Irita Marriott is, without a doubt, one of the most inspiring and refreshing faces in the world of British antiques today. From a humble farm in Latvia to the glittering auction rooms of Derbyshire, her story is the kind that makes you sit up and take notice. She’s not just an expert with a sharp eye for a bargain — she’s a trailblazer, a mother, a businesswoman, and a television personality who has earned every single accolade on her own terms. Well, buckle up, because there’s a lot to unpack here.
Who Is Irita Marriott?
Irita Marriott is an antique expert and dealer, known for her role as an expert on BBC1’s Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Bargain Hunt, and Channel 4’s The Greatest Auction. But to leave it at that would be doing her a grave injustice.
Irita Marriott is an exciting on-screen antiques dealer and auctioneer who has a particular passion for porcelain items, and you will often find her at antiques shows around the UK as well as her regular appearances on BBC1’s Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, and Bargain Hunt, as well as fronting her own series on Really TV entitled The Derbyshire Auction House.
What makes Irita stand out from the crowd isn’t just her encyclopaedic knowledge of antiques — it’s her infectious energy, her genuine warmth with people, and a steely determination that she’s carried with her all the way from Eastern Europe. She’s the real deal, and the British public absolutely loves her for it.
Irita Marriott’s Early Life: A Story Worth Telling
Here’s where things get truly remarkable. Irita was born in Latvia, and life wasn’t easy. She lived on a farm until she was six, where the family only ate what they could forage, grow, kill or catch.
When her mother and father divorced, they moved to Valmiera, and that’s when the family was really poor. They had to walk riverbanks to see whether anybody had left food next to the fire pits where they’d had barbecues, and they went fishing in the morning to have breakfast. It was the kind of childhood that would break many people — but for Irita, it built a foundation of resilience that she carries with her to this day.
Irita’s hopes of becoming a professional sportswoman — she was good at running and basketball — were shattered when she suffered three concussions in a matter of months. And if that wasn’t enough, a teacher delivered a comment that, ironically, changed the entire course of her life.
At school, she was told by a teacher, “You will be a no one! You won’t make it in life without English.” This prompted her to apply for an au pair job in the US and she then set off for New York with barely any English language knowledge at all.
Now, that is what you call turning a negative into a positive. Irita grabbed that challenge with both hands and never looked back.
From New York to the UK: A Journey That Changed Everything
After two years in the US, Irita decided to visit her family back in Latvia, planning to return to the US straight after — but life had other plans. One thing led to another, and she ended up on a bus to the UK.
While walking down a Latvian street she saw a picture of Big Ben and decided to go to London. She had no plan and no clue what she was going to do or where she was going to go. She met five Latvian guys on a bus to London — they didn’t have the language, but she did, and they had the contacts while she didn’t. So they stuck together, ended up in Bradford, and the rest is history.
Irita came to the UK at the age of 20 and worked as a temporary Christmas worker in a garden centre where she soon worked her way up to run the department, progressing to buyer. This experience — learning how to source, evaluate, and sell — would prove invaluable in her later career. Funny how life works out, isn’t it?
After seven years spent working as a retail manager, her passion for decorative antiques and collectables led her to start working as a dealer in 2012.
Building a Career in Antiques: The Self-Taught Expert
One of the most impressive things about Irita Marriott is that she is entirely self-taught. There was no formal degree in art history, no silver-spoon inheritance of an auction house — just sheer determination and an unquenchable love for beautiful objects.
Irita Marriott discovered her passion for antiques — and a desire for a career in the antiques industry — when she moved to Derbyshire with her husband. To help get a fuller understanding of the business, she took a part-time job at a leading Derbyshire auction house as a salesroom assistant, where she had the opportunity to work with a huge variety of antiques and learn on the job. Irita stayed at the auction house for 7 years, becoming a cataloguer and valuer whilst dealing antiques independently on the side.
It wasn’t always easy — she would get up at 3am to travel all over the country and abroad to source and sell items at antique fairs, doing this while caring for her two young sons. That, dear readers, is the definition of grit. Getting up before the crack of dawn, bundling off to fairs across the country — all while being a hands-on mum. It’s no wonder she’s come so far.
