The Big Flower Fight winners interview: The rivalry would never disappear’

The Big Flower Fight winners Ryan and Andrew had an extraordinary trip before being crowned the first champions of Netflix’s most wholesome lockdown series. 

Entering the competition with arguably the least experience out the entire line-up, the couple still pulled off the most magnificent creations of the contest. 

From their alarmingly lifelike T-Rex, their glorious seahorse and their spectacularly gloomy take on horror fairytale Hansel and Gretel, as each risk paid off when entering the final it soon became clear they would be unbeatable. 

The Big Flower Fight, initially hailed as ‘Bake Off with Flowers’, which isn’t wildly inaccurate, was announced in lockdown, released in lockdown, and won in lockdown. 

Subsequently, Ryan and Andrew are arguably yet to feel the whole weight of their achievement and, quite literally, the millions of fans they’ve picked up along the way. 

‘It’s been a very bizarre time,’ says Andrew. ‘There’s been this whole oxymoron: we’re at home, really restricted. 

‘It was so nice having our work come into fruition and be so positively perceived rather than sitting around not achieving at the minute while everything’s been put on pause. 

‘It’s a really good time to be reflective about it. It was a really proud and bizarre moment, it’s a nice product to have during lockdown to help people feel inspired and reconnect rather than something non-constructive.’

Naturally, a huge celebration will have to wait. The champers is on ice and instead winning a global reality series in 2020. 

‘I had a nice brunch watching the show with my flat mates who I’m self-isolating with, it was all quite wholesome,’ Andrew continued. ‘In terms of celebrating, there are other ways rather than having a dinner party which I would have loved to do with a screening and see all the other contestants who are all connecting digitally.’

‘I’m originally from Canada so there wasn’t many people I told I was even on the show yet so it’s been wonderful to reconnect,’ Ryan added.

Throughout The Big Flower Fight, Ryan and Andrew were neck and neck with eccentric Dutch designers Yan and Henck. And daggers were aplenty, right until the moment host Vic Reeves and Natasia Demetriou announced the first ever The Big Flower Fight winners. 

‘When we finished the challenges and we’d go to the pub, that rivalry wouldn’t disappear. It was hilarious!’ laughs Andrew. ‘We’d just keep ribbing each other. That sort of ribbing, coming from Lancashire, it just brings you down a peg or two. It was really funny, and they’re really good at it as well.’

‘We had a very healthy competitive relationship, though,’ stresses Ryan. ‘They know that I see them as extreme inspirations. I think once we watched them and saw what they were doing and applied it to what we were doing, it was nice to have them challenging us the whole way through.’

In more ways than one, Ryan and Andrew’s The Big Flower Fight journey was unique. While the foundation of any relationship is teamwork, few actually get to put their partnership into practise competitively.  

‘Watching the show back I am so proud I had the opportunity to go on the show with Andrew,’ Ryan tells us. ‘My gut when I met him was he’s one of the most creative and inspiring people the world will ever see. 

‘I didn’t know how that message would be conveyed to the world and as someone who communicates with so many people across so many different platforms, it’s such an honour and a privilege to watch that show back and see how much of his genius is at play every episode. 

‘I don’t feel like people will really understand how powerful the sculptures are because of the way it’s been edited but I am beyond humbled and blessed to have been on that show with Andrew.’

‘[Our relationship] just progressed into this amazing synergy we had which was getting s**t done,’ adds Andrew. ‘We became more and more capable and a bit of a tour de force with that, we just synergised and adapted.

‘I was in shock when I was looking at what we’d done. The T-Rex looked like a T-Rex. I was so blown away.’ 

As winners, Ryan and Mark will showcase their next masterpiece at London’s Kew Gardens. Easily the most prestigious venue for any florist’s debut. 

With lockdown still in place for the foreseeable future, it’s anyone’s guess as to when we’ll see what they have planned. 

‘We’re both really excited for the sculpture,’ assures Ryan. ‘We’ve had time to process and we can’t wait to see what we build. 

‘We’re just taking it easy at the moment. Not many people are lucky enough to breathe and reconnect with themselves so when the doors open I just want to take one step out a time and see what comes to us. 

‘We’re doing what everyone else should be doing in the creative field and taking stock and communicating more with like minded people.’

The Big Flower Fight is available to stream on Netflix now. 

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.