Nicky Illis: Television producer & Antiques Roadshow director dies aged 53 after cancer battle

Nicky Illis, a director and television producer for Fake or Fortune and Antiques Roadshow, has died aged 53 after a cancer battle. Illis began her career on The Late Show in the 1990s, and by her early twenties she was directing history shows including One Foot In The Past and The House Detectives, where she used detective work to solve historical mysteries. Illis worked as a film contributor for BBC1's Omnibus series for many years, having spent the 1990s and 2000s in London with the BBC's Arts unit. These included a piece on the Harry Potter phenomenon that was released together with the first film, a surreal investigation of the enduring appeal of The Great Gatsby that included well-known authors like Jay McInerney and Hunter S. Thompson, and an aesthetically stunning analysis of Monet's paintings and how they relate to commercialisation in the art world. Her notable projects included the drama documentary The Real Jane Austen, which starred Anna Chancellor, and A Picture of Britain, a David Dimbleby series that examined the country's scenery and artwork, as well as its sequel, How We Built Britain. After moving to Bristol in 2009, Illis worked with executive producer Simon Shaw and art expert Philip Mould on Antiques Roadshow. This collaboration resulted in the development of a new investigative art series called Sleuth, which was inspired by Mould's book.

The long-running Fake or Fortune has its roots in Illis's vision and determination. With her leadership, the format quickly took shape following a pilot episode that focused on an image from Antiques Roadshow. 2011 saw the premiere of the first episode, which featured extensive study, critical scientific analysis, insider knowledge of the inner workings of the art world, and frequently controversial findings. Illis produced and directed many episodes on painters including Turner, Constable, Vuillard, Henry Moore, William and Ben Nicholson throughout the course of 10 series. Her investigation into Turner's work resulted in numerous paintings being restored to the National Museum of Wales, and her episode on a fictitious Renoir picture attracted the highest-ever viewership for the programme - nearly 6 million viewers. Earlier this year, during a brief break from the cancer that would eventually take her life, Illis directed a new episode with Philip Mould and Fiona Bruce, two presenters she had worked with for years and developed a close friendship with.

Leading a tribute, Bruce described Illis as an “irreplaceable talent” in an obituary written by BBC Studios, published in Broadcast Now. She said: “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.”

Fake or Fortune series editor Robert Murphy said: “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 hand, 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.”

Illis is survived by her husband Seb and their children Luke and Eliza.