Hundreds of people braced blistering heat in Bearwood to meet antiques guru and TV star David Dickinson.

The dapper Bargain Hunt and Dickinson’s Real Deal presenter reeled out some of his popular catchphrases and joked as he opened Rex Johnson and Sons.

The former HSBC Bank in High Street is between the Hagley Road and Sandon Road junctions of Bearwood Road.

“It is great to be here and meet all of these wonderful people,” he said yesterday.

“When you are on television, viewers get to know you personally and it is lovely to see people face-to-face.”

The self-styled Duke, dressed in a striped suit, encouraged punters to cash in on the soaring price of gold which has rocketed to a 30-year high.

“I would say that more and people are getting round to the idea of thinking about cashing in on gold and with the recession, it makes sense,” he said.

People will be able to sell unwanted jewellery at the second Rex Johnson branch in the Black Country – the other is in Birdcage Walk, Dudley. Dinner supervisor Elaine Richardson, aged 50, from Newlands Green in Smethwick took a gold ring to be valued.

“I think David Dickinson is fab,” she said. “I think he is great. He is such a nice, genuine person and I am really happy to be here to meet him.”

Peter Newby, 54, of Quinton was among the first in line to meet the tanned host.

He said: “David is a brilliant man and I love watching all of his television shows. It is good to see him coming to the Midlands.”

Managing director David Johnson says he was thrilled to open the store in Bearwood.

“The great thing about this branch is that all of the security measures we need in our branches, were already in place, because it was a bank,” he said. “We want buildings that suit our needs and which are at the heart of the community. This ticks all of the boxes. We are opening branches nationwide, but our heart remains in the Midlands.”