Television personality and antiques expert Lauren Harries has launched a scathing public critique of fellow TV presenter David Dickinson, accusing his long-running ITV show of offering contestants 'disgusting' and inaccurate valuations for their items.
Instagram Outcry Over 'Disgusting Prices'
Taking to her Instagram platform, the 47-year-old, who first found fame as a child prodigy in the antiques world, shared a series of posts directly criticising the valuations made on Dickinson's Real Deal. The show, fronted by the 84-year-old Dickinson since 2006, sees members of the public bring in items to be valued by experts before potentially selling them to dealers.
In one notable post, Harries shared a photo of her television screen showing a platinum diamond ring that had been valued at a mere £320. She penned a furious caption: 'Disgusting, a platinum diamond ring. [Worth] thousands and that's all she got. Upadoo!'
Her criticism did not stop there. She highlighted a heavy Russian silver belt valued at £235, captioning the image: 'Another bargain for David.' A further post showed an item valued at £50, which she simply labelled: 'That's a disgusting price.'
'Are We Living in a Parallel Dimension?'
Perhaps her most exasperated comment accompanied a post featuring jewellery valued at £150. Lauren Harries opined: 'All gold and a huge Amethyst ring plus a heavy gold bracelet. Are we living in a parallel dimension on this show because they are giving the wrong amount terrible.'
Her outburst has sparked discussion among followers and fans of the popular daytime programme, raising questions about the accuracy and fairness of on-screen valuations in the competitive world of antiques television.
Harries' Remarkable Personal Journey
The criticism comes after a profoundly challenging period in Lauren Harries' own life. In 2023, she suffered a major health crisis, falling into a coma and requiring emergency brain surgery after experiencing horrific headaches and blackouts.
She spent seven months in hospital, finally returning home in December 2023. Harries later revealed on social media platform X that she had 'come back from the dead' following the ordeal, which left her with holes in her head from surgery and prompted what she described as an out-of-body experience to a 'different dimension'.
Her mother, Katy, had explained that doctors found a split in Lauren's spine during an MRI, leading to high-risk surgery. The star has since been relearning basic functions, including how to walk again.
Lauren Harries remains a well-known figure in British popular culture, having placed third in the 2013 series of Celebrity Big Brother, which was won by Charlotte Crosby. Her latest foray into criticising a staple of daytime TV has certainly reignited public interest in both her opinions and her incredible survival story.
