Auctioneer and Antiques Roadshow star Theo Burrell has become Drop 40 hit number ten, and the fourth in a row to succumb to glioblastoma.
She started out with the Edinburgh based auction house Lyon & Turnbull as one of their antiques specialists, having previously worked for the company’s viewing team while studying her degree. She joined the Antiques Roadshow in 2018 as one of their specialists, focusing on ceramics and decorative arts. She described her dream find to be a 16th century maiolica dish by Francesco Xanto Avelli due to having sold one earlier in her career and falling in love with it, but fate has cruelly robbed us of being taught what such a thing is.
Theo was making her third appearance on the DDP, having made the Drop 40 every time due to her 2023 cancer announcement. Just 35 years old when she got the dreaded diagnosis, she managed to fight it for an impressive four years in the end. She would spend the time as many do in this digital age, documenting the journey on social media and fundraising for brain cancer research. The news that her battle was sadly over broke on her Instagram account last night, with husband Alex reflecting on life events they never thought they’d get to see together, signing off with a message of hope I’d feel remiss not to share. Hope that the statistics aren’t gospel, and that one day they’ll be very different.
So, on to the sicko’s such as me who get the points then. Theo was the fourth most popular pick this year, scoring for 99 teams and squeaking into the top 50 biggest hits in the competitions history, at the expense of Charlton Heston. She also puts a new team on top for both scoreboards, with the long stretch for Pretty Noose coming to an end after 143 days. At 150 days on top total, at least they make it into the silver tier of DDP leaders as a consolation! Their replacement was also their predecessor, with brief February leader I Will Not Die, it’s the World that Will End! reclaiming the top spot due to choosing her as their joker.
As for the Theme Teams, I can only assume it’s the Théo river in Canada that led to her selection by Nature’s Way, and the joker bonus combined with the earlier news of Ken Bates reaching his expiry date gives them a five point lead over the usurped Elton Welsby’s Sporting Triangles. Plenty yet to play for as we head into the second half of the year, with three different jokers still in play in the top 10.
Every day we make is a bit of a win for us and a ‘GET LOST!’ to the illness!
Theo Burrell, Drop 40 #4
1986 – July 8 2026
75 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀+40 = 13 Points
24 Teams 🃏 = 26 Points