Bargain Hunt lands primetime slot

Dickinson has been dubbed the real-life Lovejoy

Bargain Hunt, the antiques TV show that has become a cult hit with students, has won a primetime slot thanks to its success.

The show, fronted by the larger-than-life David "The Duke" Dickinson, will add a regular Thursday evening slot to its existing daily edition that has been on air since 2000.

The tanned Dickinson has won an army of fans

It regularly scores the highest ratings of any BBC morning show, attracting one and a half million viewers per day.

Contestants have to race around an antiques fair within a set time, looking for the items they think are the most valuable that they can buy with a certain amount of money.

The primetime series will see the contestants given £500 and two hours to look around the antiques fairs - compared with £200 and one hour in the daytime show.

Their discoveries are later sold at auction, and the team that makes the most profit wins.

Viewers will also have the chance to win a 450-year-old Ming statue in the primetime series.

He's tall and good looking and worn well for his age
Among the antiques he takes centre stage

Ode to David
by Lisa Brown

Producers say they are deluged with more than 1,000 letters per week from people who want to appear on the show.

"It couldn't be the prize money they were after because there usually isn't any," producer Melanie Eriksen said. "They all want to meet David."

Dickinson, dubbed the real-life Lovejoy, has become a cult hero thanks to his flamboyant style and catchphrases such as "cheap as chips".

Students have set up David Dickinson appreciation societies, fan websites have been created and tribute songs have been written about him.

"It must be my swarthy good looks," he said - while the producers describe him as having a "luxuriant 1970s hairdo".