Antiques Roadshow star Andy McConnell has opened up about his “fleapit” house that was deemed unfit to live in. The 72-year-old, who has been a regular on our screens since 2005, shared his plans to renovate his home last year.

Speaking about his plans for the transformation, he said: “I bought it four years ago [in 2020] for £230,000 and it’s definitely gone up in value. It was a total fleapit when I bought it and unmortgageable... In fact, the particulars said it was unfit for human habitation, so I thought it was just right for me and got £95,000 off the asking price.”

He continued: “All I’ve done so far is install a new bathroom and new boiler but I’m planning a complete renovation.” Andy first began buying and selling antiques when he was just 14 years old, before becoming the only student at his school who paid his own fees.

His expertise ultimately landed him a slot on the iconic Antiques Roadshow. Besides appearing on the BBC show, he also teaches students about glass and writes for various publications.

Fans used to visit Andy’s antique and vintage glass shop, Glass Etc, in the heart of Rye, East Sussex. But, during the coronavirus lockdown, he had to close it down.

Before becoming an antiques expert, Andy was a rock and roll journalist is Hollywood. He interviewed many famous bands in the 1970s and even made promotional videos for rock stars in the 1980s.