# Theo Burrell
**Theo Burrell** (Theodora Helen Burrell; 1986 – 8 July 2026) was a British antiques specialist, auctioneer and television expert, known as a ceramics and decorative arts specialist on the BBC program *Antiques Roadshow* and as a campaigner for brain tumour research after her diagnosis with glioblastoma in 2022.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Theodora Helen Burrell, known as Theo[1](https://www.aol.com/articles/theo-burrell-popular-antiques-roadshow-125031000.html) |
| Born / died | Born 1986 in Edinburgh, Scotland; died 8 July 2026, aged 39[1](https://www.aol.com/articles/theo-burrell-popular-antiques-roadshow-125031000.html) • [2](https://pocketmags.com/us/antiques-trade-gazette-magazine/2754/articles/obituary-theo-burrell-1986-2026) |
| Auction career | Joined Lyon & Turnbull in July 2011; first took the rostrum as an auctioneer in October 2012[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf) |
| Specialisms | European ceramics, glass, fine furniture, decorative arts, design objects of the late 19th and 20th centuries, and taxidermy[4](https://www.aol.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-says-she-100823207.html) |
| Television | Expert on BBC *Antiques Roadshow* from 2018[5](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-theo-burrell-093104266.html) |
| Diagnosis | Grade four glioblastoma diagnosed in June 2022, a tumour type with a typical life expectancy of 12 to 18 months[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf) • [5](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-theo-burrell-093104266.html) |
| Advocacy | Patron of Brain Tumour Research from November 2023[6](https://insightm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brain-Tumour-Research-Impact-Report-2025.pdf) |
## Early life and education
Burrell was born in Edinburgh in 1986, the daughter of Ian Burrell, a senior figure in the insurance industry, and his wife Marion. Her grandmother was an art teacher and her aunt an illustrator[1](https://www.aol.com/articles/theo-burrell-popular-antiques-roadshow-125031000.html). She was a kinswoman of the shipping magnate and collector Sir William Burrell (1861–1958), whose collection forms the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, and she later wrote the foreword to his biography, *A Collector's Life* (2022)[1](https://www.aol.com/articles/theo-burrell-popular-antiques-roadshow-125031000.html).
Her connection to the auction trade began early. During her time at Ipswich School, her summers in Edinburgh were spent employed by Lyon & Turnbull and serving as an attendant at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art[1](https://www.aol.com/articles/theo-burrell-popular-antiques-roadshow-125031000.html). She took an MA in History and an MLitt in Decorative Arts, both at the [University of Glasgow](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-glasgow), and interned at Lyon & Turnbull during her postgraduate studies[2](https://pocketmags.com/us/antiques-trade-gazette-magazine/2754/articles/obituary-theo-burrell-1986-2026).
## Career at Lyon & Turnbull
**Auction house career.** Burrell formally joined Lyon & Turnbull, the Edinburgh auction house established in 1826, in July 2011, after summers spent with the viewing staff as a teenager[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf). She took to the rostrum for the first time in October 2012[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf). According to her firm's obituary notice, she initially worked on the seasonal antiques sales, went on to develop the Interiors sale format, and then became a key part of the Fine Furniture & Works of Art team, specializing in European ceramics, glass and decorative arts[2](https://pocketmags.com/us/antiques-trade-gazette-magazine/2754/articles/obituary-theo-burrell-1986-2026). Her sales remit covered the Five Centuries, Design Since 1860 and Scottish Works of Art sales[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf). She told the *Antiques Trade Gazette* that her real passion was 18th-century glass[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf).
## Antiques Roadshow
Burrell joined the BBC's *Antiques Roadshow* in 2018, becoming one of the program's youngest experts[5](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-theo-burrell-093104266.html). On the program, specialists travel to towns and cities across the UK to examine items brought in by the public and offer historical context and valuation[7](https://nonstop-news.com/latest-news/theo-burrell-dies-aged-39/). Burrell appeared in a handful of episodes each year, presenting segments as far afield as [Salford Quays](https://www.edgepedia.org/salford-quays) and Dundee[1](https://www.aol.com/articles/theo-burrell-popular-antiques-roadshow-125031000.html). Her approachable style and specialist knowledge made her a popular member of the team, and she was noted for explaining the significance of items in clear, engaging terms[8](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/remembering-theo-burrell-antiques-expert-brain-cancer-advocate-1808183).
