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Series 6: 1. A Menagerie of Memories

Despite an array of eye-catching animals at the zoo they both worked at, devoted couple Jan and Chris only had eyes for each other. They had hoped for a long lifetime of memories together after Chris, born with just a single kidney, had a transplant in the early 1990s, which greatly improved his quality of life. But after a series of heart problems, sadly, his health declined, and after a final stay in hospital, he passed away in 2025. After 42 years of marriage, Jan’s world was rocked to the core. To help with the healing process, Jan is now sifting through and organising the belongings in her home, from the extensive zoo memorabilia collected by Chris to a hoard of jewellery. She dearly wants to find new homes for all the belongings to make the spare room, affectionately called the Zoo Room, into a little girl’s bedroom for her great-niece Dorothy when she comes to stay – something she knows husband Chris would have approved of. Can the auctioneers help Jan’s wish come true?\n\nOn the hunt for glorious auction delights, auctioneer Bee Harford discovers overflowing boxes of jewellery, and a surprising find hidden away in an airing cupboard is simply stuffed with sovereigns. Then there’s the crammed ‘Zoo Room’, stacked high with animal ephemera including posters and programmes. Could this make wild money at auction?\n\nRestorer JJ Chalmers has a mountain to climb as he turns into an animal carer too. A large stone eagle has a broken wing, and adding a steel rod and a lick of paint to the crumbly concrete is a risky business. Can he drill the holes he needs without shattering the wing into tiny pieces? Keeping with the bird theme, he next tackles a tired old birdhouse with a missing panel. Also added to his load is a miniature cast-iron rickshaw in need of a shiny new revival. JJ’s incredible expertise is really being put to the test. Can he lovingly complete and restore all three in just one day?\n\nAt auction, Bee and JJ are primed and ready to raise as much money as they can for Jan as she enters her new chapter in life. Will those in the saleroom bid ferociously for Chris’s beloved zoo collection, and will the batch of gold sovereigns rustle up a frenzy of excitement to help Jan create a bedroom paradise for little Dorothy?

Source: BBC 1