If you’ve found Bella + Ollie Art through The Big Deal with Steph McGovern, welcome. You may have watched us navigating auctions, interiors, art fairs, online selling and eventually the final stages of the competition on BBC Two. Six episodes later, we wanted to share what happened after the cameras stopped rolling, and how the experience has continued to shape the business we’re building today.
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern was a six-part BBC Two art competition produced by Stellify Media for BBC Arts and BBC Northern Ireland. Presented by Steph McGovern, the series followed seven pairs of aspiring art dealers as they took on a series of challenges across different areas of the art world, with £50,000 worth of British art ultimately up for grabs.
Six episodes, six very different challenges
Across the six episodes, we were thrown into a surprisingly broad mix of the art world. We began with emerging artists and an auction before moving into luxury interiors, limited edition prints and the art fair world in Margate. We then explored how art is bought and sold online through an Artsy auction, before taking on our semi-final challenge: curating artwork for the cabaret bar aboard Queen Anne. The final brought everything together at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea, where we created and sold our own gallery stand.
Looking back, it was the variety of those challenges that made the experience so valuable. We had to think about artists, collectors, pricing, presentation, interiors, storytelling and the different ways artwork can reach an audience. Rather than simply learning how to sell art, we began to understand the many different relationships that can exist between an artist, their work and the person who eventually collects it.
If you’d like to revisit the challenges in more detail, we’ve shared our experience of each episode on the Bella + Ollie Art journal, including the artists we worked with, the decisions we made and some of what happened behind the scenes.
What we took from The Big Deal
One of the biggest things The Big Deal with Steph McGovern reinforced for us is that choosing art is about so much more than simply finding something you like. The story behind an artist, the feeling a piece creates, the space it will live in and the connection you have with it all play a part in finding the right artwork. The series introduced us to different ways of discovering and buying art, but it also strengthened our belief that art should feel personal and exciting rather than intimidating. Whether you’re looking for a statement piece for your home, something to bring personality to an interior, or simply an artwork that you can’t stop thinking about, that is the kind of experience we want to create at Bella + Ollie Art.
The artists from The Big Deal we now represent
One of the most exciting things to come out of the series has been the relationships we've built with artists whose work we encountered during filming. Three in particular have become part of the Bella + Ollie Art story: Maximillian Boxer, Charlie Evaristo-Boyce and Russell Hatton.
Their work is very different, but that is exactly what we love about them. Each artist has a distinctive visual language, a strong sense of identity and a story that adds another layer to the artwork itself.
Charlie Evaristo-Boyce: bold contemporary screen prints from Margate
If you watched the series closely, you may recognise Charlie Evaristo-Boyce's work appearing throughout The Big Deal. His prints were sold by Darren and Charles during the series, first in Margate and later again at the Affordable Art Fair during the final challenge.
One particular print kept making an appearance: AMAZING.
We loved seeing Charlie's work repeatedly throughout the series, and it prompted us to find out more about the artist behind it. We subsequently contacted Charlie ourselves, and we're now proud to represent his limited edition prints through Bella + Ollie Art.
Charlie is a contemporary British artist and printmaker known for bold graphic screen prints, vibrant colour and layered compositions that combine typography, found imagery and visual references from popular culture. His work balances handmade craftsmanship with a distinctly contemporary graphic language, making it immediately recognisable.
His handmade screen printing process is an important part of what makes the work so interesting. Each piece is built in layers, with the subtle imperfections of the process giving the editions their own individuality. The word “Amazing”, which became a recurring motif in the series, originated from a 1950s motorcycle advertisement and has become one of Charlie's recognisable visual signatures.
We love that his work can make a strong statement within an interior while still feeling playful. The colour, typography and nostalgia give his prints an energy that works particularly well for collectors looking for contemporary art with personality.
Explore the Charlie Evaristo-Boyce Collection
View more
Russell Hatton: contemporary abstract art, colour and craftsmanship
Russell Hatton featured in Episode 2, when our challenge centred around sourcing art for luxury interiors. Our team sourced and sold Russell's work as part of that challenge, giving us an early opportunity to see how his artwork could work within a carefully designed space.
Since filming, our relationship with Russell has continued to grow beyond the television series. We have since worked with him on events with Bentley Bristol and Lamborghini Tunbridge Wells, bringing his contemporary abstract artwork into luxury automotive environments. ( pictured above!)
That crossover makes sense when you see the work up close. Russell creates large-scale abstract pieces using materials including aluminium panels, automotive paints, gold leaf and high-gloss lacquer. The surfaces interact with light, colour and reflection, giving the work a depth that changes depending on its surroundings.
It is this relationship between art, design, craftsmanship and environment that particularly interests us about Russell's work. His pieces can hold their own within a sophisticated interior, but they also change depending on the light and space around them.
His work isn't currently available to purchase directly through our online gallery, but if you have seen a piece of Russell's artwork that you would like to enquire about, get in touch with us and we can discuss available works.
You can also read more about our collaborations with Russell here.
Maximillian Boxer: a Margate artist with a playful graphic style
We met Maximillian Boxer during Episode 3 of The Big Deal with Steph McGovern, when the challenge took us to Margate's Dreamland print fair.
Max is a multidisciplinary Margate artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, stencil and spray techniques and digital media. His work often draws on nostalgia, humour and a strong sense of place, transforming familiar subjects and everyday observations into bold contemporary compositions.
