Antiques Road Trip star Natasha Raskin Sharp has revealed the "milestone" career moment that was prompted by her father, contemporary artist Philip Raskin.
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In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, the TV presenter, who is appearing on screens in Channel 5's Big Antique Adventure with Susan Calman this week, spoke about how her father influenced her career.
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Chatting about her initial job aspirations before going into the world of antiques, the 35-year-old said: "I thought I was going to follow in my parents' footsteps. My parents were restaurateurs for 20 years and I just assumed that I would go on to either take the helm at their restaurant or to do something in the hospitality industry myself.
"But when I was about 15, which is such a formative year, you know here in Scotland, you do your Higher exams so people start to talk about what are you going to do when you leave school. And at that exact point, my parents decided to give up their restaurant."
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Natasha went on to study Law at University before a friend convinced her to convert to History of Art in Glasgow. After completing the course, she went back to waitressing before her dad suggested she attend an auction.
© Photo: Channel 5Natasha is currently appearing in Big Antique Adventure with Susan Calman
"He took me to not your typical art auction. He took me to a contemporary art auction which is still quite unusual in the world of antiques, that was over 10 years ago now.
"And so having gone to this contemporary art auction I thought, 'Gosh, I know a lot of these names, recognise a lot of these people whose work is going under the hammer. I actually know some of them personally, or I've served them in a restaurant,' and I thought this is really interesting."
Natasha then contacted the auction house and started as an intern before being employed full time and going on to carve out a successful career in TV and radio.
© Photo: InstagramNatasha remembers a "milestone moment" with her dad
"It hadn't occurred to me to work in the auction world," the Bargain Hunt star said. "Had it not been for my dad, I wouldn't have known that you could do such exciting things or sell contemporary art at auction which I continue to do to this day, and indeed, not just catalogue them, but sell them from The Rostrum.
"So I have a lot to thank him for and remember very, very clearly a genuine milestone moment," she added.
Natasha is currently appearing in Big Antique Adventure with Susan Calman, which sees the comedian help the nation buy, sell, haggle and restore their prized possessions with the advice of experts Natasha, Bargain Hunt's Danny Sebastian and Flog It! star Paul Martin.
Big Antique Adventure with Susan Calman continues on Tuesday 31 May on Channel 5 at 7pm and runs until Friday 3 June.
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