Winsford pottery buff is guest expert on BBC antiques show

John Malam, who is also a children's author, spent a day filming with The Repair Shop’s ‘teddy bear lady’ Julie Tatchell and her antiques expert partner for the show James Braxton.

The Winsford town councillor described the whole experience as 'a trip down memory lane'.

From left to right: James Braxton, Kate Cadman, Julie Tatchell and John Malam, at Coalport China Museum, Shropshire (Image: John Malam)

He said: “I was contacted in July the producers of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and asked if I would be a guest speaker.

“They wanted me to talk about decorative pottery made in Shropshire, which I’ve studied for many years.

“In the early 1980s I worked at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum, and that’s where my interest in the area’s ceramics began.

Sharp-eyed Julie Tatchell spots the mark and points it out to James Braxton (Image: John Malam)

“Filming was on a glorious summer’s day at the Coalport China Museum, which was a trip down memory lane for me, as this was where I was based when I worked at the museum.”

“I was given a wireless mic and a briefing from the director, then Julie Tatchell and James Braxton pulled up in a vintage Rolls Royce.

“I showed them a group of art pottery vases and I had some fun when I asked them to find the mark. It took a while before Julie spotted it.

Julie Tatchell was particularly taken with the blue-coloured vases – her favourite colour (Image: John Malam)

“After filming my bit, it was over to Kate Cadman, Ironbridge collections curator, who gave a demo of tile decorating.”

The episode featuring John was broadcast yesterday (Wednesday, December 20) but it is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.