Key milestones in her antiques career include:
- 2012 — Began dealing in decorative antiques at car boot sales and small fairs
- Seven years of auction house work as cataloguer and valuer
- Founded Irita Marriott Antiques, expanding into international fairs
- Built a worldwide clientele through her skill in sourcing exceptional objects
- 2021 — Joined the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip team
- 2023 — Opened Irita Marriott Auctioneers and Valuers in Derbyshire
Irita Marriott on Television: Lights, Camera, Antiques!
Oh, she didn’t get headhunted — she went out and grabbed the opportunity herself. She took the matter into her own hands by ringing a producer on Antiques Road Trip asking what she needed to get a job. After six months of home videos, interviews and screen tests, she achieved her goal.
In April 2021, it was announced that Irita would be joining the likes of Philip Serrell, David Harper, Natasha Raskin Sharp and more on Antiques Road Trip. Irita was clearly thrilled to be joining the show and took to her Instagram to share an image of her on set.
Since then, her television career has gone from strength to strength. She now has seven series of Antiques Road Trip, three seasons of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and countless episodes of Bargain Hunt to add to the feathers in her cap.
Her television appearances span across:
| Programme | Channel | Role |
| Antiques Road Trip | BBC One | Antiques Expert |
| Celebrity Antiques Road Trip | BBC One | Antiques Expert |
| Bargain Hunt | BBC One | Antiques Expert/Presenter |
| The Greatest Auction | Channel 4 | Expert |
| The Derbyshire Auction House | Really TV | Host & Presenter |
The Derbyshire Auction House: Irita’s Own Show
Perhaps the most exciting chapter in Irita Marriott‘s career so far is her own television series. The Derbyshire Auction House is a documentary series following one of the few women in Britain to helm an auction house, Irita Marriott. The series follows her as she builds her business in south Derbyshire, helping vendors make money from unwanted items.
This ten-episode series demonstrates Irita’s passion for antiques and her unequivocal empathic nature, turning valuable items into cash while preserving their sentimental value.
The show premiered on 22nd July 2024 on the Really channel, and it was nothing short of a sensation. The series invites viewers to join Irita as she travels through the charming villages and towns of Derbyshire, discovering cherished items with unique stories. The show takes a heartfelt and personable approach, giving viewers an inside look at Irita’s interactions with locals as she visits their homes, uncovering items that have been passed down through generations.
One moment in the show truly captured the nation’s heart. In what Marriott has called “the greatest thing I’ve ever sold,” one guest’s item sold for 100 times what it was valued at — a photograph initially given a modest estimate of £80 to £120 sold for an astonishing £12,000 after a hugely competitive bidding process.
Irita shared how she really pays attention and listens to people, noting that complete strangers let the crew into their homes and shared their lives, and she genuinely feels for them.
Irita Marriott Auctioneers and Valuers: A Historic Achievement
In 2023, Irita Marriott did something truly historic. Led by TV antiques expert Irita Marriott, her business is one of a handful of female-run auction houses in the UK, based in Central England in the historic market town of Melbourne.
Her auction house opened in 2023 and she conducted her first auction in January 2024. Her second auction featured an antique Roman cameo ring that was estimated at £200 to £300 and made £19,000. As she described it herself: “That was pretty incredible.” And we’d have to agree!
On the rostrum with a room full of people and cameras pointed at her, she admitted the nerves were very high, and there were times she had to move her microphone because all they could hear was her heartbeat! Even the most seasoned professionals feel the butterflies — and that’s what makes her so wonderfully relatable.
The auction house, located at Williams Yard, Derby Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire, is more than just a business — it’s a statement. It says, loud and clear, that women belong at the helm of major institutions in this industry.
Irita Marriott’s Expertise and Specialisms
When it comes to knowledge, Irita Marriott has got the goods. Her specialisms are broad but deep, developed over more than a decade of hands-on experience.
