Draft:Posh Pawn
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| Posh Pawn | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 45 |
Posh Pawn is a British documentary television series broadcast on Channel 4. The programme follows entrepreneur James Constantinou, founder of Prestige Pawnbrokers, and his team at the company's headquarters in Weybridge, Surrey.[1]
Originally developed from a one-off documentary broadcast in 2013, the series explores the world of luxury pawnbroking, following the valuation, purchase, and sale of high-value assets, as well as the negotiation of loans secured against items including jewellery, watches, fine art, classic cars, and other valuable possessions.[2]
Premise
[edit]Each episode follows clients seeking finance against valuable assets, alongside the specialists responsible for assessing, valuing and negotiating loans. The series also explores the stories behind the items brought to the business and the circumstances that lead clients to use luxury pawnbroking services.[3]
Production
[edit]Posh Pawn was produced by Boomerang for Channel 4 following a successful one-off documentary broadcast in 2013. Channel 4 subsequently commissioned a six-part series which followed the activities of Prestige Pawnbrokers and its clients. The programme was primarily filmed in London and Surrey.[4][5]
Episodes
[edit]| Series | Broadcast year | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot documentary | 2013 | 1 |
| Series 1 | 2014 | 6 |
| Series 2 | 2014 | 8 |
| Series 3 | 2015 | 6 |
| Series 4 | 2016 | 6 |
| Series 5 | 2016 | 6 |
| Series 6 | 2017 | 7 |
| Series 7 | 2018 | 2 |
| Christmas specials | 2014–2016 | 3 |
Featured personnel
[edit]The series featured a number of recurring staff members and specialist valuers from Prestige Pawnbrokers.
- James Constantinou – founder of Prestige Pawnbrokers and the principal figure featured throughout the series.[6][7]
- Ian Towning – antiques and jewellery specialist who appeared regularly as an expert on the programme.[8][9]
- Jo Lawler – personal assistant to James Constantinou and a recurring participant in the series.[10]
- Lawrence Pickett – memorabilia specialist featured throughout the series.[11]
Reception
[edit]Critical reception to Posh Pawn was mixed. Reviewing the programme for The Guardian in 2014, Sam Wollaston described the series as "Footballers' Wives meets Antiques Roadshow meets The Office", highlighting its combination of luxury lifestyles, unusual valuables and workplace humour.[12]
Reviewing the programme later that year for The Guardian, Rebecca Nicholson described the series as "gripping", highlighting its focus on high-value transactions and unusual items brought in by clients.[13]
However, Ellen E. Jones of The Independent criticised the programme's format and argued that its title was more compelling than the programme itself.[14]
The programme also received coverage in popular entertainment media. In 2014, the Daily Mirror highlighted a number of unusual items featured in the series, including luxury vehicles, jewellery and other high-value assets brought to the pawnbrokers by clients.[15]
Notable items featured
[edit]A recurring feature of the programme was the valuation of unusual and high-value assets brought to Prestige Pawnbrokers by clients. Items featured throughout the series included luxury yachts, submarines, classic cars, designer handbags, jewellery collections and music memorabilia.[16]
Among the more notable items featured was a guitar owned by the widow of musician Alvin Stardust, which was signed by members of both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ Jones, Ellen E. (17 April 2014). "Posh Pawn, TV review: The most interesting thing about this programme was its title". The Independent. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "C4 takes Posh Pawn to series". C21 Media. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "C4 takes Posh Pawn to series". C21 Media. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "Posh Pawn". Channel 4 Press. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ "C4 takes Posh Pawn to series". C21 Media. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ^ "'I can lend someone £100k in an hour': The life of a pawnbroker". Sky News. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "How I Made My Millions By Posh Pawn's James Constantinou". FQ Magazine. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "Celebrity antiques expert Ian Towning reveals injuries after hammer attack during robbery". Sky News. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "The real deal: Ian Towning and Meredith Lee". Ponsonby News. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "Posh Pawn viewers are devastated Jo has left". Glasgow Times. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "Posh Pawn: Cast and Crew". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
- ^ Wollaston, Sam (18 April 2014). "Parking Mad; Posh Pawn; Protecting Our Parents – TV review". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (13 November 2014). "Liberty of London; Posh Pawn review – hard cash and a world of scarves". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ Jones, Ellen E. (17 April 2014). "Posh Pawn, TV review: The most interesting thing about this programme was its title". The Independent. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "Posh Pawn: 5 things we learnt from Channel 4's luxury pawnbroking show". Daily Mirror. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ^ "Posh Pawn: 5 things we learnt from Channel 4's luxury pawnbroking show". Daily Mirror. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ^ "Watch Posh Pawn Season 6 Full Episodes Online". Plex TV. Retrieved 22 July 2026.