CLASSIC darts game show Bullseye is coming back — hosted by Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff.
The Ashes legend, 46, said he was thrilled to take over the hugely popular programme, which was famously presented in the 1980s and ’90s by comic Jim Bowen.
6
6
It will be the ex-cricketer’s first new TV commission since his horrific crash on Top Gear.
A source said of the ITV reboot: “Few would have predicted the move but it’s a genius signing.”
Freddie will take over the late Jim Bowen’s old role for a Christmas special.
TV bosses hope it will be quickly commissioned as a full series.
Freddie grew up playing the game with pals and even holds a darts world record — for the longest distance to throw a bullseye.
He said last night: “I love the darts and Bullseye was one of my favourite shows as a kid.
“I can’t quite believe I’ll get to host this Christmas special.
Then, echoing one of Jim’s famous catchphrases, he added: “You can’t beat a bit of Bully!”
Although viewers recently saw Freddie in the second series of cricket documentary Field of Dreams, this is the first new TV commission since his Top Gear crash put his career on hold.
A TV insider said: “This is the perfect role for Freddie to start a whole new chapter in his career and his fans will be thrilled to see him on our screens fronting such a well-loved programme.
“Few would have predicted the move but it’s a genius signing because Freddie has the same dry, Lancashire sense of humour and delivery as Jim.
“Though it remains to be seen whether he’ll continue Jim’s ‘super, smashing, great!’ catchphrase or if they’ll dole out jackpot prizes of speedboats to contestants who live in landlocked towns and cities.
“But they’re likely to keep the torturous practice of saying ‘Look at what you could’ve won’ before bringing out first prize to rub in the faces of the losing competitors.”
Bullseye first aired on ITV in 1981 and ran for 14 years with old-school comic Jim as host and an array of darts stars making regular guest appearances, including Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson.
This is the perfect role for Freddie to start a whole new chapter in his career and his fans will be thrilled
TV insider
There was also an animated mascot — a darts-playing bull called Bully — while Jim regularly ribbed the competing teams of two.
Jim also had a string of catchphrases including: “Stay out of the black and in the red, nothing in this game for two in a bed”.
It was revived on Challenge TV in 2006, hosted by comic Dave Spikey, but axed after two series.
6
6
The Sun revealed this year there were plans for a reboot, with Freddie’s fellow Top Gear host Paddy McGuinness mooted for the gig.
It comes as darts soars in popularity thanks to Luke Litter getting to the world final aged 16.
Freddie grew up in Preston, 14 miles from where Jim was raised.
Another insider said: “Freddie is also famed for his dry Lancashire humour, though his gags are likely be a tad more sensitive and 21st century than his predecessor’s.”
Freddie nearly died when his three-wheel roadster flipped at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, in December 2022.
After numerous operations, he finished filming the second series of his BBC One show, Field of Dreams, in which he took a group of novice cricketers to India.
He said in the show: “I genuinely should not be here after what happened. It’s going to be a long road back and I’ve only just started.
“I’ve got to look at the positives, I’ve got another chance, and I’m going to go at it. I’m seeing that as how it is — a second go.”
Signing up for Bullseye is seen as being part of that.
In 2012, as part of a Sports Relief challenge, he hit the bullseye from 5.05 metres for a Guinness World Record.
Gesturing to the board, he joked: “You can keep your cricket. That’s a real sport right there — darts.”
He also played in front of 10,000 people at Rotterdam in 2018 as part of Sky panel show A League of Their Own, alongside Jamie Redknapp, Anthony Joshua and Tom Davis.
I genuinely should not be here after what happened
Freddie Flintoff
Freddie revealed in an interview:: “I used to play in the social club with my mates.
“My first memory of darts, it’s very vague, it’s Jocky Wilson, and the likes of Eric Bristow . . . and in recent times it’s had the revival, hasn’t it?
“One of the things I love about it — a lot of sports have got really professional and the public can’t identify with the players — but I think darts has kept that charm.
“You see the crowds get excited and they look at the players and say, ‘He’s just a normal guy, good at what they do’. And it’s got to be said, it’s one of the best atmospheres in sport.”
All-rounder Freddie helped England win the Ashes in 2005 and 2009 before retiring from cricket.
He then appeared on shows including Don’t Rock the Boat, A League of Their Own and the Australian version of I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here! before taking over as co-host of Top Gear alongside Paddy and Chris Harris.
However he admitted he never set out to just be a telly star, and is now heavily involved in the England cricket coaching set-up. He said recently: “I fell into, like, a TV trap, you know?
“I was doing TV and moving forward, obviously, I’d love to do more coaching, I don’t know in what entity or work, and do a little bit of TV as well. It’s been a nice shift.”
The Bullseye reboot will be made by 12 Yard productions who have a pedigree for making game shows including Popmaster, which has just been commissioned for two more series on More4.
Managing director Michael Mannes said yesterday: “We are delighted to have acquired the rights to Bullseye, one of the most iconic game shows ever.
“And the timing could not be better considering the popularity of darts.
“Freddie is the perfect host for it and we can’t wait for the show to be back on ITV.”
Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment & Daytime Commissioning ITV said: “Bullseye is back and we can’t wait to welcome Freddie Flintoff back to ITV too.
“It’s a real treat to have both as key parts of our Christmas schedule on ITV1 and ITVX this year.”
6
Freddie perfect for telly classic
By Rod McPhee
THERE was nothing more bittersweet than watching Bullseye on a Sunday teatime.
Although it signalled the end of the weekend, it was 30 minutes of sheer, ridiculous joy.
The guiltiest pleasure was Jim Bowen, who was unbelievably outrageous with his jokes — which, of course, I don’t condone in ANY way now.
He once asked a female contestant: “You went on a sponsored slim, didn’t you? So how much do you owe?”
He ploughed on: “That’s very unkind of me, but I knew you’d be good sports . . . ” Turning to her pal he added: “You’d have to be, wearing a dress like that.”
You didn’t need to know anything about darts, either. Some of the amateur players certainly didn’t. Nor did you require an exhaustive general knowledge.
The “thrower” would rarely hit their target, often aiming for “Books” and getting “Spelling” or trying for “Sport” and getting “Science”.
Even if they did throw where they wanted, it was 50/50 whether the “knower” would get the correct answer.
Jim once asked one guy: “What’s the name of the island in San Francisco Bay that was once a prison?” Even my eight-year-old self knew the answer was Alcatraz.
“Is it Devil’s Island?” came the bloke’s reply.
If they did win they had to decide whether to gamble for the big prize — and would often say: “We’ve had a brilliant day and we’d like to let the others have a go.”
Then they’d march off with a foam Bully and a tankard of cash which Jim counted out.
Another duo would then bag a fitted kitchen or a car, and you could see them thinking: “How the hell are we going to split that between us?!”
So why did we watch it? Because it was a simpler time. We had very little choice. It was that or Songs of Praise.
As Peter Kay once said: “I used to love Bullseye, me. It was weird because it was s*** AND it was good — but you knew where you stood.”
Its simplicity — in a complicated age of shows strewn across hundred of channels — means we’ll actively choose it this time. Particularly as we’ve got Freddie Flintoff deservedly taking over Jim’s role.
Ask anyone who works behind the scenes in TV and they’ll tell you he is a genuinely lovely guy. More importantly, he’s smart enough not to delve into Jim’s old joke book.