Antiques Roadshow host announces major show shakeup and fans won't be happy

During the latest instalment of Antiques Roadshow, viewers saw host Fiona Bruce make a special announcement minutes into the programme.

As the BBC show kicked off, which recently saw a guest make history with their item, people saw footage from the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which contains over 400 memorials to those who served in the armed forces and civilian organisations.

A voiceover from Fiona could be heard before she appeared on screen as she said: "On the 8th of May 1945, celebrations broke out across the country to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.

"But for many, this was just the beginning of the end. Germany and Italy may have been defeated, but the war against Japan was to rage on for another three months."

The BBC star explained the show was in Staffordshire for the special, tracing stories from WWII in what was then known as the far east.

However, before the programme fully began, Fiona announced there would be a major format change to what fans are used to.

She said: "Given the very personal and moving stories you're going to hear, our experts won't be offering any valuations on the items you'll be seeing.

"To the owners, these things are priceless, and they offer a poignant insight into some of the darkest events of our past."

Elsewhere, the BBC host explained the war in the Far East and the Second World War came to an end over the deployment of the 'ultimate weapon', the atomic bomb.

Fiona added: "Two atomic bombs were dropped by the US on the Japanese mainland in August 1945.

"Since then, victory over Japan, or VJ Day, has been marked on August 15. 80 years on in a special commemorative episode, we'll relive key moments from the conflict, through the items you've shared with us."

During the show, expert Siobhan Tyrrell was interested in speaking to two men about the 'rare' item they possessed, which was kept by a soldier based in Burma at the start of the conflict.

They had an old newspaper print from the Rangoon Gazette, the day after the Japanese attack on the US fleet at Pearl Harbour.

Wanting to know more about how they came into their possession, one of the men explained they found it after his father had died, who didn't speak to them about his time in the war.

He explained that his father was part of the RAF and was stationed in Burma from 1941.

They also revealed that among their father's possessions, they found a photo album documenting his entire journey during his time in the war.

Siobhan commented: "Isn't it great that he managed to keep this! I can't imagine that there are many that have survived and it's just an amazing record."

Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.