A guest on Antiques Roadshow faced an emotional reunion with figures from her past in a BBC first after sharing her story. 

In a previous episode of the BBC show which was recently repeated, a guest called Kate brought along her prize possessions from her early childhood to Aston Hall in Birmingham.

She explained how she became a refugee as a young infant during the ‘Great Leap Forward’ in China between 1958 and 1962 after she was abandoned on a stairwell in Hong Kong. 

Kate was then discovered by police officers and taken to a children’s home before flying to the UK in 1963.

It was during the flight that Kate was pH๏τographed in the arms of an air stewardess and she brought along the precious image, as well as an idenтιтy bracelet and the jacket she wore. 

‘It’s an extraordinary story and as I say, these simple items are instantly bestowed with such an enormous power and poignance and it’s a privilege to see them and to hear your story,’ the Antiques Roadshow expert commented. 

In a previous episode of the BBC show, a guest called Kate who brought along her prize possessions from her early childhood to Aston Hall in Birmingham

She explained how she became a refugee as a young infant during the ‘Great Leap Forward’ in China between 1958 and 1962 after she was abandoned on a stairwell in Hong Kong

When she flew to the UK in 1963, Kate was pH๏τographed in the arms of an air stewardess and she brought along the precious image as well as an idenтιтy bracelet and the jacket she wore

Then, in a following instalment first aired in 2023, the show revisited the guest, because after the first episode aired, a surprising person got in touch with the programme. 

Fiona Bruce revealed during the episode that the two daughters of the kind air stewardess, Helen Childs, had reached out. 

Though Helen had sadly pᴀssed away, her daughters still came to meet Kate in a touching reunion. 

Mandy, one of the daughters, described how they were ‘stunned’ to recognise their mother on Antiques Roadshow.

She revealed they had a copy of it themselves and hadn’t known ‘its heritage’. 

Mandy added: ‘She [Helen] would have been thrilled to see that and to know about Kate.’

Kate said: ‘One of the things that is lovely is I now know their mum’s name all these years I’ve just thought, ‘Oh, it’s the air hostess’.’ 

Mandy appeared to be tearful as she described how ‘brilliant’ it was to meet Kate and said: ‘We feel like we have a friend’.

The two daughters gave Kate a compact mirror that their mother used when flying and Kate emotionally said: ‘I’m really touched actually, I’m really grateful.’

It comes after another Antiques Roadshow guest was stunned into silence after an expert revealed the eye-watering value of her paintings.

Then, in a following instalment aired in 2023, the show revisited the guest because after the first episode air, a surprising link got in touch with the programme

Fiona Bruce revealed during the episode that the two daughters of the kind air stewardess, Helen Childs, had reached out

Though Helen (pictured) had sadly pᴀssed away, her daughters still came to meet Kate in a touching reunion

The episode, which originally aired in 2023, saw many antique owners arrive at Ebrington Square in Derry to find out how much their ornaments were worth. 

Picture specialist Frances Christie confessed that she was ‘really excited’ when she realised that the show guest had brought in Norah McGuinness pieces for her to look at. 

The guest confessed that she bought them just because she liked the look of them and knew Norah’s sister ‘very well’.

Frances said: ‘I love that you managed to get your hands on two, because Norah, I mean she was a pretty pioneering artist for her time. She was obviously born around here, but spent most of her life in and around Dublin. 

‘She went to art school in Dublin, then London, then Paris. 

‘They’re both oil on canvas. And when you stand back and you see the bold combinations of colours that she’s used in them. Over here, behind the birds, this sort of bright green, with red flashing across the composition. 

‘And then over to the seagull in this painting, that combination of purple with blue, and then this lovely ochre, sand colour.’

Antiques Roadshow guests stunned into silence as expert reveals eye-watering value of her paintings – while BBC crowd gasp in awe

Picture specialist Frances Christie confessed that she was ‘really excited’ when she realised that the show guest had brought in Norah McGuinness pieces for her to look at

The episode, which originally aired in 2023, saw many antique owners arrive at Ebrington Square in Derry to find out how much their ornaments were worth

Frances was keen to know if the guest remembered how much she paid for them and how many years ago. 

The woman said: ‘About £120 for that one, and the price is on the back of that…’

Frances looked on the back of the painting and explained that it said £600 on the back of the frame. 

She continued: ‘So today at auction, I’d put a value of £8,000 to £12,000 on this one.’

The guest was left lost for words and simply said: ‘Wow!’ 

Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.