Diane 'Jet' Youdale, a star from the 1990s show Gladiators, had to abandon filming of the BBC Two programme Celebrity Antiques Road Trip midway through the episode after falling unwell. Her co-star James 'Hunter' Crossley delivered the 'bad news' to the experts and viewers.
Guest Star's Sudden Departure
Specialists Margie Cooper and Ishy Khan were joined by Youdale and Crossley for the episode. The four were split into two teams, each given £400 to purchase vintage items to sell at auction for profit. Youdale was paired with Khan, while Crossley teamed up with Cooper.
Initially, Youdale explored towns across Greater Manchester and Lancashire for hidden treasures. However, she could not attend the auction due to illness. Just before the sale, Crossley was seen on the phone, saying: 'Alright my love, get well soon. Lots of love.' He then announced to the crew: 'Bad news. Sadly Diane's not gonna make it today, she's not in great shape. So, just one Gladiator. I'm gonna hold [down] the fort.'
Impact on the Auction
Cooper expressed disappointment, saying: 'That's such a shame, isn't it?' Despite the setback, the auction proceeded. It later emerged that Crossley and Cooper had won the challenge, achieving a loss of £191.28, while Youdale and Khan recorded a slightly larger deficit of £196.88.
Reflecting on Youdale's absence, Cooper asked: 'So, have you missed Diane today?' Crossley replied: 'Yeah it's such a shame because I know she was so excited about those auction pieces.' The episode aired on BBC Two and is available on BBC iPlayer.
