Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Daniel Jae Webb & Katherine Heslop

Antiques Roadshow star dies as expert owner pays tribute to cat in opening sequence

The cat who stars in the opening credits of Antiques Roadshow has died, with his owner paying tribute.

Minou was best known for rushing across the screen at the start of the BBC show - making a Greek-looking vase wobble.

The feline was owned by TV antiques expert Marc Allum and was put to sleep by a vet on March 2 after suffering deteriorating health aged nearly 17.

Not only was Minou a famous face on TV but he was also a popular face in his hometown of Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Sharing a photo of the feline on Twitter, Marc said: For almost 17 years this beautiful creature has been a central part of our lives.

Minou in the opening of Antiques Roadshow (BBC/Grab)

"Today we had to say goodbye to Minou. The pleasure he gave us is beyond measure. We will miss him soooo much but he will still pop up on your screens on the titles of @BBC_ARoadshow Such a star!"

Friends rushed to send supportive messages to Marc, with one pal saying: "Sorry to hear that Marc and as a cat lover I sympathise. A great picture of a very handsome cat."

The TV star replied: "He was a extremely bright. He did what he liked really and we smiled as he did it….but he was always there butting his head against my chin."

Others said they would look out for Minou in the Antiques Roadshow titles.

The BBC Sunday night staple aired a very special episode recently, with Queen Camilla in one of her last appearances as the Duchess of Sussex, where she presented a silver snuff box from the royal collection.

Duncan Campbell declared the piece a treasure, telling Camilla: "In all my years in silver, it's the first bit of silver I've ever seen that's made out of English silver."

Camilla seemed happy with the examination, telling the silver expert: "Well, I'm so delighted that I've actually brought something that you've never seen before."

The Queen also took along a personal book to share with specialist, Justin Croft; Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Courtyard.

She explained the copy was special as she has always admired Gray and the illustrations in the book.

Later on, Camilla joined Fiona Bruce in a 'guess the mystery object' challenge.

Speaking about the royal's appearance on the show, Fiona said: "The Queen Consort was just terrific fun. She put everyone at ease and was keen to take part in the programme and chat with everyone.

Queen Camilla on Antiques Roadshow (PA)

"The members of the public that came along with their items that day got a bit more than they bargained for as they had no idea The Queen Consort was coming!

"Her Majesty got stuck into our Antiques Roadshow games, though ‘guess the mystery object’ had us both stumped."

The episode was filmed at The Eden Project last summer, before King Charles' accession.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.