Bullseye TV Game Show.
The icon dart game show has been on our British TV screens for over four decades, with repeats of the earlier 1980s shows airing frequently on Challenge TV.
Over its run, the show has featured Christmas specials and celebratory invites, and the format has changed slightly. Indeed, each episode is now longer than the original format.
Darts has always been part of British pub and club culture, and its resurgence with a new generation of players has taken the sport to new heights.
Unfortunately, the original creators of the show, Andrew Wood and Norman Vaughan, who devised the format, are sadly no longer with us. However, Andrew Woods' daughter, Laura, has also been involved from an early age. Laura, with initial stewardship from her late father, has taken the show to new heights and new countries.
Comedian Jim Bowen hosted the original show and format in the early 1980s. It has undergone a few revivals, including Christmas specials hosted by Dave Spikey and Ant and Dec, and has been a big feature of Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow in 2020.
Ex-cricketer Freddie Flintoff hosts the latest version of Bullseye, which kicked off with a Christmas Special in 2024. The following 2025 series was a great success with dart fans, general gamers, and quizzers, leading to a second series in its new format being released later in 2026.
Bullseye will always be in our hearts, as it helped propel the sport to TV screens, and it seems fans still can't get enough of darts and Bullseye in general. It is a testament to the show that it appeals to people of all ages with its fun, light entertainment.
Below, you can read further details about the show and its earlier format, including the Bronze Bully, the Bullseye Roadshow, and some of the famous star prizes featured.
Bullseye Special Feature...
Bullseye TV Gameshow NEW Christmas Special 2024 
He’s Back! But he never really went away, thanks to Andrew Wood and his daughter Laura.
The Bullseye TV Gameshow will return to our screens on ITV and ITVX this festive season. The show will have a new host, ex-cricketer and Top Gear presenter Freddie Flintoff, and he will be joined by the young dart star Luke Littler.
It's now been confirmed the Bullseye Christmas Special will air on Sunday, 22nd December, at 6 pm and repeated on Christmas Day at 5.25 pm, plus via ITVX
Don’t forget you can regularly watch old episodes on Challenge TV
Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow – Bullseye 2020-2021
Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow reintroduced the show to ITV in 2020 and again in 2021. It the same great fun show with a revised ending. The show has gained cult status, not only for the prizes but also for its mishaps and the legendary Bronze Bully. All the Pro players wanted to make the highest score and hold the bronze Bully title for a year!
Bullseye TV Gameshow - The History
In 2021 Bullseye TV Gameshow celebrated its 40th birthday and it probably holds another record for one of the longest running TV shows to still be aired on British TV!
In 2007 Bullseye returned to the UK TV screens courtesy of Challenge TV. Dave Spikey made his Bullseye debut as the show host replacing the shows original host Jim Bowen. Tony Green returned as co-host, score caller / referee and prize announcer.
The original show aired between 1981 to 1985 and at its high point boasted over 15 million viewers very Sunday evening. Dart fans were obviously pleased to see the show return for a new series as the game show still receives some of the highest viewing figures for UK TV game shows. It also gave Challenge TV for the first time in their history a bigger market share than Sky One.
Bullseye is due to return spring 2020 as a one-off special as part of Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshows. Who knows this could lead to a new series!
Relive the show by playing one of the most recognisable theme tunes in British TV Gameshow history. The theme was written by the musician John Patrick.
Bullseye TV Gameshow Format From the 1980s
Every week contestants play darts and answer questions to win prizes.The winners sometimes gambled their winnings for the star prize. More often than not the star prize would be a speedboat! We never really new why but I guess if the prize was won a cash alternative was offered. But for most contestants it wasn’t something they would likely to use if they lived in the centre of the country! Never the less the show had all the attributes you would expect from a good game show; skill, tension, nerves, and a bit of luck! Would you gamble all your winnings for an undisclosed star prize? 101 or more with six darts? Three darts for the non-dart player (the person who has to answer the questions) and three for the dart player? It sounds easy! But not when you have the lights and cameras on you! The pressure of the crowd saying gamble! Might have also played its part in the decision to risk all for the star prize. However, that is what made this show special, a must to see and a TV producers dream. The 2007 series took nothing away from its original format which is now receives cult viewing.
The famous Bronze Bully also featured in the series. Professional dart players and TV celebrities would throw their darts for charity. The professional players have nine darts to score as much as they can and if the total score exceeds 301 the score is doubled and the same value in UK £'s is given the winning contestants choice of charity. The player or celebrity with the highest scored in the series also won the famous bronze Bully for a year to take on tour with him / her to raise more money for charity. Jocky Wilson is reported of saying the Bronze Bully was harder to win than an actual Professional Darts Tournament. All dart professionals want to win this unique prize and only a few can say they have.
The highest nine dart score during the TV shows is held by Alan Evans who scored an impressive 401 in series 4. However, during the 2011 Bullseye Theatre Tour Bob Anderson topped the leader table with an incredible 420! Making this the new highest score thrown for the Bronze Bully. The charity for the theatre tour was Help for Heroes and they received £840.
Where does Bully live today? Well if he isn't on tour then he is safely locked away and he lives with the owner and creator of Bullseye Andrew Wood.
The Bullseye 2011 Road Show
The 2011 Bullseye Road Show tour was Super, Smashing, Great! I attended the first event in Redhill in Surrey and I got to meet the legends of the show John Lowe, Bob Anderson and the late Eric Bristow MBE. Not forgetting Andrew Wood, the creator of Bullseye his wife Jane and Laura his daughter. It was a fun night and a few lucky people were selected at random from the audience to play. It didn't matter if you didn't want to play as you could just enjoy the show as I did. But if you were one of the lucky few to be selected then you stood a chance of winning £500!!!
Unfortunately, the theatre rules prohibited photo's being taken of the show itself however in the VIP lounge and in the foyer you could. All the legends were very happy to have their photos taken with you and sign autographs. There was also lots of Bullseye memorabilia to buy and if you missed out then you can still buy some on the memorabilia on-line. For further details see below and visit the Official Bullseye website.
From left to right John Lowe, Bob Anderson, Eric Bristow MBE and 'Bully' The Show Mascot
Photos from the Tour
Ok here I am with the Stars of the show. It was the first night of s successful Bullseye Tour
Bronze Bully - Roadshow Highest Score
Each event the dart professionals threw for the Help for Heroes Charity. The highest score with 9 darts during the events was 420! thrown by Bob Anderson. This figure was doubled and sent to Help for Heroes charity. Read more about the Bullseye Road Show.
Official Bullseye TV Gameshow Website
(This link is temporarily disabled due to an issue on the Bullseye TV Gameshow Site. The owner is aware of the link faults, and these are currently under investigation).
FREE Bullseye PC & Smart Phone Wallpaper
Why not spice up your PC & Smart phone with some Bullseye Wallpaper! There are now three PC and five new iPhone Wallpapers to choose from. Just select the design and screen resolution from below, copy and save as wallpaper.
Click on the link below to see them all
Bullseye Wallpaper
(This link is temporarily disabled due to an issue on the Bullseye TV Gameshow Site. The owner is aware of the link faults, and these are currently under investigation).
A little unknown fact I used to write the Bullseye website and all the wallpapers created I produced for the website.
Play Bullseye on your Nintendo Switch or Play Station. Use the link below.
Looking for some Bullseye Darts, boards, shirts, mats and more? All can be found at Darts Corner.
Sadly, a couple of the stars are no longer with us. Jim Bowen passed away on 14th March 2018 and Eric Bristow less than a month later 5th April 2018. Both sadly missed by dart fans across the World
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