Antiques Roadshow star Fiona Bruce has led tributes to the director of the BBC show, Nicky Illis, who has died at the age of just 53. The newsreader shared a message for her late friend and BBC colleague, who died from cancer. In her tribute, the famous news presenter described Nicky, who also worked on Fake or Fortune, as "irreplaceable".
Fiona penned in a statement: "Nicky is simply irreplaceable. Not just for her huge talent but also for her sheer exuberance, enthusiasm and sense of fun. Everyone on the team loved her and none more than me."
DirectorsUK wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "We were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of factual director and our member Nicky Illis. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time."
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Fake of Fortune series editor Robert Murphy described Nicky as his “partner in crime” as he revealed the office will now be a much quieter place. He added: “Nicky and I first worked together in 2001 on the BBC series House Detectives, travelling to India to film the crumbling ruins of a house once occupied by Robert Clive.
“In the baking heat of Kolkata, I was privileged to see one of the best TV directors of their generation at work. Throughout her career, Nicky had an incredible drive and curiosity as well as visual flair – she always brought the best out of the cast and crew she worked with and inspired fierce loyalty in her teams.
“In 2012 we were reunited on the series Fake or Fortune and over the next decade we worked closely together as it grew into a hugely successful returning series. We were partners in art crime, united by our shared love of art, storytelling and the twists and turns of this addictive show. She was someone I respected immensely, not just as a director and peer but as an all-round good person, so kind and considerate, with a famous sense of humour.
“I can picture her coming into the office, coffee in one robehand, a bag slung over her arm bulging with art books, ready to solve another mystery. It’s quieter now and we’ve lost a precious font of knowledge, a trailblazer and a great friend. She will be very much missed.”
Nicky was the long-term director of Fake or Fortune. She also worked on David Dimbleby's A Picture of Britain and drama-documentary The Real Jane Austen. The director is survived by her husband Seb and their two children, Luke and Eliza.
The late director first joined the industry as part of The Late Show in the 1990s. After this, she worked on historical programmes such as One Foot in the Past and The House Detectives. Nicky then spent time as part of the BBC’s Arts team in London in the 1990s and 2000s.
During her time behind the camera, Nicky was also responsible for a documentary on Harry Potter to go alongside the release of the first film in the franchise, The Philosopher's Stone. Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. You can keep up to date with the latest TV and showbiz news by signing up to the newsletter here.
