Adrian Higham Net Worth, Career, Health Journey and Life After The Bidding Room

Adrian Higham net worth is the result of more than three decades spent mastering the antiques trade, long before television fame brought him national recognition. Best known to viewers as one of the standout dealers on BBC One’s The Bidding Room, Higham often called “Adi” has built a reputation for sharp valuation skills, bold bidding, and a distinctive on-screen personality.

Behind the cameras, his success is rooted in deep industry knowledge, consistent buying discipline, and a specialist focus on French decorative antiques. From running his long-established business Hoof Brocante to sourcing rare pieces across Europe, Higham’s career reflects steady growth rather than overnight success. His financial position mirrors that journey: built slowly, reinforced by trust, and sustained by expertise rather than hype.

Adrian Higham Quick Bio

Who Is Adrian Higham?

Adrian Higham is a British antiques dealer whose career spans more than 30 years in the trade. Within the industry, he is recognised for his ability to identify undervalued stock, particularly decorative French antiques, industrial pieces, and character-led objects that appeal to collectors and interior designers alike.

To television audiences, Higham became a familiar face through The Bidding Room, where his confident bidding style and larger-than-life personality set him apart. Despite this public profile, he remains firmly rooted in the practical realities of antiques dealing sourcing, restoring, pricing, and selling rather than operating as a purely media-led figure.

His credibility rests on longevity. Higham built his name in auctions, fairs, and warehouses long before television exposure, which is why his reputation has endured beyond the show itself.

Early Life and First Steps into Antiques

Born in 1969 in the United Kingdom, Adrian Higham keeps much of his early family life private. However, his route into antiques is well documented and often retold within the trade.

At a young age, he purchased a mountain bike at a village auction for £10 and later sold it for £90. That early profit demonstrated something fundamental: an instinct for recognising value where others did not. This moment became the catalyst for a career built on buying intelligently rather than speculatively.

By his early twenties, Higham was attending auctions regularly, learning pricing structures, buyer psychology, and the importance of condition, provenance, and resale demand. These fundamentals would later underpin both his business success and his on-screen authority.

Building a Career in the Antiques Trade

Adrian Higham began dealing professionally at 21, committing fully to the antiques world rather than treating it as a side pursuit. Over time, he refined a clear niche, focusing on items with strong visual appeal and historical character rather than purely traditional “brown furniture”.

His stock has included:

• French decorative furniture (18th–19th century)
• Vintage signage and industrial objects
• Mechanical items, toys, and unusual collectibles
• Interior-led antiques with resale versatility

This adaptability allowed Higham to weather changes in taste within the antiques market, a key reason his business remained viable while many others struggled.

Hoof Brocante: The Business Behind the Net Worth

Hoof Brocante is the commercial backbone of Adrian Higham’s net worth. The business operates from two large buildings on a former RAF base near the Romney Marshes on the East Sussex–Kent border a location that allows for large-scale stock storage and rotation.

The business specialises in French decorative antiques, with a supply chain that extends into France, particularly the Pays de la Loire region. Higham and his wife, Tara Franklin, work as business partners, combining sourcing, curation, and sales strategy.

Hoof Brocante is not a showroom driven by footfall alone. Its value lies in:

• Long-term inventory appreciation
• Established trade relationships in France
• Brand recognition following The Bidding Room
• Direct-to-buyer and collector trust

This structure explains why Higham’s wealth is asset-based rather than celebrity-dependent.

Adrian Higham on The Bidding Room

Adrian Higham became widely recognised after joining the dealer panel on BBC One’s daytime series The Bidding Room. The programme places professional antiques dealers in competition, bidding against one another for items brought in by members of the public.

Higham quickly stood out due to a combination of commercial instinct and on-screen presence. Unlike purely academic valuers, he approached items from a resale perspective, focusing on desirability, restoration potential, and buyer demand rather than theoretical auction prices. This practical approach resonated with viewers and aligned closely with his real-world business experience.

While The Bidding Room increased his public visibility, it did not redefine his career. Instead, it amplified a reputation already built within the antiques trade, positioning him as both a credible dealer and an accessible media figure.

How Television Contributed to Adrian Higham Net Worth

Television income formed a supplementary, not primary, component of Adrian Higham’s earnings. His appearances on The Bidding Room generated value in three key ways:

1. Direct appearance fees paid by the BBC
2. Brand exposure for Hoof Brocante
3. Increased buyer confidence, driving higher-value private sales

Unlike some television personalities, Higham did not pivot away from trade work after appearing on screen. Instead, television functioned as a credibility accelerator, strengthening his commercial position rather than replacing it.

Importantly, the show also introduced Higham to a wider interior-design audience, expanding demand beyond traditional collectors.

Adrian Higham Net Worth Breakdown

Adrian Higham’s net worth is widely estimated at approximately £1 million, based on cumulative assets rather than liquid income. While figures vary across media sources, the £1 million range aligns most closely with his business footprint and long-term trade earnings.