- Decorative antiques — particularly sourced from European buying trips
- Porcelain and ceramics — a personal passion she often pursues on screen
- Valuation and cataloguing — honed over seven years at a leading Midlands auction house
- Mid-century and period items — with a keen eye for what buyers want
- International sourcing — regularly travelling across Europe to find exceptional pieces
As a full-time antiques dealer, Irita specialises in decorative antiques, often sourced from frequent buying trips to the continent. Irita considers herself a new-generation dealer and is proud to say she has customers worldwide.
The star currently deals with precious and beautiful items full time and sources gems from her enjoyment of travelling Europe.
What sets her apart from many of her peers is that she brings a fresh, modern perspective to an industry that can sometimes feel a bit stuffy. She’s the new generation — approachable, passionate, and utterly authentic.
Irita Marriott’s Personal Life and Family
When the cameras stop rolling, Irita Marriott is, first and foremost, a dedicated mum and wife. Irita likes to keep her cards close to her chest when it comes to her personal life, but she has confirmed that she is indeed married. Not much is known about her husband, except that the happy couple currently live and work in Derbyshire.
Irita is a proud mother of two. She and her husband share two lovely sons, and she once described her leisure activity as “hunting for antiques with my two boys in tow.” She continued: “They are developing a love for it and I love watching the excitement of them finding things and learning about them.”
Irita works up to 18 hours a day between juggling family life as the mum of two boys, aged seven and nine years. She has said that being a working mum is the hardest job in the world, and then you have mum guilt on top of that.
Her honesty about the challenges of balancing work and family life is something that resonates with so many people. She doesn’t pretend it’s all plain sailing — and that authenticity is a big part of why audiences trust and adore her.
Why Irita Marriott Matters: A Role Model for Our Times
Let’s be straight about this — Irita Marriott isn’t just a TV personality. She’s a genuine role model, and here’s why:
- She broke barriers as one of very few female-led auction house owners in the UK
- She came from nothing — literally foraging for food as a child — and built an empire
- She is self-taught, proving that passion and hard work can outrun formal credentials
- She is authentically herself on screen, refusing to play a character that isn’t her
- She champions accessibility in the antiques world, welcoming everyone regardless of background
It is evident that Irita has a steely determination that has helped her to be successful.
When she first started in TV, her main goal was to be the true version of herself.
That kind of integrity is rare, and it shines through in every episode.
The Future of Irita Marriott: What’s Next?
The trajectory of Irita Marriott‘s career shows no signs of slowing down. With a second series of The Derbyshire Auction House already underway, an auction house running at full steam, and a growing international profile, she is well and truly in her stride.
Conclusion
In a world full of experts, Irita Marriott stands apart — not just because of her impressive knowledge of antiques, but because of the extraordinary human story behind it all. From a self-sufficient farm in Latvia to the top of the British antiques industry, her journey is proof that determination, authenticity, and a genuine love for what you do can take you further than anyone might dare to dream.
Whether you discovered Irita Marriott on Bargain Hunt, fell in love with her on Antiques Road Trip, or caught her on The Derbyshire Auction House, one thing is clear: this is a career that’s just warming up. Keep an eye on her — because the best is absolutely yet to come.
FAQs
Who is Irita Marriott?
Irita Marriott is a Latvian-born British antiques expert, TV presenter, dealer, and auctioneer.
Where is Irita Marriott from originally?
Irita Marriott was born in Latvia in 1984. She grew up on a farm before moving to Valmiera after her parents divorced. She later moved to the United States as an au pair before eventually coming to the UK at the age of 20.
Does Irita Marriott have her own auction house?
Yes! In 2023, Irita Marriott opened Irita Marriott Auctioneers and Valuers, located in Melbourne, Derbyshire. It is one of a very small number of female-led auction houses in the United Kingdom. Her first auction took place in January 2024.
What is Irita Marriott’s speciality in antiques?
Irita Marriott specialises in decorative antiques, with a particular personal passion for porcelain and ceramics. She regularly travels across Europe on buying trips to source exceptional items for her clients and auction house.
Is Irita Marriott married and does she have children?
She is a proud mother of two sons, who she says are developing their own love for antiques — often joining her on treasure hunts. She has described being a working mum as the hardest job in the world.
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