saying that she was the "doyenne of the antiques world and of our show".

It comes following the news that antiques expert Judith died aged 71. Her publisher announced earlier that she passed away over the weekend following "a short illness".

Tributes have since been paid to Judith – who had joined Antiques Roadshow as one of its experts in 2007 – by viewers of the BBC show and those who knew her.

Among them has been the show's presenter Fiona, 58. She had worked with Judith for more than a decade, after Fiona joined the programme herself in 2008.

It has been announced that Antiques Roadshow expert Judith Miller has died aged 71 (Shared Content Unit)

The presenter said that she had been in "awe" of Judith after joining the show before going on to state that she was "never short of great stories" and will be "hugely missed".

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Fiona said: "When I started on the Antiques Roadshow, I was in awe of the experts – and none more so than Judith. She was Miller of Miller's Guides no less, the bible of the antiques world when it came to valuations."

She continued in her tribute: "Plus, she had authored many other books, too many to list, some of which were already on my bookshelf. But she was always gracious and generous with her knowledge, helpful to me and our whole team."

"And when our filming day had finished, she was never short of great stories accompanied by a glass of her favourite tipple, Pinot Grigio," the host further commented.

Fiona Bruce (centre right), pictured alongside Judith and other experts from the show, has paid tribute to her late colleague (BBC/Ray Burmiston)

Fiona concluded the tribute by saying about her late colleague: "She was the doyenne of the antiques world and of our show. Irreplaceable. And hugely missed."

Alongside her work on the show, Judith was a lecturer and author - having written more 100 books on antiques and interiors. She had started collecting antiques in the 1960s.

She was the co-founder of Miller's Antiques Price Guide with her first husband Martin Miller. Judith is said to have been writing an updated edition of the guide recently.

The late antiques expert and author is understood to have left behind her second husband John Wainwright, as well as her three children and four grandchildren.

Alex Green