Philip Martyn Serrell (born 27 March 1954) is an English

auctioneer An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bids, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from the lowest bidder. Some exceptions to this definition ex ...

antique An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...

s expert and

television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a " television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for people who garne ...

who appears as regular presenter on BBC TV antiques programmes such as '' Bargain Hunt'' and ''

Flog It! ''Flog It!'' is a BBC television series that has been broadcast since 27 May 2002, presented by Paul Martin (although the first five episodes were presented by Mark Harnden). Description The show follows a similar formula to ''Antiques Roads ...

''. He began his career as a livestock trade auctioneer, but he became a chartered surveyor in 1988 to analyse antiques. Serrell has also participated in musical charity events, performing as a singer with

The Celebs The Celebs are a celebrity supergroup created by Grahame and Jack Corbyn with the intention of raising money for charity. The group was formed in 2018 and consists of a changing mix of TV presenters, musicians, radio DJs, actors and sports pers ...

Early life

Serrell was born in

Kidderminster Kidderminster is a large market and historic minster town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Birmingham and north of Worcester. Located north of the River Stour and east of the River Severn, in the 2011 census, it ha ...

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...

and attended the Royal Grammar School in

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...

, where he was a schoolmate of the Pakistani

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

captain

Imran Khan Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi ( ur}; born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician and former Cricket captain who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 to until April 2022, when he was ousted through a no-confiden ...

. Serrell played both cricket and

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

for the school, prior to his attendance at, and graduation from, Loughborough College of Physical Education as a

physical education Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explorat ...

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

Career

Dissatisfied as a teacher, Serrell changed careers to become an

auction An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bids, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from the lowest bidder. Some exceptions to this definition e ...

eer, working in the local

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to ani ...

trade until qualifying as a chartered surveyor in 1988, specialising in

fine art In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwor ...

and

s. Serrell owns an auctioneers and valuers firm with offices in

and a salesroom in

Great Malvern Great Malvern is an area of the spa town of Malvern, Worcestershire, England. It lies at the foot of the Malvern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the eastern flanks of the Worcestershire Beacon and North Hill, and ...

, established in 1995. He is a regular expert on the BBC series '' Bargain Hunt'' and ''

'' and has also made a couple of appearances on ITV's ''

Dickinson's Real Deal ''Dickinson's Real Deal'' is a UK modern antiques and collectables television programme that is broadcast on ITV and presented by David Dickinson. A US version of the show, produced by Zodiak USA and titled simply '' Real Deal'', was aired for ...

''. He has also featured on other BBC series ''

Antiques Road Trip ''Antiques Road Trip'' (also known as ''Celebrity Antiques Road Trip'') is a BBC television series produced by STV Studios. It was first shown on BBC Two from 2010 to 2012, and has been shown on BBC One since 2013. This show is not to be conf ...

'' and '' Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is'' (where he is light-heartedly billed as Phil "The Fox" Serrell). He has regularly appeared on

BBC Local Radio BBC Local Radio (also referred to as Local BBC Radio) is the BBC's local and regional radio division for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of forty stations. History The popularity of pirate radio was to challenge a change within ...

, and has also written a biweekly

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression (physical), compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column i ...

for the ''

Worcester News The ''Worcester News'' is a local newspaper, and the only daily newspaper in Worcester (UK), reporting on breaking news and local matters covering the City of Worcester and surrounding areas within the county. It was previously named ''Worces ...

''.

Personal life

Married, he lives in Worcester with his wife. Serrell is an avid collector, living in a "house full of tat". He is a fan of

Aston Martin Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC is an English manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Steered from 1947 by David Brown, it became associated wi ...

cars and is a supporter of

Worcester Warriors Worcester Warriors Rugby Football Club is a professional rugby union club, based in Worcester, England, that is currently in administration and which has been suspended and will be relegated from Premiership Rugby, the top division of domestic ...

rugby club.

Music career

In 2017, Serrell embarked on a music career with fellow BBC Antique Experts Charles Hanson, Charlie Ross and James Braxton by recording a Rock version of the classic "

Sleigh Ride "Sleigh Ride" is a light orchestra standard composed by Leroy Anderson. The composer had formed the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and he finished the work in February 1948. The original recordings were instrument ...

" in aid of BBC Children In Need. It was produced by father and son team Grahame and Jack Corbyn and released digitally on independent record label

Saga Entertainment Saga Entertainment is an independent record label, based in London, founded in 2017 by music producers Grahame and Jack Corbyn. Artists on the label include Sam Bailey, Bargain Hunt, Shona McGarty and the Celebs, a supergroup of celebritie ...

. The single peaked at number 1 on the Amazon Rock Charts. In 2018, Serrell once again took to the microphone with Charlie Ross, James Braxton and 24 celebrities, to perform a new Christmas song called "

Rock With Rudolph The Celebs are a celebrity supergroup created by Grahame and Jack Corbyn with the intention of raising money for charity. The group was formed in 2018 and consists of a changing mix of TV presenters, musicians, radio DJs, actors and sports pers ...

". The song was written and produced by Grahame and Jack Corbyn and released digitally on 30 November 2018 through independent record label Saga Entertainment, in aid of

Great Ormond Street Hospital Great Ormond Street Hospital (informally GOSH or Great Ormond Street, formerly the Hospital for Sick Children) is a children's hospital located in the Bloomsbury area of the London Borough of Camden, and a part of Great Ormond Street Hospita ...

. Released under the artist name

. The music video debuted exclusively with '' The Sun'' on 29 November 2018 and had its first TV showing on '' Good Morning Britain'' on 30 November 2018. The song peaked at number two on the iTunes pop chart. In 2020 amid the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

crisis Philip Serrell reunited with his fellow BBC antique experts James Braxton,

Charlie Ross (antiques expert) Charlie Ross (born June 1950 in Buckinghamshire, England) is a British antiques expert, presenter and auctioneer, known for regular appearances on several BBC Antique programmes. Professional career Ross started his career in 1968 after leaving s ...

and a supergroup of celebrities known as

which included

Frank Bruno Franklin Roy Bruno, (born 16 November 1961) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 1996. He had a highly publicised and eventful career, both in and out of the ring. The pinnacle of Bruno's boxing career was winning ...

and X Factor winner Sam Bailey to raise money for both

Alzheimer's Society Alzheimer's Society is a United Kingdom care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers. It operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while its sister charitieAlzheimer Scotlandand Alzheimer's Society of Ireland cover ...

and

Action for Children Action for Children (formerly National Children's Home) is a UK children's charity created to help vulnerable children & young people and their families in the UK. The charity has 7,000 staff and volunteers who operate over 475 services in the ...

. They recorded a new rendition of Merry Christmas Everyone by

Shakin' Stevens Michael Barratt (born 4 March 1948), known professionally as Shakin' Stevens, is a Welsh singer and songwriter. He was the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s. His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, althoug ...

and it was released digitally on 11 December 2020, on independent record label Saga Entertainment. The music video debuted on ''Good Morning Britain'' the day before release. The song peaked at number two on the iTunes pop chart.

Published works

*''An Auctioneer's Lot'' () *''Sold to the Man with the Tin Leg'' ()

References

External links

*
BBC BioInterview
at BBC website {{DEFAULTSORT:Serrell, Philip 1954 births Living people Antiques experts English television presenters English radio personalities English writers Mass media people from Worcester, England People educated at the Royal Grammar School Worcester Alumni of Loughborough University English auctioneers Business people from Worcester, England