Channel 4 recommissions Four Rooms

15 September 2011

Channel 4 has green-lit a new series of Four Rooms (8 X 60), the specialist factual formatted series that offered people a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sell to four of Britain's top dealers in art, antiques and collectibles.

 The series proved compelling, suspense-filled viewing, with members of the public bringing an eclectic mix of items to the dealers, including a Banksy wall and a mummified mermaid. The show also launched four experts; Emma Hawkins, Andrew Lamberty, Jeff Salmon and Gordon Watson and was presented by Anita Rani.

 The series is again commissioned by Specialist Factual Commissioning Editor Tanya Shaw, who said: "Four Rooms was a completely new and unique proposition to bring to our audience. It's the first time that antiques and collectibles have been covered in a prime-time, 8pm slot and I'm thrilled with the work the team did in sourcing incredible items from around the country. The series covered art, modern social history and design - all through the prism of commercial reality. These aren't insurance valuations; the dealers have to put their money where their mouth is."

 Four Rooms is a talkback THAMES production for Channel 4.

 John Comerford, Executive Producer talkbackTHAMES, commented:  "We're delighted to get cracking with a second series of Four Rooms.  We will be building on the excitement and anticipation generated by series one, and sourcing even more amazing and wonderful collectibles for our team of dealers to bid on.  With everything from a stuffed polar bear, to a Banksy Wall and a Concorde nose in last series, we're going to leave no stone unturned in the hunt for the unusual, but ultimately, collectible."

 

About Four Rooms

 Four of Britain's top dealers in art, antiques and collectibles wait in four separate rooms, each prepared to spend their own personal fortunes if the right item comes through their door.   From memorabilia to a mummified mermaid, art to antiques, members of the public have come to sell their prized possessions hoping to walk away with a life-changing amount of money.   But to do so, they have to work out when to sell and when to see the next dealer, because once they leave the room the offer is off the table for good. If you have an item you would like to bring onto the show, please apply via: 0207 861 8499 or email your details and the item you want to sell to fourrooms@talkbackthames.tv

 

Four Rooms Facts

 Over eight weeks viewers saw everything from a box of stuffed frogs, to artwork by Tracey Emin, to a hangman's noose. 
Emma Hawkins bought a mutilated Francis Bacon painting for £48,000, which the seller had paid £5,000 for, making him a tidy profit. 
But two sellers turned down a potential profit of £210,000 when they walked away from Jeff Salmon's offer of £240,00 for their six tonne wall with a Banksy mural on it. 
The largest sum spent by a dealer was Andrew Lamberty's purchase of a Concorde nose cone. He paid £55,000 for the iconic item - and sold it on for a healthy profit. 
Seller Gene London turned down Jeff Salmon's offer of £150,000 for a rare - naked - self-portrait of Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe. 
A one-off print by British artist Tracey Emin was taken to Four Rooms by her twin brother, Paul, who was selling up and moving to Thailand. Gordon Watson snapped it up for £2,300 - but Jeff Salmon revealed he would have paid more. 
Maverick dealer Jeff Salmon used his dice several times and managed to get odd numbers into deals - he brought a Mujahideen War Rug for £1500 and 47p. 

Over £200,000 was spent by the four dealers overall, with the lowest value deal was the £850 paid by Gordon Watson for a set of four spears from a pygmy tribe in Congo, West Africa.