## Illness and advocacy
**Diagnosis and treatment.** Burrell's symptoms began in December 2021, a few months after she had returned to work following the birth of her son Jonah, then just over a year old. She experienced what she took for migraines, visual disturbance, vomiting and progressively worsening vision[9](https://www.yahoo.com/news/m-37-terminal-cancer-m-100000679.html). After six months of GP visits she went to the A&E department of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on 7 June 2022, where a [CT scan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ct-scan) revealed a six-and-a-half centimeter cancerous tumour on her brain[10](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/more-awareness-of-brain-cancer-needed-after-it-took-edinburgh-mum-six-months-to-get-diagnosis-5622871). The tumour was a grade four glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer with a typical life expectancy of 12 to 18 months[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf) • [5](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-theo-burrell-093104266.html). She was told she would have about three months to live without surgery[11](https://braintumourresearch.org/blogs/in-our-hearts/theo-burrell?_pos=1&_sid=aa5624523&_ss=r).
On 13 June 2022 she underwent surgery using 5-ALA, a drug taken before the operation that makes tumour cells glow pink under ultraviolet light; the surgeon removed over 90 percent of the tumour[11](https://braintumourresearch.org/blogs/in-our-hearts/theo-burrell?_pos=1&_sid=aa5624523&_ss=r). She then had radiotherapy and chemotherapy, finishing treatment in March 2023, followed by six months of chemotherapy with [Temozolomide](https://www.edgepedia.org/temozolomide)[9](https://www.yahoo.com/news/m-37-terminal-cancer-m-100000679.html) • [11](https://braintumourresearch.org/blogs/in-our-hearts/theo-burrell?_pos=1&_sid=aa5624523&_ss=r). Her scans remained stable for a period, and in late 2024 a scan showed the tumour had resumed growth, requiring a second operation[12](https://www.thesocialpost.it/2026/07/14/addio-alla-famosissima-della-tv-il-triste-annuncio-dolore/).
**Campaigning.** Burrell became a patron of the charity Brain Tumour Research in November 2023[6](https://insightm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brain-Tumour-Research-Impact-Report-2025.pdf). Her campaign work focused on increasing government funding for brain tumour research, faster diagnosis and wider access to clinical trials[8](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/remembering-theo-burrell-antiques-expert-brain-cancer-advocate-1808183). In June 2023 her colleagues at Lyon & Turnbull organized a week-long online auction titled "Piece of Mind" that raised £77,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity; she said the fundraising method united her two worlds as an antiques specialist and a brain tumour patient[3](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf). She also spoke publicly about diagnosis delays, noting that around 70 percent of Scots with a brain tumour receive their diagnosis in A&E after it is missed by GPs[10](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/more-awareness-of-brain-cancer-needed-after-it-took-edinburgh-mum-six-months-to-get-diagnosis-5622871). In March 2024 she spoke at a Brain Tumour Research reception at the [Scottish Parliament](https://www.edgepedia.org/scottish-parliament) during Brain Tumour Awareness Month[13](https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/foi-eir-release/2024/04/foi-202400404760/documents/foi-202400404760---information-released---doc-1-briefing/foi-202400404760---information-released---doc-1-briefing/govscot%3Adocument/FOI%2B202400404760%2B-%2BInformation%2BReleased%2B-%2BDoc%2B1%2BBriefing.pdf).
She spoke candidly about her cancer online, sharing news of her therapy along with her fears and optimism, and this account drew a following in the thousands, among them others who had received comparable diagnoses.[8](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/remembering-theo-burrell-antiques-expert-brain-cancer-advocate-1808183)
## Death and legacy
Burrell died on 8 July 2026, aged 39, at home surrounded by her family; her family said neither she nor her medical team had foreseen such a rapid decline[2](https://pocketmags.com/us/antiques-trade-gazette-magazine/2754/articles/obituary-theo-burrell-1986-2026) • [14](https://www.sunshineradio.co.uk/news/uk-news/antiques-roadshow-star-theo-burrell-dies-aged-39/). She had lived nearly four years beyond the 12-to-18-month prognosis given at diagnosis[5](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-theo-burrell-093104266.html). Her family noted that she had seen milestones including her son's first day at school and her wedding[14](https://www.sunshineradio.co.uk/news/uk-news/antiques-roadshow-star-theo-burrell-dies-aged-39/). Tributes followed from viewers, colleagues across the antiques trade and the television industry, and the chief executive of Brain Tumour Research described her as "phenomenal, determined and truly inspiring"[14](https://www.sunshineradio.co.uk/news/uk-news/antiques-roadshow-star-theo-burrell-dies-aged-39/). The *Antiques Roadshow* broadcast a tribute to her later that month[15](https://uk.headtopics.com/antiques-roadshow).
