Ballinamallard metal detectorist to feature on new Channel 5 show

Hosted by Dan Walker, accompanied by Raksha Dave and Michaela Strachan, the new Channel 5 series ‘Digging For Treasure’ will follow a team of detectorists and experts as they “peel back the layers of history”.

Throughout the series, a number of hobby metal detectorists from across the UK will be featured, including Fermanagh’s Daniel, who was discovered by producers via his YouTube channel, ‘Dans Digs’, at https://youtube.com/c/Dans_digs.

Metal detectorist Daniel Verner.

“I do metal detecting and I have a YouTube channel with it; it’s only a small thing but this person from the production team messaged me and said they were doing a TV show, and wanted to get a couple of people from around the country to do a wee feature for them, and if I would be interested?

“”I thought, ‘Why not?’ Sure, it’d be a bit of craic,” said Daniel, talking to The Impartial Reporter, explaining how his involvement in the show came about.

Noting that he only recorded the clip last week, Daniel explained that he was told that the show has a “pretty quick turnaround”.

“The episode is airing this Friday so it was a very quick turnaround,” he said.

Inspired by the TV show ‘The Detectorists’ starring Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook, Daniel took up metal detecting four years ago.

“I watched The Detectorists and thought, ‘That looks like fun’. I love history, so I thought I’d give it a go and sure enough it stuck,” he said, adding: “I find metal detecting great for my mental health, and I love to just get out into the field after a busy week in work.”

When metal detecting in his local area, Daniel noted that it’s very important that he asks for permission from the land owner.

Daniel Verner.

“It’s all private permissions – that’s the only way you can do it, legally. You get farmers’ permissions and then you go out in their field, and if you find something worth anything, it’s a 50-50 split, 50 per cent to the farmer and 50 per cent to the detectorist,” explained Daniel.

He added with a laugh: “But I’ve found nothing of [great value] yet!”

Talking about what he has found over the years, he said: “I’ve found some coins and military stuff, old badges from soldiers that have dropped them off their berets.

“I found an old coin – it’s 332 years old, and it’s actually King William on it, King Billy, of all people! It’s a silver half crown. I’ve found bits and pieces here and there.”

He went on to explain that for the feature in the upcoming TV show, he filmed himself metal detecting in his father-in-law’s field in Ballinamallard.

A coin Daniel found while metal detectoring.

“[In the clip] I had to say who I was, where I’m from, how long I’ve been doing it for, and then a piece of me going into the field and hopefully finding something.

“Sure enough, I found a coin when I was doing it,” Daniel told The Impartial Reporter.

Catch Daniel in the new series ‘Digging For Treasure’ airing on Channel 5 at 9pm on Friday night.