The death of Michael Baggott, an antiques expert from BBC’s Flog It!, was announced overnight. He died at the age of 51 after suffering a heart attack.
The television personality had been hospitalised since October following a stroke. A statement shared on his social media on Monday evening confirmed the sad news.
Weeks before his death, Michael shared a final poignant social media post. In it, he admitted he feared he could “drop dead” at any minute.
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Tributes after death of Flog It! star Michael Baggott
“Heartbroken to share that Michael died yesterday in hospital of a heart attack following a stroke in October,” the statement announcing his death read.
“He was a dearly loved son, brother, nephew, and uncle who will be deeply and profoundly missed. There will be a memorial service in the coming weeks, the details of which will be shared here,” it added.
Fellow experts from the antiques world, including many from BBC programs such as Bargain Hunt and Antiques Roadshow, paid heartfelt tributes.
Charles Hanson, a regular on Bargain Hunt, wrote: “Rest in peace @baggottsilver. A giant of our antique industry, our ‘Arthur Negus’ and never afraid to call out ‘an expert’ who got it wrong – including myself. Michael’s thirst for knowledge for the ‘object within’ merited far more TV time too for a true and proper expert.”
Flog It! expert Nick Hall reflected on his generosity and expertise.
“So sorry to hear this,” he wrote. “Michael was a true connoisseur and ambassador of the antiques world, a font of knowledge and generous with his knowledge, a raconteur and all-round top bloke, a pleasure to have known you, Michael.”
BBC presenter Roo Irvine also expressed: “Such sad news. Condolences to Michael’s family.”
Meanwhile, Bargain Hunt’s Colin Young acknowledged the joy Michael brought to many. “So sorry to hear this sad news. Michael made so many people smile, what more is there to wish for in life?”
TV expert David Harper also added: “So terribly sad, such a passionate, interesting, and clever chap, who’ll be missed.”
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Final Instagram post
Michael shared a carousel of food pictures on December 23, captioning it: “Happier times.”
Meanwhile, 10 days before that, on December 13, he shared a video clip of himself in hospital to the site.
He urged fans to buy their loved ones a copy of his book, titled As Found: A Lifetime In Antiques. Despite being gravely ill on a stroke ward, Michael managed to joke that the book could even become a “collector’s item” if he died.
“Hospital bed marketing. Pulling on the heart strings, I suppose. If you want to give for Christmas, why not buy As Found: A Lifetime in Antiques by Michael Baggott. Why? Well it’s got 42 five star ratings on Amazon and none of them are by friends or relatives. So that’s got to be a positive.
Chances are, I’ll be dead before Christmas.
“There are very few copies left and the chances are, as you can see, I’m in a hospital bed with considerable amounts of medication, coursing through my veins, I may well drop dead soon and in that case, the value of it will soar and it become a collector’s item.”
He then added: “If you wanted to do something smart this Christmas, buy copies As Found: A Lifetime… quite literally, although I didn’t know it at the time, a lifetime in antiques because I don’t think I’ve got much longer left.
“Perhaps when I’ve battled this journey back to health, if that happens, it will be a Times Bestseller. But as I say, the chances are, I’ll be dead before Christmas. So in that case, it will be a valuable collector’s item. You heard it heard first.”
Michael’s rise to fame
Born in Birmingham, Baggott’s passion for antiques began at an early age. He made his first purchase – a Chester silver Vesta case – for just £22 while still in school.
He later gained experience working at Christie’s auction house while studying at university.
After graduation, he led the southern silver department at Sotheby’s for four years before becoming an independent consultant.
His deep knowledge of antique silver was reflected in his writing, including the well-regarded An Illustrated Guide to York Hallmarks 1776 – 1858.
He became a household name through Flog It!, which ran from 2002 until its cancellation in 2018.
The show allowed members of the public to have their antiques valued by a team of experts before deciding whether to sell them at auction. His sharp wit, deep expertise and unfiltered honesty made him a fan favourite on the show.
Read more: Paul Martin lands two new shows after Flog It! axe
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