BBC Antiques Road Trip James Braxton's life off screen and rarely seen family

The antique expert has been on TV screens for over 20 years

Antiques Road Trip star James Braxton has been a well known face on TV for over two decades, since making his on screen debut on Bargain Hunt in 2001. The expert has over 40 years of experience in the antique world and has appeared on several hit shows including Flog it, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is and Antiques Road Trip.

James has recently appeared on the BBC show alongside Izzie Balmer. The pair were on the road in Derbyshire driving a 1949 Morris Minor convertible. Other experts include Philip Serrell, Natasha Raskin Sharp, David Harper and newbie Tahmina Ghaffar.

Before he shot to fame, James studied art and antiques at the Inchbald School of Design in London. According to his website, he also studied at night to qualify for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Fine Arts & Antiques. He went on to win the 1991 Antiques Trade Gazette prize for the best final exam.

Aside from his educational achievements, James also established himself as an entrepreneur. He purchased Edgar Horns Auction House in Eastbourne and Bracketts Auction House in Tunbridge Wells. He also invested in Guildhall Weymouth, a wedding and party venue that has been open since 2018, reports Birmingham Live.

James owns his family-run business in East Sussex which is a pub called 'The Lamb Inn'. The TV personality seems to keep his family life under wraps, but he is married to Joanna Victoria and the couple share four children, Annie, Ned, Amelia and Charlie. Taking to Instagram, he posted a rare photograph of his family stood outside of their pub.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, James told his followers that he was trying to lose weight. He said: "Here, here, no point in fighting the wheel. It's taken me until 3rd lockdown to sit back and enjoy the break. Decided to do my bit for NHS, by losing weight! Five weeks of '5/2' diet and NO alcohol!"

The 5/2 diet is seen as extreme by some as it suggests eating 500 calories on two days of the week. British Heart Foundation dietitian Victoria Taylor says: " The 5:2 diet is based on a principle known as intermittent fasting. This is where you eat normally at certain times and then fast during other times.

"There are different versions, but the 5:2 diet involves eating a normal, healthy diet for five days every week and ‘fasting’ on the remaining two days. On a ‘fast’ day, you would typically consume between 500 and 600 calories. Some studies have linked this diet to lower rates of coronary heart disease, but more research is needed.

"There is some evidence to suggest intermittent fasting helps with weight loss, and some studies have linked it to lower rates of coronary heart disease and diabetes , but more research is needed before this can be proven. We don’t yet know if this diet can be kept up long-term, how it compares with other weight-loss approaches and what pattern of fasting is most effective. Not everyone can safely fast, so if you are considering it, you should talk to your GP, especially if you have diabetes."

You can catch James Braxton on Antiques Road Trip on Monday at 2:30pm on BBC One.