Roo Irvine’s television career began with a visit to her antiques business in Scotland. Producers came to film a shopkeeper and eventually invited her to become one of their experts. Known professionally as Roo, Arusha Irvine combines antiques dealing with presenting, writing and broadcasting. Her best-known programmes include Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and Bargain Hunt. Alongside those credits, she has developed a public role supporting animal welfare and fundraising. Her career connects the practical business of finding saleable objects with an interest in the people and history behind them.
Roo Irvine Information Table
| Detail | Publicly supported information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Arusha Irvine |
| Professional name | Roo Irvine |
| Date of birth | Exact date not independently confirmed in the reliable sources reviewed |
| Age | Reported as 42 by The Sunday Post in July 2022; exact current age not independently confirmed |
| Birthplace | Not reliably established in the sources reviewed |
| Nationality/background | Scottish; described as Scottish in contemporary newspaper coverage |
| Profession | Antiques dealer, television presenter, writer, broadcaster and charity auctioneer |
| Education | Schools, university attendance and qualifications not reliably established |
| Years active | Antiques business before television; television expert since 2017 |
| Known for | Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Bargain Hunt and Flipping Profit |
| Antiques business | Kilcreggan Antiques, Scotland |
| Husband | Mark Irvine |
| Home region | Argyll and Bute, Scotland |
| Charity role | Blue Cross ambassador |
Her official biography establishes her professional name, principal programmes and Scottish home, while contemporary reporting documents her early television work and reported age.
Early Life, Background and Education
Irvine has shared some memories of growing up in Glasgow. In a 2021 interview with Your Cat, she recalled attending pet shows with her brothers as a teenager. Books about different cat breeds also interested her, particularly Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats.
Those recollections establish that she grew up in Glasgow, without confirming it as her birthplace. Her schools and any higher education qualifications are also not reliably documented in the sources reviewed, so a detailed educational history cannot responsibly be supplied.
Date of Birth and Age
The Sunday Post described Irvine as 42 on 26 July 2022. That dated report supports her age then, but her full birth date was not independently verified for this article. An exact current age is therefore not supplied.
Her Career Before Antiques
Before entering antiques television, Irvine worked in the corporate sector. She told Your Cat that she spent ten years living in London, holding senior roles in sales, business development and marketing within the gaming industry. She also met her husband, Mark, through that professional world.
Her later career therefore followed substantial experience outside broadcasting. Moving into antiques involved leaving an established working life and learning how to build a business around another interest. In the same interview, she described the quieter life she valued in Scotland and the contrast with her earlier London routine.
Family Loss and a Change of Direction
A difficult period in 2013 prompted Irvine and her husband to reconsider their priorities. Their fathers died within three weeks of each other, and the couple stepped away from corporate work to support their widowed mothers.
Antiques became a possible new direction through an activity they already enjoyed. They had bought older pieces while furnishing their Victorian home and began selling surplus purchases online. What initially offered a way to meet everyday expenses developed into a different livelihood.
She explained in 2022 that returning to her former career no longer felt right.
Building Kilcreggan Antiques
Kilcreggan Antiques provided the commercial foundation for Irvine’s later television work. In a 2023 interview with Antiques Trade Gazette, she explained that visits to weekly auctions and online selling had eventually led to opening a shop in their village.
The publication identified her dealing interests as jewellery, silver and decorative objects, with particular enthusiasm for Georgian glass, art glass and mourning jewellery. Her interests span both decorative objects and pieces connected with social history.
Irvine also discussed discovering two glass pieces by artist Keiko Mukaide at a small rural auction. The discovery illustrates the close observation involved in her work.
How Roo Irvine Entered Television
The Shop Visit That Opened a Door
According to Irvine’s official biography, the Antiques Road Trip team visited Kilcreggan Antiques in early 2015. The filming introduced producers to her as a dealer working in her own shop.
The subsequent move into television took preparation. In her published account of the process, she described a call from producers in early 2016, followed by about twelve months of meetings, shadowing, screen tests and study.
The original shop visit therefore preceded her debut as a regular expert.
Joining Antiques Road Trip in 2017
Contemporary coverage in October 2017 introduced Irvine as a new member of the Antiques Road Trip team. She acknowledged feeling nervous about seeing her first episodes, even while enjoying the work.
The programme took her around the country, visiting dealers and antique centres before purchases reached auction. She described long filming days and the pleasure of travelling, meeting people and searching for objects.
Her early work paired her with Philip Serrell. Broadcaster listings also document their journeys together, including an episode in which Irvine took a chance on an antique pond yacht. These records show the buying decisions and auction uncertainty central to her television role.
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and Flipping Profit
Irvine’s television work soon expanded. In January 2019, local reporting documented her appearance on Celebrity Antiques Road Trip with fellow expert James Braxton and presenters Rav Wilding and Martel Maxwell. Other early celebrity partnerships included Paralympic gold medallist Danny Crates.
She also appeared in Flipping Profit, which launched in April 2018. The series brought together antiques specialists, market traders and upcyclers competing to generate money for BBC Children in Need.
For its opening episode, Irvine searched for purchases in Dunfermline alongside Melissa Downhill and blacksmith Kevin Paxton. She explained that the format involved buying items, cleaning or repairing them, and selling them on. Filming extended to her shop and home, showing more of the work involved after the initial purchase.
