Antiques Roadshow plunged into crisis after boss and his partner quit show

On screen, it is the most genteel of shows; a family favourite watched by millions of faithful viewers for almost 40 years in its Sunday slot.

But behind the scenes, the Antiques Roadshow has been plunged into crisis amid allegations of blazing rows and official complaints to the BBC that bosses have been rude to experts and crew.

The BBC executive in charge has now announced he is quitting the show just months after his boyfriend, who is also the programme’s production designer, offered his resignation.

One of the antique show’s experts said he too was standing down after 23 years in part because the environment on set had become ‘testing’ and the show was no longer a ‘happy place’ to work. Another of the experts went further, branding the atmosphere ‘fetid’.

The allegations of off-camera ‘ructions’ will cloud the departure of Antiques Roadshow’s much vaunted executive producer Simon Shaw who at the age of 60 has decided he has had enough. His partner Lloyd Farmar, 55, resigned about two months ago amid allegations he had been rude to experts and crew.

Fiona Bruce, the programme’s glamorous presenter, has told friends she is saddened by the departure of Mr Shaw, who has insisted that at the age of 60 it was time for him to depart. 

But it is suggested that some of the experts are as jubilant as a member of the public who has brought them a dusty old pot given to them by a distant relative only to discover it’s a Ming Dynasty vase worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Problems are said to have been festering for about two years but have come to a head with Mr Farmar’s appointment as production designer on its last series. 

Mr Farmar also held a prominent role as one of the Antiques Roadshow’s ‘meeters and greeters’ whose job is to appraise the objects brought in by the public and distribute them to the correct expert. Murmurings of discontent among some experts included suggestions that those out of favour were being given less noteworthy antiques to appraise.

A well-placed source said: “There have been ructions. Lloyd is accused of rubbing people up the wrong way.”

At least one member of the panel of experts Clive Stewart-Lockhart, who first appeared on Antiques Roadshow in 1994, has walked out, telling The Telegraph it was no longer enjoyable working on the programme.

Mr Stewart-Lockhart stressed that ill health had led him to resign but that the decision was made much easier because of the “testing atmosphere” behind the scenes.

Mr Stewart-Lockhart had had a blazing row with the programme’s makers during one episode filmed in the summer and which will be broadcast later in the year. He declined to say who the row was with.

Mr Stewart-Lockhart, who runs his own auction house, said: “Antiques Roadshow has become far less fun over the last few years and coupled with the fact I cannot manage a whole day [for health reasons] I have decided to throw in the towel. 

“There was a very heated exchange in the summer. It is true. It has not been a happy place. Most of us kept our heads down.”

Mr Stewart-Lockhart said Mr Farmar’s promotion to production designer had raised eyebrows among crew and experts.

Mr Stewart-Lockhart added: “Official complaints were made on more than once occasion to the BBC over a period of time by a number of people.”

Another expert, who declined to be named, insisted Mr Shaw and Mr Farmar would be greatly missed. 

The source said: “Simon is a legend and an innovator. It is a great shame he has stepped down. But he felt that at his time of life it was time to go. Lloyd moved off about two months ago. It is a tragedy because Simon is a great programme maker. Together with Lloyd they kept  the show fresh, alive and healthy for the past decade.”

The expert said Ms Bruce, one of the BBC’s biggest stars, had been upset at their departure. 

The source said: “Fiona [Bruce] is upset at Simon’s departure. Everybody will be sad.”

Neither Mr Shaw nor Mr Farmar were available for comment yesterday at the £1 million house they share in Bristol.

The BBC refused to discuss claims of favouritism or the allegations of rudeness.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm Simon has decided to leave the show. Antiques Roadshow is a much loved programme enjoyed by more than five million viewers each week and we would like to thank him for his creativity and passion over the years which has made it such a success. He leaves the show in great shape.”

The spokesman added: “Antiques Roadshow follows the industry standard process when hiring freelancers on production.”