In a gripping finale, Chantelle Walsh was revealed as the winner of the BBC Studios produced Ultimate Wedding Planner.

Chantelle - a former Belfast hairdresser who turned to wedding planning following the pandemic - went head-to-head in an intense final with Toby Hawker – a former dancer from London - to create a regency extravaganza for couple Aaron and Ordain.

Earning rave reviews from the couple, both finalists received high fives from judge Fred Sirieix before he joined his fellow judges Sara Davies and Raj Somaiya to decide the winner.

Chantelle says: "Winning Ultimate Wedding Planner means the world to me. I gave it my all and I'm so happy with everything I achieved. I learnt so much from the judges and I'm now better equipped and more experienced than ever to launch my own business. The motivation and confidence this show has given me is unreal and I can’t wait to see what happens next. It’s been life changing.”

Raj Somaiya says: “Chantelle has a calmness about her beyond her experience and the ability to really understand a couple and what they want from their day. These qualities are imperative to being a successful wedding planner and it’s in her DNA. Chantelle is going to be a great wedding planner, I’m excited to see where her career goes from here.”

Sara Davies said: “Watching Chantelle grow into the planner she became by the end of this process was such a huge privilege. In the final, Chantelle ran a perfect wedding and delivered a bespoke personal experience worthy of winning. The competition was tough as all eight of the wedding planners are really talented, but Chantelle just gave us a little extra which makes her a very credible winner. She’s going to be a wedding planning superstar.”

Fred Sirieix said: “What a fantastic winner! Every wedding is about the personal touches and Chantelle epitomised that in the final in particular. It’s been a brilliant journey watching her grow and she really delivered when it mattered the most.”

Chantelle’s prize is a tailored package designed to help her launch her own wedding business along with exclusive mentoring and an introduction into the industry from wedding planner expert Raj Somaiya.

Eight fledgling wedding planners originally entered the process which saw them plan six ambitious themed weddings for real-life couples across the series.

Ultimate Wedding Planner is available on BBC iPlayer.