Colin Firth’s wet shirt from famous Pride and Prejudice scene sells at auction for eye-watering amount

It’s one of the most famous scenes in British TV history — the moment Colin Firth strode out of a lake wearing a wet shirt in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

The scene in which Firth’s brooding heartthrob Mr Darcy emerges from a pond, startling soon-to-be true love Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), was once voted the UK’s most memorable television moment.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: The famous ‘wet shirt’ scene in Pride and Prejudice.

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Recently, Firth’s famous shirt was sold at auction in the UK — and the price one fan paid for it was eye-watering indeed.

Before it was sold, auctioneers had estimated the white linen shirt’s value at around $A13,000 to $20,000.

But it sold for a whopping $A48,750 as part of a charitable sale of film and TV costumes in London on Tuesday.

The name of the buyer of Mr Darcy’s famous shirt has not been disclosed.

Of course, in Jane Austen’s 1813 novel, there was no scene that described the dashing Mr Darcy emerging from a swim in his private lake, dripping wet.

Such a thing would have been unthinkable for a woman to write about in 19th century England, even when penning a sweeping romantic drama.

But that didn’t stop the writers of the hugely popular BBC adaptation from throwing in the sexy scene, which sent collective hearts aflutter when it went to air.

Overnight, Firth became a sex symbol, later making fun of the scene via a cheeky reference in Bridget Jones’ Diary, in which Firth played Mark Darcy — a play, of course, on the role that had made him famous.

The wet shirt scene was also re-imagined in hit Netflix period romance Bridgerton in a scene featuring British actor Jonathan Bailey.

The so-called “Lights, Camera, Auction” sale was held in London by Kerry Taylor Auctions.

Taylor said the auction was “a wonderful opportunity to own a piece of screen history”.

Outfits from other period dramas such as Poldark, Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey also went under the hammer, along with costumes worn by Madonna in Evita, Johnny Depp in Sleepy Hollow and Heath Ledger’s masquerade ball costume from Casanova.

Sales from the auction went to The Bright Foundation, an arts education charity founded by Academy Award-winning costume designer John Bright which helps children and young people facing disadvantage.

“My life’s work has been committed to costume design for film, TV and theater, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to pursue this path,” Bright said.

“It is my firmly held belief that the arts and creativity can shape happier and healthier children and enable young people to reach their full potential.”

An online auction is also running until March 10, featuring film and TV-related celebrity memorabilia.

One of the lots for sale is a signed script from another immensely popular romantic tale — the 2003 movie Love Actually, which also just so happens to star Colin Firth.

– With AAP