Sir Winston Churchill

A man who paid a fraction of that could make a life-changing amount if the picture of Clemintine Churchill is proved to have been painted by the revered wartime Prime Minister

An amateur art collector who claims he has found a lost painting by Sir Winston Churchill is told it could be worth more than £600,000.

Barry James appears on the BBC1 show Fake Or Fortune tonight (MON) with his intriguing picture. He tells presenter Fiona Bruce and international art dealer Phil Mould that he picked it up for just £140 in an antiques market in Ardingly near Gatwick, three years ago because he liked ‘the colours and composition’.

But it was only later when it took it out of the frame that he found a mysterious inscription on the back which read: “This painting of Mrs Winston Churchill on wall of sunken garden at Hurstmonceux (CORR) Castle, Sussex, by The Right Hon. Winston S Churchill. June 1916.”

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It shows what is thought to be Sir Winston’s wife Clementine perched on a wall reading a book in the pink flowered gardens of the castle. Barry, from West Sussex, hopes the BBC series, returning for its 13th run, can validate it.

In the BBC show, shocked Barry is told that paintings by Churchill – who was British PM from 1940-45 and 1951-55 – can fetch millions of pounds. In 2021 Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie sold one – The Tower Of The Koutoubia Mosque, painted in Marrakesh during WWII – for a record £7million.

And Barry is informed that if his picture is found to be an original then at auction it could make more than £600,000. The TV duo embark on a search to find out if the artist really was war leader Churchill. Records show how he took up painting in 1915 – in water colours to begin with and later in oils – after he had completed his military service during WW1 and narrowly escaped death.

He looked on his new hobby as something that took him away from the stress of his high powered life and it became a source of relaxation. Fiona, 61, delves into a book written by his friend Violet Bonham Carter called Winston Churchill As I Knew Him, in which she mentions that the politician stayed at the castle with his paints and brushes.

The author even writes that he was there as a guest in 1916 – but she mentions August rather than June. Undeterred, Fiona visits the castle to locate the exact spot where Clementine would have sat on the wall in the garden to be painted.

Meanwhile art dealer Phil does some digging to check that it is not stolen – and gets the all clear. A further mystery is uncovered when the artwork is x-rayed and another painting is discovered underneath. Experts believe it looks like a painting of a castle – possibly the very one where Winston and his wife stayed.

This news is not unwelcome as the statesman was well-known for re-using canvases. But some doubt is thrown into the mix when it is discovered that the handwriting on the back is not Churchill’s but that of Conservative politician Colonel Claude Lowther, who bought Herstmonceux and restored it – and invited his friend to stay there in 1916.

Barry, who is married and is a carer with a disabled son, admits: “If the painting is real, I’d probably end up reluctantly selling it, obviously for the family. We have always wanted to go to Niagara Falls. Our son is disabled and I think he’d enjoy something like that.” Viewers can find out if the painting is real on the new series of Fake Or Fortune, tonight at 9pm.

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U and U&Drama’s new historical series Outrageous has scored rave reviews, but will the Mitford sisters’ story continue?

The cast of Outrageous are all keen to return for a second series of the gripping historical drama following its premiere this week.

Releasing this Thursday (19th June) on U, U&Drama and BritBox, the six-part first outing follows Nancy Mitford (played by Bessie Carter) and her five sisters’ ascent to notoriety in the 1930s.

While Nancy was becoming a reputable author and journalist, her sisters were either breaking the rules of society or rubbing shoulders with fascists.

After taking off the rose-tinted glasses for a key era of British history, will Outrageous continue the scandalous narrative in a second outing?

Acclaimed star James Purefoy, who portrays the Mitfords’ father, insists: “They’d be mad not to, I think.”

Reach chatted to Purefoy and the rest of the cast at the show’s London premiere, and enthusiasm to continue was high across the board.

“I think it’s a great show and there’s a lot more meat on these bones,” he continued. “We’re only at 1937, with loads more to come.”

Along with Bridgerton star Carter portraying Nancy, the Mitford family is brought to life by a crop of both established stars and new talent to watch out for.

In addition to Anna Chancellor portraying their dedicated mother, Joanna Vanderham and Shannon Watson portray fascist sympathisers Diana and Unity and Isobel Jesper Jones plays Pamela Mitford, who defied gender norms of the time.

Zoe Brough and Orla Hill portray the youngest sisters, Jessica and Deborah and, finally, Toby Regbo portrays the only brother, Tom Mitford.

Jones teases of a potential second season: “There is so much history to cover. It’s the tip of the iceberg, there’s so much more they go on to do.

“Pamela’s story, in particular, is so interesting beyond the 1930s. I really hope that we’ll get to do that. If anything it gets more chaotic and more outrageous.”

And Hill was equally enthusiastic to return, saying: “I would love to.

“I’m desperate to because Deborah starts to come out to society and then had a crazy, teenage… her sweet 16 was pretty [crazy], hanging out with the Kennedys.

“One of the most interesting things about Outrageous is you have all those really famous historical figures that we know just trickling in,” she added.

“Having some of that for my character’s storyline would be really fun.”

From the first episode’s surprise appearance of Winston Churchill (Robert Daws), it’s clear the Mitfords were one of the most well-connected families in Britain during the early 20th Century.

With plenty more history to cover, a second season could feature cameos galore from famous faces as well as plenty more scandalous revelations about the Mitfords.

Outrageous is available to stream on U, U&Drama and BritBox.