Primary Income Sources

Antiques Dealing (Core Income)

• Buying and reselling French decorative antiques
• Long-term asset appreciation
• High-margin specialist stock

Hoof Brocante Business Equity

• Physical premises
• Trade inventory
• Brand reputation built over decades

Secondary Income Sources

Television Appearances

• BBC appearance fees
• Increased valuation leverage

Events and Antiques Fairs

• Dealer appearances
• Trade networking

Social Media and Online Sales

• Inventory promotion
• Direct collector engagement

This diversified structure explains why Higham’s financial position has remained stable even after stepping back from regular television exposure.

Assets and Business Holdings

Adrian Higham’s wealth is largely asset-backed, rather than dependent on ongoing media contracts.

Key Assets Include:

• Hoof Brocante (business and inventory)
• High-value antiques stock, including 18th and 19th century pieces
• Property and storage premises linked to trade operations
• French-sourced inventory pipeline, reducing acquisition costs

In addition, Higham and his wife spend extended periods in France, enabling direct sourcing rather than reliance on UK intermediaries a significant margin advantage in the antiques market.

Life After The Bidding Room

Following the conclusion of The Bidding Room, Adrian Higham chose not to pursue aggressive television expansion. Instead, he returned focus to core trade operations, maintaining a lower media profile while continuing to deal actively.

He remains visible through:

• Antiques fairs
• Trade events
• Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok

This strategic withdrawal preserved both his personal privacy and business credibility, avoiding over-commercialisation a common risk for trade professionals who become media personalities.

Personal Life: Marriage, Partnership and Private World

Adrian Higham is married to Tara Franklin, who is both his life partner and business partner. Their relationship is central to the operation of Hoof Brocante, with Tara playing a key role in sourcing, organisation, and antiques events. She is also known for organising the Penshurst Vintage & Antiques Fair, reinforcing the couple’s joint standing within the trade.

Higham was previously married, but his first wife sadly passed away in 2003. That loss marked a defining period in his life and had a lasting impact on both his emotional wellbeing and physical health. Since then, he has spoken openly about the importance of stability, support, and balance values that now underpin both his personal life and professional approach.

Despite public interest, Higham keeps his private life deliberately low-profile, choosing to separate family matters from his public persona.

Adrian Higham’s Health Journey and Weight Loss

One of the most documented aspects of Adrian Higham’s personal story is his health transformation. Following the death of his first wife, he experienced severe weight gain, eventually reaching 36 stone. In 2015, this culminated in a serious health scare when he collapsed on a ferry and required hospital treatment.

That incident became a turning point. In 2017, Higham took part in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, a 100-mile cycling challenge, supported by structured fitness training and lifestyle changes. Completing the ride marked a significant physical and psychological milestone.

His health journey is notable not because of publicity, but because it directly enabled him to continue working, travelling, and sourcing antiques activities that are physically demanding and central to his livelihood.

Mental Resilience and Personal Challenges

Alongside physical health, Adrian Higham has acknowledged periods of depression and emotional strain, particularly in the years following bereavement. Rather than concealing these experiences, he has spoken candidly about the long-term effects of grief and the importance of addressing mental health directly.

This openness has resonated with audiences who view him not only as a dealer or television figure, but as a human story of recovery, discipline, and reinvention. His resilience mirrors the way he rebuilt both his health and business gradually, pragmatically, and without spectacle.

Adrian Higham’s Legacy in the Antiques World

Adrian Higham’s influence extends beyond television. His legacy within the antiques trade is defined by three core attributes:

• Commercial realism: buying for resale value, not prestige
• Adaptability: responding to changing tastes and markets
• Accessibility: helping demystify antiques for new buyers

Through The Bidding Room, he introduced antiques to a broader audience, helping reposition them as functional, design-led, and relevant rather than elitist. Through Hoof Brocante, he continues to shape taste and sourcing trends, particularly around French decorative pieces.

His estimated £1 million net worth reflects consistency, not celebrity-driven volatility a key distinction in an industry where longevity matters more than visibility.

Conclusion

Adrian Higham net worth is the product of sustained expertise, disciplined buying, and decades of hands-on experience in the antiques trade. While television fame through The Bidding Room elevated his public profile, it did not create his success it merely highlighted it.

From early auction-room deals to running Hoof Brocante with his wife Tara Franklin, Higham has built a career grounded in authenticity, resilience, and commercial intelligence. His story demonstrates that in antiques as in life long-term value is created through patience, judgement, and knowing when to invest.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Adrian Higham’s net worth?
Adrian Higham’s net worth is estimated at approximately £1 million, primarily from antiques dealing and business assets.

What is Adrian Higham famous for?
He is best known as a dealer on BBC One’s The Bidding Room and as the owner of Hoof Brocante.

Who is Adrian Higham married to?
He is married to Tara Franklin, who is also his business partner.

Does Adrian Higham still run Hoof Brocante?
Yes. He remains actively involved in sourcing, buying, and selling antiques.

Has Adrian Higham faced health issues?
Yes. He experienced severe weight-related health problems but successfully transformed his lifestyle following a major health scare.

Is Adrian Higham still on television?
He maintains a lower media profile but remains active in the antiques trade and online.

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