Former BBC Breakfast presenter Steph McGovern has landed a brand new BBC series five years after quitting the Corporation for Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch
Steph McGovern at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle (Image: Simon Greener/Newcastle Chronicle)
Steph McGovern has secured her third presenting gig with the BBC, fronting a fresh series where enthusiastic art aficionados vie to become major players in the dealing world. The former BBC Breakfast presenter left the broadcaster in 2019 and spent three years at the helm of Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4 until its cancellation in 2023.
She’s now been confirmed as presenter of the new programme The Big Deal, which sees seven duos of novice art dealers go head-to-head for the opportunity to claim £50,000 worth of British artwork.
Not one of the contestants has previously traded artworks in a professional capacity, and weekly they’ll encounter tasks designed to examine their abilities, ranging from identifying emerging talent to clinching a successful transaction.
The former BBC Breakfast business correspondent revealed to the Mirror: “While lots of people are happy to splash out on theatre tickets, music festivals or holidays abroad, spending time and money looking at or buying art can feel a bit more intimidating. This show dispels the myth that the art world is exclusive. I’m buzzing for you to see how our dealers, from all walks of life, get on when we take them into the heart of the art market, and along all the arteries that stem from it, with the ultimate aim of making money.”
The six-episode BBC Arts programme, scheduled to broadcast in primetime on BBC2 later next year, seeks to unravel the complexities of the international art marketplace. Participants’ performances will be assessed by art specialist Cordelia De Freitas alongside a judging panel featuring curator Matt Carey-Williams, artist Margo McDaid and digital marketing expert Ani Petrov, reports the Mirror.
Suzy Klein, BBC Arts boss, commented: “This series pulls back the curtain on one of the most fascinating but mysterious industries in the UK – the art market. Offering a fresh insight into how art is discovered, bought, and sold, The Big Deal with Steph McGovern is a brilliant example of how BBC Arts can demystify the creative industries and inspire the next generation of art-lovers and collectors, while having fun along the way.”
Stellify Media’s managing director, Kieran Doherty, remarked: “We’ve created a series that is visually exciting, tense, and full of real insights into contemporary art, and Steph is the perfect host.”
Recent months have seen Steph secure two additional BBC commissions. Last October, she became part of the established Crimewatch Live presenting team, before launching the 15-episode Farms 999 the following month – a BBC1 daytime programme exploring agricultural accidents, courageous rescues and countryside crime cases.
When revealing her BBC comeback with several projects via social media last summer, she expressed to her followers that she was “absolutely buzzing” and stated: “Thank you to everyone who has been sending me such lovely messages about my new TV stuff coming up (even though I haven’t told you what they are yet).”
The 43 year old mother of one was a familiar face on BBC Breakfast across eight years beginning in 2011. Following the conclusion of her Channel 4 magazine programme, she featured in Netflix’s reality offering Celebrity Bear Hunt.
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