The name of the programme was Beat Luke Littler, and Fallon Sherrock did just that.

On one of the biggest nights of the year for British TV, Netflix, too, there was much at stake: not just £501,000 to any of the 20 amateur challengers who managed to beat Littler in a single leg of darts, but also the jeopardy of whether audiences would choose to watch the streamer’s first UK live entertainment event – or the final of BBC juggernaut The Celebrity Traitors.

Netflix also had no idea when or whether the world champion would be beaten at the packed event at Manchester Central arena, hosted by Gary Lineker and Richard Osman, so had put in place contingency plans to have a second place competition should Littler lose within the first few rounds.

However, watched by hundreds of his fans, “the Nuke” comfortably beat a range of contestants of differing abilities who had queued up to take part in heats during the summer, including 14-year-olds Mackinley Cooper-Johnson and Jayden Walker.

Cheered on by enthusiastic crowds in fancy dress, one contender came close to claiming the lucrative prize, the former Irish youth darts player Pearse Mackle. But in the end it took about two-and-a-half hours for Littler to lose, to the 15th contender, Sherrock.

There was some controversy when it was revealed she was competing earlier this month: after all, she has an MBE for services to darts, and some people claimed she was not a true amateur, having played at the PDC World Darts Championship and won the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay in 2022. But Netflix classed anyone who has not ever had a PDC tour card as being eligible to take part.

“I mean, it’s been tough,” Sherrock said after her victory in Manchester. “Obviously I do see the backlash and I do see all the negative comments. But at the end of the day, I fit the criteria for this. I’ve never had a tour card, and I wouldn’t class myself as a pro really, because all I do is just play darts for the enjoyment of it.”

The PDC president, Barry Hearn, who was involved in the audition process, defended the contest. Asked whether Sherrock’s inclusion was unfair, Hearn said: “No, not at all. She’s not a PDC tour card holder. She’s entitled to enter. Why should she be denied?”

Despite her experience it was still a shock to the crowd that Sherrock defeated Littler. “I can’t put into words how much this means,” she told Lineker after her win, which was greeted by huge cheers from the delighted audience and a hug from her young son. “I’m really lost for words right now. It was a great moment. Give me an opportunity and I’ll take it every time … I’m really proud of myself.”

Littler, a magnanimous loser, said Sherrock had been “world class. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it … everything leading up to this. Maybe Netflix we can do it again next year.”

Beat Luke Littler was undoubtedly a risk for Netflix but it looks to have paid off as sources said audience numbers stayed steady (they could vote for the order the players appeared in) despite the competition from The Celebrity Traitors, and appeared to rise after the end of the BBC show.

The show, dreamed up by the Manchester-based production company Workerbee, brings more working-class audiences to the streamer and helps its drive to air more live mainstream events. It echoes similar events in other sports pitting ordinary people against the elite, such as the Million Dollar 1 Point Slam at the Australian Open tennis tournament.

Workerbee’s managing director, Michelle Chappell, told the Guardian: “Rick Murray, our CEO, came up with the idea, which was just: ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if someone could take on Luke Littler.’ It’s a sport event but a big show at the same time and it’s got a sense of humour and real jeopardy.”

There was one winner guaranteed, though, in the battle between Beat Luke Littler and The Celebrity Traitors, and that was the global production company Banijay – which owns the companies that make the two shows.