Richard Cole, a 25-year-old plasterer, specialises in Chinese ceramics; Anthony Pritchard from Hove has a love affair with English furniture and Londoner Stella Brooker collects antique dolls.

Three more contestants put their skill and knowledge to the test over three tough challenges at Towneley Hall in Burnley, Lancashire - John Denham, from Hertfordshire, whose passion is stoneware; Heather Ray, from Lancashire, who specialises in costume jewellery, and Stephen Micallef-Grogan, from East Sussex, who loves the purity of Lalique glass.

The contestants are Agnes Grunwald-Spier from Sheffield, who adores the elegance of Derby porcelain; Jim Bischoff from Swindon who admires the craftsmanship of snuff boxes; and Charlotte Howard from Wiltshire who loves the timeless beauty of antique jewellery.

Sandy Rich from Oxfordshire is a specialist in Commemorative items. Monica Evans hails from Warwickshire and has a passion for Kitchenalia. And Sheffield based dentist, Bernie Nuttall who has a love for French Art Deco glass.

Mike Carroll from Greater Manchester loves the artistry of the decorative arts, Fran Budd from Enfield has an unusual passion for antique soda syphons, and Charles Ormrod from London is a keen collector of rare Sheffield plate.

Ruth Collett from Lancashire specialises in distinctive arts and crafts jewellery, Matthew Wright from Devon has a passion for delicately crafted French Sevres porcelain, and Margaret Campbell from Edinburgh loves decorative antique tiles.

Twenty-year-old student John Rogers is a specialist in British silver, Diana Johnson from Shrewsbury loves British country pottery and Martin Easton from Bexhill-on-Sea has a passion for treen.

Jonathan MacFarlane from Devon has a passion for pewter, Barbara Harding from Lancashire is a keen collector and maker of teddy bears, and David Millard from Manchester delights in Staffordshire figures.

In Towneley Hall, Burnley for the first semi-final, three competitors put their skill and knowledge to the test over three tough challenges. They are Charlotte Howard from Wiltshire, who loves the timeless beauty of antique jewellery, Charles Ormrod from London, whose specialism is Sheffield plate, and Monica Evans from Warwickshire, whose passion is the history of kitchenalia.

The second semi-final is back in Towneley Hall, Burnley, Lancashire where three more contenders put their skill and knowledge to the test over three tough challenges.

The semi-finalists are: twenty-year-old student John Rogers, who has a passion for British silver; a native of Edinburgh, Margaret Campbell, who collects ceramic tiles; and Jonathan McFarlane, who hails from Devon and has a love affair with arts and crafts to art deco pewter.

The contest reaches a dramatic climax as presenter Sandi Toksvig and antiques expert Eric Knowles test the three finalists' skill and knowledge over four challenges.

Jonathan McFarlane from Devon adores pewter, from arts and crafts to art deco, while Sandy Rich from Oxfordshire is interested in historical commemorative items, and Charles Ormorod from London specialises in Sheffield plate.