One guest was left utterly speechless after her Victorian brooch, which she purchased for £20 at a market, was sold for £9,500 after being featured on the teatime show. Art historian Flora Steel snapped up the item cheaply back in 1988 but admitted she only became aware of its value when she watched a clip of the show in 2023.

During the Christmas special, jewellery expert Geoffrey Munn discussed the forgotten jewellery pieces created by Gothic Revival architect William Burges - who created Cardiff Castle. In the festive episode, the specialist discussed a series of watercolour sketches of the architect's lost jewellery. He announced that the six brooches in the designs were his "most wanted" items in the world, which he had been searching for more than 20 years.

Ms Steel then realised the striking similarity between the featured artwork and her ornate silver brooch which she had discarded at the back of her wardrobe for 20 years.

The proud owner then contacted Market Harborough-based auctioneer Gildings, which confirmed its origins using the architect's design sketches kept at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The auctioneer said the brooch, one of a set of six. Was made as a bridesmaid gift to Caroline Bendyshe - the great-niece of Admiral Lord Nelson - for the wedding of Burges' friend John Gibson in 1864.

She said: "I wore the brooch for about five years on the green velvet lapel of a favourite coat. When both the coat and brooches went out of fashion, it remained in my London wardrobe for another 20 years until my daughter-in-law found it and started wearing it.

"So, when the TV clip popped up out of the blue last March, I couldn't believe it. I was absolutely stunned." But she wasn't the only viewer to call in with one of the lost brooches.

In 2011, loyal fan Jill Cousins watched the TV special which bore a striking resemblance to her broken silver brooch. The beautiful piece was set with a heart-shaped garnet and turquoises fashioned as forget-me-nots that had been neglected for more than 40 years.

Closer study of the brooch revealed it to be engraved with the name 'Seddon'. Upon further research, Mr Munn was able to reveal that Burges had made the brooch for his friend and architect John Pollard.

The gorgeous brooch was made to give his bride Margaret Seddon as a wedding gift for their marriage in 1864. The 67-year-old retired gate maker said: "I simply couldn't believe that this old, broken brooch that I had never liked, was such an important object.

"I simply couldn't believe that this old, broken brooch that I had never liked, was such an important object. My mother inherited it from her old primary school teacher, but we both thought it was an ugly old thing and had never worn it, and I was actually going to take it down to the local market to sell it that very week. Now I know the brooch's history and its value, I love it."

At the time, Mr Munn valued the brooch at upwards of £10,000. The brooch was later sold by Gildings auctioneers in Market Harborough in August for £31,000.

The Antiques Roadshow airs on Sundays from 7pm on One or catch up on iPlayer.