Antiques Roadshow star Bunny Campione announces her husband has died aged 91

Antiques Roadshow favourite Bunny Campione has announced the sad news that her husband, Major Iain Grahame died aged 91.

During his time in the King’s African Rifles, Grahame had Idi Amin, later dictator of Uganda, under his command. 

He subsequently visited Uganda with his second wife, Didy, who, to the horror of those present, told Amin to remove the fake VC from his chest.

Amin complied – one of the reasons, perhaps, that Grahame was sent back to Uganda after Amin ordered the execution of Denis Hills, a British writer who’d described him as a ‘black Nero’ and a ‘village tyrant’. Again, Grahame – and Hills – survived.

His first meeting with Bunny was inauspicious: they drove into each other going round a corner on a country lane. 

But many years later they met again. Love blossomed and they married in 2002.

Bunny, 77, born Carolyn Fisher, rose to fame on Antiques Roadshow after joining the series in 1987. 

She also worked at Sotheby’s for 23 years and Christie’s in London before starting her own company, Campione Fine Art. 

Last week, an Antiques Roadshow guest was left astounded by the ‘ridiculous’ value of his damaged watch.

The BBC show returned for a brand new series on Sunday evening, with the antique experts travelling to Swanage Pier and seafront.     

Among the treasures showcased was a rare Omega watch that had suffered the unfortunate fate of being run over by a lawnmower. 

However, expert Richard Price was quick to reassure the owner that the timepiece was salvageable and valuable.

He said: ‘As you know this was the first watch worn on the moon but there is an unfortunate word in the watch making industry for if something is in a very poor state. We call it derelict and this is fairly derelict. How did it get in this condition?’

During his time in the King’s African Rifles, Grahame had Idi Amin, later dictator of Uganda, under his command (The Ugandan leader is pictured with his wife and seven children, along with Major Iain Grahame, far left)

Wow! Last week, an Antiques Roadshow guest was left astounded by the ‘ridiculous’ value of his damaged watch

The guest then explained: ‘It unfortunately went through my lawnmower. We had a burglary and they must have dropped that in the grass as they left. My wife found it later in the compost bin.

He added: ‘I bought it either late 1965 or early 1966 and it was second hand at the time.’

Despite the damage, expert Richard confirmed that the watch would still be worth thousands if the couple got it repaired.

He said: ‘Assuming you can get these pieces in good condition with that strap, I see it being retailable for towards £18-20k. And the strap on its own is worth £3k.’

The male guest said: ‘I’m amazed, I’m excited, I mean I came along here convinced it was basically beyond repair, a bit of rubbish really. My son will be excited because he wants to inherit it.’