His printmaking practice particularly caught our attention. Max uses layered stencil and spray-paint techniques to reduce images down to their essential shapes, colours and forms, creating graphic artworks that feel both playful and considered. There is a sense of recognition in his work, but it is never simply nostalgic; the familiar becomes something fresh and contemporary.
That combination is exactly why we wanted to continue working with him after the show.
His work has the ability to bring personality into a home without taking itself too seriously. For us, that makes his limited edition prints particularly exciting for collectors looking for contemporary art that feels distinctive, accessible and full of character.
Explore the Maximillan Boxer Collection
View more
What happened after The Big Deal with Steph McGovern?
For us, the end of the television series was never really the end of the story. If anything, it was the point where everything we had experienced began to translate into the business we were building and the kind of art world we wanted to be part of.
One of the most special things to come from the show has been the relationships that continued beyond it. Cordelia de Freitas and Matt Carey-Williams, who we met through the series, are now mentors to us in real life, which has been an incredibly meaningful part of our journey.
At the heart of it, though, Bella + Ollie Art is very much a reflection of the two of us. Bella's background is in fashion, creative direction and storytelling, while Ollie's experience in interiors brings a different perspective on how art works within a space. As siblings, we've always naturally complemented each other's skill sets, and bringing those perspectives together has shaped the way we approach art dealing and curation.
We can think about the story behind an artist and their work, but also about how that artwork will actually live within someone's home, hospitality space or interior. That combination has become a big part of what makes Bella + Ollie Art feel so natural.
Today, we're continuing to build relationships directly with artists, introduce their work to new collectors and explore the different places contemporary art can belong, from private homes and interiors to hospitality, events and luxury spaces. For us, it's about making the process of discovering and buying art feel personal, considered and genuinely exciting.
The artists we work with are at the centre of that. Max, Charlie and Russell are three very different examples of the kind of work we're drawn to, and their connection to The Big Deal makes their place within the Bella + Ollie story particularly special.
Ultimately, the show gave us much more than six episodes of television. It introduced us to artists and people within the art world who have continued to shape our journey, while giving us the confidence to take what we'd learned and build something of our own. The Big Deal may have finished, but for Bella + Ollie Art, it is only the beginning.
Sign up below to follow the journey - and be the first to hear about our gallery space coming Spring 2027.
Discover the artists we’re championing
Elfyn Lewis
Elfyn Lewis
Charlie Evartisto- Boyce
Charlie Evartisto- Boyce
Maximillian Boxer
Maximillian Boxer
Who were the winners of The Big Deal with Steph McGovern?
The winners ofThe Big Deal with Steph McGovern were Gavin and Liam, the Belfast duo. They made it through the final stages of the competition and ultimately won the £50,000 prize of British art.
What was The Big Deal with Steph McGovern about?
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern was a six-part BBC Two series following seven pairs of aspiring art dealers as they took on challenges across the contemporary art world. The contestants had to discover artists, buy and sell artwork, negotiate with artists and buyers, and demonstrate the creative and commercial skills needed to succeed in art dealing.
Who presented The Big Deal with Steph McGovern?
The series was presented by Steph McGovern, with art dealer and art fair director Cordelia de Freitas acting as the series mentor alongside a number of industry experts and guest judges: Matt Carey-willaims, Margo McDavid, Peter Staunton and Double Decker.
Who produced The Big Deal with Steph McGovern?
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern was produced by Stellify Media, the Belfast-based independent production company, for BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Northern Ireland. The programme was co-commissioned by BBC Arts and BBC Northern Ireland.
Which artists were featured on The Big Deal with Steph McGovern?
A wide range of artists appeared throughout the series, with artwork featuring across the different challenges. For Bella + Ollie Art, three artists have a particularly strong connection to the programme: Maximillian Boxer, Charlie Evaristo-Boyce and Russell Hatton.
We met Max during the Margate print fair challenge, Charlie's work appeared throughout the series and Russell's work featured in the interior design challenge.
Where can I buy art from the artists featured on BBC 2's The Big Deal with Steph McGovern?
You can explore selected artwork by artists featured on The Big Deal with Steph McGovern through Bella + Ollie Art, including limited edition prints by Maximillian Boxer and Charlie Evaristo-Boyce.
If you're looking for a particular piece by Russell Hatton, or saw an artwork on the programme that you'd like to enquire about, you can contact us directly and we'll be happy to help.
Where can I watch The Big Deal with Steph McGovern?
The series was broadcast on BBC Two and is available through BBC iPlayer in the UK- every epsiode is also available on Steph Mcgoverns Youtube channel worldwide.
What happened to siblings Bella and Ollie after The Big Deal?
After filming finished, we continued developing Bella + Ollie Art, building relationships with artists and collectors and developing the business into an online contemporary art gallery and art curation platform.
The television series gave us the opportunity to experience many different sides of the art world. Since then, we've been taking those lessons into our work with artists, collectors, interiors and creative collaborations.
If you've found us through The Big Deal with Steph McGovern, we hope you'll stay a little longer and explore the artists we've discovered along the way.
Follow the Journey of Bella + Ollie Art on The Big Deal with Steph McGovern BBC 2
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern BBC 2 | Bella + Ollie
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern: Siblings Bella and Ollie, The Artists We Met & What Came Next
What happened to Bella + Ollie after The Big Deal with Steph McGovern? Discover the artists we work with, what we learnt from the BBC art competition and how the...
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern: Siblings Bella and Ollie, The Artists We Met & What Came Next
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern: Siblings Bella and Ollie, The Artists We Met & What Came Next
|Isabella Sheppard
0 comments