The same period brought another professional development: in 2018, she reported becoming one of Hansons’ Scottish valuers and helping with valuation days. That was a documented role at the time, rather than a claim about her present employment.
Roo Irvine’s Bargain Hunt Career
Irvine joined Bargain Hunt as an antiques expert in 2019. The move added another major BBC daytime programme to her work, following her appearances across both versions of Antiques Road Trip and Flipping Profit.
A further milestone came on 13 June 2022, when she made her Bargain Hunt hosting debut at an antiques fair in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Radio Times reported her appointment alongside fellow new presenters Caroline Hawley and Danny Sebastian.
Moving from expert to host broadened her responsibilities. The expert helps contestants assess potential purchases, while the presenter guides the episode and its historical features. For Irvine, the appointment represented progression within a programme she already knew.
At the time, she spoke warmly about its contestants, crew and atmosphere. Her official website subsequently identified her as one of the programme’s main presenters.
Documented Television Work in 2026
Her presenting work continued into 2026. Herefordshire Council documented a Bargain Hunt feature scheduled for broadcast on 12 June, in which Irvine visited its History Store.
There, archaeology curator Dr Katie Miller discussed the Herefordshire Hoard, a Viking-period collection of coins and jewellery. The council’s account also described the episode’s shopping at the Secondhand Antiques Centre in Leominster and auction at Tong’s Auction House in Wrexham.
The feature demonstrates the historical interviewing involved in her presenting role, extending beyond selecting objects for resale. It placed museum collections and archaeological interpretation alongside the programme’s familiar competition.
Collecting Interests and Antiques Writing
Irvine has spoken particularly enthusiastically about Georgian glass and Victorian mourning jewellery. In her 2017 interview, she discussed owning jewellery incorporating locks of hair and admiring the detailed workmanship of antique glass.
Her interest in objects also extends to writing. Her professional biography credits contributions to Scotland Correspondent and local magazines. The Lochside Press’s archives provide further evidence of regular articles under her name, including features on silver, the Grand Tour and clocks.
A June 2026 glass article explored the historical messages carried by engraved drinking vessels. Across these subjects, her written work gives readers another route into the material culture that underpins her television career.
Radio, Podcasts and Other Television Appearances
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Irvine developed video and podcast content under the name #RadioRoo. Music became another means of connecting with an audience.
In April 2024, she announced a presenting role at Lomond Radio and plans for a monthly two-hour programme. The show, Roo’s Rhythms, was introduced as an exploration of music and the feelings and memories associated with songs.
Her screen appearances have also extended beyond antiques. Her management lists Celebrity Mastermind, Pointless, Richard Osman’s House of Games and The Weakest Link. These credits document a broader entertainment career alongside the specialist programmes for which she is best known.
Marriage, Home Life and Personal Interests
Irvine is married to Mark Irvine, who has been involved in the antiques business and supported its operation during her filming commitments. Her official biography places their home in Argyll and Bute.
Food, music, fashion and animals feature in her public accounts of life away from work. She enjoys cooking for friends, particularly preparing curries, while her colourful clothing has become a recognisable element of her screen appearances.
Blue Cross identifies her three Maine Coon cats as Mango Chutney, Kimchi Cherry Blossom and Miso Dexter. Their presence in her public life connects naturally with her animal welfare activities.
Charity Work and Animal Welfare
As a Blue Cross ambassador, Irvine has supported fundraising, fostering and rehoming appeals, campaigns and pet advice. The charity also credits her with donating quiz-show winnings.
One substantial challenge involved hula-hooping for ten hours to raise money for the Blue Cross Ukraine Pet Welfare Fund. Her support therefore includes practical fundraising as well as promotional appearances.
Her animal welfare involvement remained visible in 2026, when she was announced as chair of the More for Scotland’s Animals election hustings in Edinburgh. The event brought animal protection organisations together to question political representatives about their plans. The announcement illustrates another use of her presenting experience in public discussion.
Roo Irvine’s Net Worth and Salary
The reliable public sources reviewed do not establish an exact net worth or television salary for Irvine. Her documented activities include antiques dealing, presenting, writing and broadcasting, but those credits do not reveal her personal finances. Assigning a wealth estimate would require evidence beyond her public career record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Roo Irvine’s real name?
Her full name is Arusha Irvine. She uses Roo Irvine professionally, including on her official website and in television publicity.
How old is Roo Irvine?
The Sunday Post reported that she was 42 in July 2022. Her full birth date and exact current age were not independently verified.
Is Roo Irvine married?
Yes. She is married to Mark Irvine, with whom she developed her antiques business. Her official biography describes their home in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
When did Roo Irvine join Bargain Hunt?
She joined as an expert in 2019 and made her hosting debut on 13 June 2022, presenting from Southwell in Nottinghamshire.
What antiques business does Roo Irvine run?
Her business is Kilcreggan Antiques in Scotland. Contemporary reporting documents her involvement in the shop alongside her television career.
Conclusion
Roo Irvine’s career has developed through several connected stages: corporate work, independent antiques dealing, television expertise and presenting. Kilcreggan Antiques created the opportunity that led to her BBC career, while subsequent programmes expanded the ways she could share her interests.
Her work now encompasses historical features, antiques writing, music broadcasting and animal welfare support. The strongest account of her achievements lies in that documented record: a business built around an existing interest, sustained television work and a public platform used for charitable causes.
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