Antiques Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce was left reeling after being hit with a cheeky swipe by a veteran of the Falklands War – and she was quick to hit back in hilarious fashion
Antiques Roadshow made a stop at Alexandra Gardens in the heart of Cardiff for the latest episode which aired today, Sunday, January 12.
This instalment of the BBC series was a repeat of an episode which originally aired back on January 14, 2024, and saw Fiona Bruce catching up with Falklands War veteran Simon Weston by a memorial dedicated to those lost in the conflict.
The Welsh Guardsman disclosed that most of the names on the memorial were friends from his platoon, before showing Fiona two campaign medals he received during his service, the Northern Ireland and South Atlantic medals.
“They are there because I lost people, I lost friends,” he confessed. “So, they’re reminders of sadness, really.”
At just 20 years old, Simon was seriously injured during an attack, suffering severe burns across half his body and losing over half his body weight over the subsequent weeks, reports the Mirror.
“I was blind for a week,” he revealed. “The medical staff were incredible but the people I remember were the civilians, the cleaners. They were really funny, and I’ve never met any of those people.”
“What, since? ” Fiona queried, and Simon confirmed: “No, no. And it would be pleasant if I ever did again.”
Fiona then turned to the camera and urged viewers: “Well, come on! You’re on the Antiques Roadshow.”
“So, if any of you are watching, we’d love to hear from you and reunite you with Simon, absolutely.”
“We’re all antiques, aren’t we?” Simon joked. “In that regard. Crikey”.
Fiona couldn’t help but playfully scold him with a jibe, responding: “Oi! Speak for yourself!” She then broke into a grin, and Simon quickly backtracked: “Present company excluded!”
In a heartwarming revelation, Fiona shared that Simon has been actively involved in helping individuals with burns and scars following his time in the military. He humbly explained: “I work with young people who have had problems in their lives. We’ve been working hard to develop treatments so that people who have scarring, it doesn’t become as obvious.”
Simon proudly spoke about his recognition with an OBE and CBE for his philanthropic contributions but was quick to express his astonishment: “a big surprise, to be honest.”
He continued to demonstrate his humility: “Hugely flattering. None of those medals, whether they be the campaign or civilian honours, none of them have been achieved on my own.
“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done with other people and with the support of other people.”
Fiona didn’t miss a beat to laud Simon for his down-to-earth attitude before expressing gratitude for his appearance on the show. The episode didn’t only highlight personal stories but also delved into historical treasures, unveiling WWI-era photographs from Cardiff Docks and a Tom Jones-autographed memorabilia.