‘Antiques Roadshow’ expert is Burnley FC fan

ERIC Knowles, the Pendle-born TV antiques expert, featured in the Daily Mail last Saturday – and made it clear he was a Clarets fan!
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He was talking about the favourite things he has in the home in Buckinghamshire where he has lived with his wife Anita for 13 years.

Eric was born in Nelson in 1953, so this year celebrates his 60th birthday. He attended Nelson Secondary Technical School at Edge End.

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Then he got involved in the antiques industry before appearing on BBC’s “Antiques Roadshow”, where he has been a key feature for many years.

He has also appeared on lots of other programmes relating to antiques.

In Saturday’s Mail he was a talking about “My Haven”.

The paper showed a picture of him with all his favourites.

There is a gavel which, he revealed, “takes me back to my childhood house”.

And he explained: “It started as a laburnum tree outside my bedroom window and when it had to come down in 2008 my father, being a frugal Northerner, had a woodturner make it into useful items like bowls and candlestick holders, and he made this gavel for me.” An auctioneer’s hammer is quite appropriate for an antiques expert!

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Then he revealed his favourite “true colours” - a Burnley FC scarf given to him by then outgoing chairman Barry Kilby last year.

And Eric said: “Burnley are my tribal team.”

Other samples of his loved items were a cup, saucer and tea bowl, and the cup and saucer he bought back in 1971 - his first big purchase.

He is also a big favourite of an old Marvin Gaye LP record – he shed his tears when his musical hero died in 1984.

In 1969, Eric bought “Pennine Panorama” by Peter Wightman when the Pennine Way was introduced, and that’s another of his most loved things.

Finally, he honoured the star of his show, Fiona Bruce.

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In the Mail, he pointed out that “Antiques Roadshow” had been part of his life for more than 30 years and added: “It is without question my natural habitat. It’s like being Charlie in the Chocolate Factory.”

There was a delightful picture of him and Fiona working together. He praised her skills in the show.

But it reminded us of his links to Nelson – he is now one of our most famous people, although we do have other Pendle folk on TV now.