Could Antiques Roadshow be the next global format to receive an Australian series? The Australian pilot is now giving viewers their first look, with the episode available to stream free on YouTube.
Released earlier this week across the BBC Antiques Roadshow and BBC Studios ANZ Production YouTube channels, the pilot has attracted more than 45,000 views as audiences get their first glimpse of what a local version of the much-loved format could look like.
The online release comes more than a year after BBC Studios Australia searched for Australians with treasured possessions and fascinating stories to feature in the pilot, as we reported at the time.
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First launched by the BBC in 1979, Antiques Roadshow has become one of Britain’s longest-running television series, with experts travelling the country to value antiques and uncover the stories behind them.
Hosted by The Chase Australia‘s Issa Schultz, the Australian pilot was filmed at the historic Norman Lindsay Gallery in the Blue Mountains in 2025, where experts examine heirlooms, collectibles and family treasures while revealing the stories behind them.
Sharing news of the release on social media, Schultz said he had “the absolute pleasure of being part of the very first episode of Antiques Roadshow Australia“, praising both the people who brought in their treasured possessions and the valuation experts.
“The stars, as always, are our kind souls who brought in a vast array of items (thank you!) and our wonderful experts who were able to give analysis both with warmth and the greatest of ease.”
Among the standout discoveries are a possible Picasso drawing, an extraordinary moonstone jewellery collection and a Chinese silk painting hidden during the Cultural Revolution, with the episode building towards one final valuation that proves to be the day’s biggest surprise.
Australian audiences are already familiar with the original UK series, which currently airs on ABC and is also available via the dedicated Antiques Roadshow FAST channel on 9Now.
While BBC Studios is yet to announce whether the format will progress beyond the pilot stage, releasing the episode publicly on YouTube appears to be a way of gauging audience appetite before committing to a full Australian series.
The pilot episode of Antiques Roadshow Australia is streaming now on YouTube.
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