BBC2's Flog It cameras rolled into Newcastle this week and presenter Paul Martin talked to Viv Hardwick about the success of the series and why he doesn't notice all the female attention.

PAUL Martin has put bargain basement auction bidding on the map thanks to five years of presenting BBC2's successful programme Flog It. But with two million fans the 46-year-old antique dealer and former rock session musician claims to know very little about the growing number of women who would do his bidding at any time.

During a quick break from filming at Newcastle's MetroRaido Arena on Sunday, Paul did admit he knew that he was the subject of several websites but added: "I once was quoted in an interview as saying all my female fans were over 60, but you've got to be modest. You don't realise all the interest because half of it's a blur really. You just get shuffled about by the film crew and production company, so female fans don't get an awful lot of access to me unless I'm filming with them and when I am filming it's part of my job (to be charming) and I love talking to people individually. If I can give a few hundred people a few minutes of my time every Sunday I think I'm being a good ambassador for the show."

Can he define the success of Flog It which is a firm favourite on TV despite often featuring antique items worth as little as £30 to £60?

"It's quite unusual actually when people like the wow factor. You look at The Antiques Roadshow and it's all about the final money shot (the highest valuation item is often shown last) but with Flog It there is no money shot. What's important is the social history and the character of the person, " he explains adding that the 6pm slot is also a perfect antidote to the news of the day on BBC1 which is often depressing.

He also reveals that when a Flog It 'moment' occurs, when a modestly-priced piece sales over the £1,000 mark, that this is a genuine surprise and may never happen again.

"People get carried away with enthusiastic bids because they think that's where the trade buy their stock. I've actually seen prices cheaper in antiques shops, " says the bidding expert, who admits he's sold his Marlborough, Wiltshire, antique furniture shop because of a downturn in business.

"I would encourage people to buy from antique shops because if you buy something that's not totally right you can take it back but you don't get these chances at auction."

So does he take his own advice? "No, " he replies with that twinkle in his eye, "I always say I'm going to stick to a limit like £800 but I end up doing £880 or £920 in the end because I want it and it's dreadful because I'm absolutely addicted to antiques.

AND when you fall in love with something you must buy it." He still enjoys doing the show after five years because every day brings something fresh to the TV cameras.

"When I'm out and about I nip into all the antique shops to feed my habit. My girlfriend is going mad because I have large Georgian premises which are stacked full of antiques. One day I'll go back into the trade because I've got a decent amount of stock, " he says about the £150,000 he's built up in furniture alone.

Paul says that girlfriend Charlotte loves all his antiques but "whenever I want to invest in anything like a new library table I have to ask her first" and adds that his german shepherd Bluebell is being looked after by his mother at the moment because they are in the middle of moving house in the Wiltshire area having sold the shop.

And as we watch the Flog It folk making a tidy profit on grandfather's old vase or two stuffed squirrels spare a thought for host Paul Martin.

He admits paying top money for items he loves and "tend to sell it for what I paid for it".

"You hear stories about some black and white early photographs which were sold in the Lake District for £75,000 after being catalogued for £150.

Whoever spotted those has gone on to sell them for about £200,000 so somebody made a lot of money there and that's the moment that keeps you going, " he laughs.

"The whole antiques trade is fuelled by the idea that you can buy something for £1 and sell if for £500. The people watching the TV want to learn something for when they go to the car boot sale and auctioneers want to sell it for a good commission and antique dealers need to pay their rates and staff. So it's all about making profit but at the same time there's a sense of connection to history and the fantastic part is that you get to learn something while taking a bit of a gamble. . . because all of this is just a gamble."

Although there is a trickle of visitors to the arena during the morning, rather than the customary queue, Flog It has the North-East on its annual agenda because of the variety of items that are produced.

Right from the city's Maling ware pottery to pictures of Andy Capp from Hartlepool.

The cameras have continued to roll for Paul Martin, even when Flog It is finished, because he's just completed a 20-part series for BBC2 on treasures uncovered in Britain's museums.

The People's Museum, BBC2, 20 shows, 3.30pm all about interesting artifacts which viewers can vote on in museums all over the country Flog It, BBC2, Saturday at 6.40pm and appears regularly on UKTV Style . The Newcastle visit will be shown in the autumn