KEEN gardener and Antiques Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce found herself right at home during filming at Bowood House and Gardens near Calne today.

The popular presenter and newsreader said she was a keen gardener and was looking forward to seeing more of the award-winning garden during a break in filming.

Visitors were arriving at Bowood throughout the morning; some hours before the doors were even open, to get their antiques and collectables seen by one of the many experts available.

Mrs Bruce said: “What a beautiful spot, I’m going to have a sneaky look around the walled gardens during my lunch break with one of the gardeners because I have heard they are absolutely beautiful.

“I am a very keen gardener so I am looking forward to that. This has to be the best time of year for the roses here, they are all out and the scent in the air, the weather is glorious.

“I have not been to Bowood before and it’s absolutely stunning and to think it’s just a very small part of the original house, it must have been an absolute humdinger in its time.”

Many thousands of guests brought all manner of items to be seen by the Antiques Roadshow experts, including James Gray MP with a late 18th century medicine chest and Devizes School with their Maria Heathcote painting for their reception.

Chippenham-based Roadshow expert, Marc Allum, who has been with the show since 1998 as a miscellaneous specialist, said it was great to see many pieces of local history being brought to the filming.

He said: “I was able to film a piece with an old wooden Harris’ box and was able to bring the history of Harris’ to life.

“We also found some carved pigs in St Mary’s Church which was original architecture from Harris’.

“It made a nice local piece; it’s not about value it’s about local history when the factory closed I obviously had a huge impact on the town.”

“It’s the only show on TV where 90 per cent of the viewers watch live on transmission. People make a date with the Antiques Roadshow it’s a comfortable show which they enjoy.”

Today’s first visitor arrived just after 6am with guests being welcomed throughout the day and everyone arriving before 4.30pm being seen by one of the show’s experts.

Gill Leon, from Calne, said: “We really like the show. The experts were really nice and we spoke to a BBC organiser who was really chatty.”

Today’s filming will form part of the 38th series of the Sunday evening show, and will be broadcast over the autumn and winter of 2015-2016.