Abergavenny

Joanna Page heads to Abergavenny, known as Wales’s food capital and gateway to the Brecon Beacons, but will it also prove a gateway to profit?

Taking on the challenge are Port Talbot-born Luke and his partner from across the bridge in Bristol, Claudia, competing to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. This showdown pits the couple against each other, and their very different shopping instincts quickly come into play. Claudia admits she has no real plan, preferring safe, wearable fashion, while Luke arrives determined to beat her to the best finds before she even sees them.

Paired with expert thrifters Jen and Mirain, they’re given £100 each and just 60 minutes to tackle Abergavenny’s 13 charity shops. Luke dives straight in, snapping up a 1970s leather Collins writing case and later taking punts on a brass Japanese telescope and vintage Dandy comics. His boldest decision comes when Mirain persuades him to buy a second-hand wedding dress – a surprise gamble, but will it pay off and bring in a profit?

Meanwhile, Claudia and Jen stick to quality and timeless appeal, picking up a sheepskin jacket, a Jaeger pinafore dress and carefully chosen fashion pieces. But while Claudia feels confident with clothing, she is forced out of her comfort zone when it comes to upcycling, eventually securing a solid oak sideboard just before Luke can claim it.

This episode is shaped by chaos: torrential rain, mounting pressure and a dramatic last-minute sprint back to the very first shop of the day. With seconds to spare, Luke finally tries to buy his upcycle item – a £10 three-tier table he had walked away from almost an hour earlier – making this the most frantic finish yet.

At the live-streamed auction, Luke surprises everyone with confident pitching and detailed descriptions, pushing his profits higher than expected. Claudia, calmer and more natural on camera, charms bidders with warmth and humour, though her restored sideboard only breaks even.

Full of relationship-fuelled rivalry, wet weather drama and last-gasp decisions, this is one of the most unpredictable episodes yet, proving that hesitation can be just as risky as taking a gamble.