## Personal life
Burrell lived in East Lothian, Scotland, with her partner Alex, whom she married on 28 March 2026 in an intimate ceremony in Edinburgh after thirteen years together[16](https://spectrumfm.net/theo-burrell-wedding/). Their son Jonah was 19 months old at the time of her diagnosis[10](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/more-awareness-of-brain-cancer-needed-after-it-took-edinburgh-mum-six-months-to-get-diagnosis-5622871). She was survived by her husband, her son, her parents Ian and Marion, and her brother Tom[17](https://memoritree.com/memorial/theo-burrell).
## References
1. [Theo Burrell, popular Antiques Roadshow expert and dedicated campaigner for brain tumour research, The Telegraph (via AOL)](https://www.aol.com/articles/theo-burrell-popular-antiques-roadshow-125031000.html)
2. [Obituary – Theo Burrell (1986–2026), Antiques Trade Gazette](https://pocketmags.com/us/antiques-trade-gazette-magazine/2754/articles/obituary-theo-burrell-1986-2026)
3. [Specialist supports brain tumour research charity, Antiques Trade Gazette, The Back Page](https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/98726/atg_2623.pdf)
4. [Antiques Roadshow expert says she's 'facing reality' in emotional cancer update (via AOL)](https://www.aol.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-says-she-100823207.html)
5. [Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell dies after brain cancer battle, Yahoo News / PA](https://nz.news.yahoo.com/antiques-roadshow-expert-theo-burrell-093104266.html)
6. [Brain Tumour Research, Closer to a Cure – 15 Years of Impact, Impact Report 2025](https://insightm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brain-Tumour-Research-Impact-Report-2025.pdf)
7. [Theo Burrell dies aged 39, BBC News (report)](https://nonstop-news.com/latest-news/theo-burrell-dies-aged-39/)
8. [Who was Theo Burrell? Antiques Roadshow Expert's Career, Husband, Health Journey, and Death at 39, IBTimes UK](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/remembering-theo-burrell-antiques-expert-brain-cancer-advocate-1808183)
9. [Antiques Roadshow's Theo Burrell: 'I'm 37 with terminal cancer', Yahoo / The i Paper](https://www.yahoo.com/news/m-37-terminal-cancer-m-100000679.html)
10. [More awareness of brain cancer needed after it took Edinburgh mum six months to get diagnosis, Edinburgh News](https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/health/more-awareness-of-brain-cancer-needed-after-it-took-edinburgh-mum-six-months-to-get-diagnosis-5622871)
11. [Theo Burrell, Brain Tumour Stories, Brain Tumour Research](https://braintumourresearch.org/blogs/in-our-hearts/theo-burrell?_pos=1&_sid=aa5624523&_ss=r)
12. [Addio alla famosa della tv, il triste annuncio, The Social Post (Italian)](https://www.thesocialpost.it/2026/07/14/addio-alla-famosissima-della-tv-il-triste-annuncio-dolore/)
13. [Brain Tumour Awareness Month – Wear A Hat Day Photocall and Reception, Scottish Government FOI release](https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/foi-eir-release/2024/04/foi-202400404760/documents/foi-202400404760---information-released---doc-1-briefing/foi-202400404760---information-released---doc-1-briefing/govscot%3Adocument/FOI%2B202400404760%2B-%2BInformation%2BReleased%2B-%2BDoc%2B1%2BBriefing.pdf)
14. [Antiques Roadshow star Theo Burrell dies aged 39, Sky News (via Sunshine Radio)](https://www.sunshineradio.co.uk/news/uk-news/antiques-roadshow-star-theo-burrell-dies-aged-39/)
15. [United Kingdom News – Antiques Roadshow, Head Topics](https://uk.headtopics.com/antiques-roadshow)
16. [Theo Burrell wedding: Edinburgh vows after glioblastoma diagnosis, Spectrum FM](https://spectrumfm.net/theo-burrell-wedding/)
17. [Theo Burrell Obituary, MemoriTree](https://memoritree.com/memorial/theo-burrell)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Visual arts and design › Visual arts institutions, education, and awards › Art market, exhibitions, and awards*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license