Michael Baggott has died aged 65.
The antiques expert, who appeared on the BBC One auction show Flog It! and on the Antiques Roadshow, had been in hospital after suffering a stroke in October. He sadly died on Sunday (January 26) after suffering a heart attack, a post on his social media confirmed.
A statement paying tribute to him read: "Heartbroken to share that Michael died yesterday in hospital of a heart attack following a stroke in October." It added: "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."
Tributes have come in for the presenter, including from Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson. He 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 wrote on X: "So sorry to hear this, 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".
Another Flog It! star, Mark Stacey, said: "Very sad news, I’ve known Michael for over 25 years when we both worked for sothebys, I will always remember his love, knowledge of antiques which he readily shared, my deepest sympathies to his family, rest in peace Michael no doubt with a silver spoon."
Auctioneer Adam Partridge wrote: "Absolutely devastated, a brilliant man and dear friend with the most amazing knowledge and wonderful sense of humour, always happy to help".
In December, Baggott revealed he'd been bed bound for five weeks in a stroke ward in a hospital in Birmingham. He shared a series of videos on Instagram, keeping fans updated on his condition.
Baggott, who joined Flog It! in 2004 as an expert in silver and smallwork, had claimed he was "dying of thirst" and told he may never be able to walk again. In an emotional video, he said: "It's been a week now and I've been able to take fluids for two days. I was left without any water at all and have become badly dehydrated.
"It's been a week now and I've been able to take fluids for two days. I was left without any water at all and have become badly dehydrated. For the last three days, I've been given a litre of water, which has been insufficient to stop me being dehydrated. The gaps between being given water have been 15 hours, 17 hours with no water, 12 hours with no water and currently 15 hours with no water intravenous."
He continued: "I'm dying of thirst in a British NHS hospital and no one seems prepared to do anything about it. I want to say the nursing staff, the junior doctors here, have been the saving grace. They all want to help but they can't. The senior management and the senior doctors, who I never see, always refuse water, always refuse treatment.
"One told me yesterday If I don't buck up my ideas, in three weeks I'll never be able to walk again. Of course the junior staff told me that was nonsense, but it's symptomatic of the treatment in this place. All the staff are busting their gut to help you, the management and the senior surgeons are not."
However, he later said he was feeling "slightly happier" and "more hopeful". He said: "Hydration at last, Radio 3 blaring and slightly happier, slightly more hopeful. Thank you for everybody who either came or sent a message. Hopefully the way back starts now."
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