Belfast contestants Gavin and Liam have won the first series of The Big Deal with Steph McGovern. The final episode aired on BBC One Northern Ireland and iPlayer on 16 September, followed by a broadcast on BBC Two on 17 September. The winners secured the title after pitching a six figure piece of art at the Frieze Sculpture outdoor exhibition in Regent's Park.
The finalists competed against two other teams. Ollie and Bella were the first to be eliminated in the finale. Gavin and Liam then faced Charles and Darren, a pair from South London, in the final task. This closing challenge required the contestants to present the artwork to a panel of industry experts. Series mentor Cordelia de Freitas selected the overall winners, supported by guest mentor Matt Carey-Williams.
Cordelia de Freitas stated that the winners had never entered an art gallery prior to the competition. The contestants previously competed in a challenge based in Margate. The series was produced by Stellify Media.
The production was co-commissioned by BBC Arts and BBC Northern Ireland. Funding for the project was provided with support from Northern Ireland Screen. The full series is currently available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.