A wide range of antiques experts feature on the BBC's popular daytime show, Bargain Hunt, sharing their top tips with contestants as they attempt to bag the biggest profit at auction. One presenter who will be familiar to viewers is Kate Bateman, who made her debut on the BBC back in 2008 and has appeared on other reality shows, including Flog it! and Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.
But how much do you know about Kate's life away from the cameras? Keep reading for all we know about the BBC, including her very different career away from the show.
Kate's job away from antiques
A woman of many talents, not only is Kate an antiques expert but she's also a romantic novelist and is the number one bestselling author of Regency, Victorian, and Renaissance historical romance, according to her website.
© @kc_bateman/InstagramIn 2016, she published her first e-book, a historical romance novel titled, To Steal a Heart. Kate decided to put pen to paper in response to a $1 bet with her husband, who claimed she'd "never finish the thing".
Since then, she has released several other novels, with her latest book, A Scandal In July, hitting the shelves last month. Meanwhile, her 2018 Regency-set piece, A Counterfeit Heart, won the 2018 Book Buyer's Best contest for Best Historical Romance.
© @katebateman/XKate's home life away from the cameras
When she's not busy writing novels, Kate works for the auction house, Batemans Auctioneers & Valuers – a family-run business she founded with her dad, fine artist and antiques dealer Ron Bateman.
© @kc_bateman/InstagramThe business, which is based in Stamford, Lincolnshire, was established in 2001 and is now run by Kate's brother, Greg.
Meanwhile, Kate, who specialises in "all things small" like pottery and porcelain, is the company's Director and Consultant Valuer.
© @kc_bateman/InstagramAccording to its website, the company prides itself in "offering a professional, friendly and reliable service to all our customers", helping clients across "Lincolnshire, Rutland, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, and beyond".
While Kate likes to keep her personal life out of the spotlight, we do know that she is a mum to three children, who she lovingly refers to as "lovely monsters" in her X bio. The antiques expert also has an adorable toy poodle named Monty, who regularly features on her Instagram page.
© @kc_bateman/InstagramAccording to Kate's website, she splits her time between Illinois in America and her native England.
