Michael Hogben
Encyclopedia
Michael Hogben is an auction
eer and antiques
dealer, who has appeared in the BBC
series Bargain Hunt
and his own series "Auction Man."
Famed for his often eccentric style but complete enthusiasm, Hogben's personality and all-round expertise in his field has been successfully transferred to both television
presenting and expert authoring.
, Kent, Hogben's mother died when he was five leaving him and his brother with their father. Hogben purposefully failed his Eleven plus
examination to attend the same school as his brother.
After both brothers had left school, Hogben's father decided to emigrate to Australia
leaving the two boys to fend for themselves. Hogben left school at 15 to work in a Fashion shop, and within a year was running one himself. At age 17 Hogben came into a small inheritance
, which he invested in opening a fashion boutique called "Mickey Finn" (named after a drug-laced drink
), which over the next ten years he expanded with 8 outlets over Kent. He also invested in Kent's first wine bar – "McCartney's" – in Dover
.
Having studied art and antiques, five years later he opened his own auction house in Folkestone, which then traded for the next fifteen years until he sold it in 2004.
In December 2005 he was wrongly charged with retaining two paintings which were being valued for an old lady in Kent
. Judge Nigel van der Bijl dismissed the case at Canterbury
Crown Court
on 14 May 2007 after hearing of delays in police inquiries and no evidence, telling Hogben: “You are an innocent man.” It was later revealed that the "old lady" was in fact 35 and that after Hogben had valued the paintings at £100 each they failed to appear at a Bracketts Tunbridge Wells auction house when under the care of an independent transport.
expert when four of the earliest shows visited his auction rooms to sell contestants items. The producer liked Hogben's style so much, he was offered a regular position. After screen testing for but deciding against presenting Flog It!
for the BBC in favour of his business, Hogben's style made him a choice for his own primetime show, which was created in the BBC
series Auction Man. Focusing on his auction rooms, the show showed how the auction room worked, focusing mainly on Michael and his family, and staff. The show also showed viewers tips on spotting auction bargains, as well as the characters, celebrities, sharp customers and the unscrupulous dealers, running for two series. Hogben has also presented 30 shows for Channel 4
in a daytime show called Name your Price. Hogben has appeared on friend David Dickinson
's ITV1
show Dickinson's Real Deal
.
Vic Reeves
was best man. The couple live in Kent and have 5 children.
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
eer and antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
dealer, who has appeared in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series Bargain Hunt
Bargain Hunt
Bargain Hunt is a British television programme in which two pairs of contestants are challenged to buy antiques at a fair and then sell them in an auction for a profit. It has aired on BBC One since 13 March 2000 in a daytime version and from 22 August 2002 to 13 November 2004 in a primetime version...
and his own series "Auction Man."
Famed for his often eccentric style but complete enthusiasm, Hogben's personality and all-round expertise in his field has been successfully transferred to both television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
presenting and expert authoring.
Biography
Born in Foord Road in FolkestoneFolkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, Kent, Hogben's mother died when he was five leaving him and his brother with their father. Hogben purposefully failed his Eleven plus
Eleven plus
In the United Kingdom, the 11-plus or Eleven plus is an examination administered to some students in their last year of primary education, governing admission to various types of secondary school. The name derives from the age group for secondary entry: 11–12 years...
examination to attend the same school as his brother.
After both brothers had left school, Hogben's father decided to emigrate to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
leaving the two boys to fend for themselves. Hogben left school at 15 to work in a Fashion shop, and within a year was running one himself. At age 17 Hogben came into a small inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
, which he invested in opening a fashion boutique called "Mickey Finn" (named after a drug-laced drink
Mickey Finn (drugs)
A Mickey Finn, is a slang term for a drink laced with a drug given to someone without his knowledge in order to incapacitate him...
), which over the next ten years he expanded with 8 outlets over Kent. He also invested in Kent's first wine bar – "McCartney's" – in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
.
Having studied art and antiques, five years later he opened his own auction house in Folkestone, which then traded for the next fifteen years until he sold it in 2004.
In December 2005 he was wrongly charged with retaining two paintings which were being valued for an old lady in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. Judge Nigel van der Bijl dismissed the case at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
on 14 May 2007 after hearing of delays in police inquiries and no evidence, telling Hogben: “You are an innocent man.” It was later revealed that the "old lady" was in fact 35 and that after Hogben had valued the paintings at £100 each they failed to appear at a Bracketts Tunbridge Wells auction house when under the care of an independent transport.
Television
Hogben became a Bargain HuntBargain Hunt
Bargain Hunt is a British television programme in which two pairs of contestants are challenged to buy antiques at a fair and then sell them in an auction for a profit. It has aired on BBC One since 13 March 2000 in a daytime version and from 22 August 2002 to 13 November 2004 in a primetime version...
expert when four of the earliest shows visited his auction rooms to sell contestants items. The producer liked Hogben's style so much, he was offered a regular position. After screen testing for but deciding against presenting Flog It!
Flog It!
Flog It! is a television series broadcast on the BBC, presented by Paul Martin. The show follows a similar formula to Antiques Roadshow, with members of the public bringing their antiques to be viewed and valued by a team of experts...
for the BBC in favour of his business, Hogben's style made him a choice for his own primetime show, which was created in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series Auction Man. Focusing on his auction rooms, the show showed how the auction room worked, focusing mainly on Michael and his family, and staff. The show also showed viewers tips on spotting auction bargains, as well as the characters, celebrities, sharp customers and the unscrupulous dealers, running for two series. Hogben has also presented 30 shows for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in a daytime show called Name your Price. Hogben has appeared on friend David Dickinson
David Dickinson
David Dickinson is an English antiques expert, television presenter and entrepreneur.-Biography:...
's ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
show Dickinson's Real Deal
Dickinson's Real Deal
Dickinson's Real Deal is an ITV, UK modern antiques and collectables television programme presented by David Dickinson. The new series air on the ITV Network whereas old episodes are repeated on ITV3.-The show:...
.
Personal life
Hogben married his wife, Lesley, in 2000 after living together for many years. ComedianComedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
was best man. The couple live in Kent and have 5 children.