Bullseye (UK game show)
Encyclopedia
Bullseye was a popular British
television programme. It was first made for the ITV
network by ATV
in 1981 and Central
from 1982 until 1995, and hosted by Jim Bowen
. The show originally aired on Monday nights from 1981, it was then moved to Sunday nights from 1982 to 1993 where it was watched by around 17 million viewers in its Sunday evening slot. It was then moved from its traditional Sunday nights to Saturday afternoons from 1994 to 1995. After an eleven-year hiatus, Bullseye was revived and a new series was recorded for the digital channel Challenge, produced by Granada
at Yorkshire Television
in the Leeds Studios, and was hosted by Dave Spikey
.
Centred around darts
, the show placed three pairs of contestants (each team with one person to answer questions and one darts player) against one another to win prizes ranging from a new car
, a speedboat, a caravan
, or a luxury holiday, to the consolation prizes of a set of darts, a tankard (silver goblet for lady contestants) and a 'Bendy Bully', a rubber model of the show's mascot.
From Series 2 til the show's end, the show was co-hosted by professional darts commentator Tony Green
.
s by answering a general knowledge question. An incorrect answer caused the question to be passed in turn to the second-highest and lowest scoring teams. After three rounds of play the pair with the highest total winnings went through to the next round. The other pairs received a set of darts, a tankard (silver goblet for female
contestants), a 'Bendy Bully' and the money that they had won from the two rounds, which was counted during the commercial break, with Jim advising the viewers that counting the money would "take me two minutes".
who managed to miss the board completely. Such stars would usually offer to 'add some of their own money' to increase the prize fund from, say, 20 pounds, to 80 pounds or so. Bob Anderson
's score of 380 was the highest recorded on this segment of the show.
The prize board has become the butt of jokes since the programme's original demise because of the perceived poor quality of prizes on offer, but it should be pointed out that for most of the programme's original run prize values were restricted by the Independent Broadcasting Authority
. Although some prizes (such as a remote-controlled toy car or legendary "TV with wired remote control") were laughed at by the studio audience even then, smaller prizes were taken for granted at the time, and they seemed relatively lavish compared to those on offer in BBC
game shows such as Blankety Blank
. In a 2006 episode, Bully's Special Prize was a fully functional Bullseye Fruit Machine
, quite possibly the most valuable prize in the show's history not to be the mystery Star Prize - however the contestants promptly lost it after doing badly in the final round.
During series 1, the black segments were green.
In the 1991 Christmas special of the show, Dennis Priestley
and John McCririck
playing as a professional darts player/celebrity guest combination managed a 100% record with their nine collective darts taking out all eight main prizes and Bully's special prize, all of which went to nominated charities across the UK.
If the couple who took part in Bully's Prize Board refused to gamble (inevitably ducking out claiming that they'd already had a "smashing day, Jim" and would like "to give the others a chance"), the second-placed couple from the second round was asked to gamble their money. If the second couple declined, the third couple was asked. On the rare occasions that no couple took up the gamble, the Star Prize was revealed and the show ended. The Star Prize was usually a holiday (especially in later series), a car, a caravan or a speedboat. Sometimes in the earlier series, less lavish Star Prizes (fitted kitchen
s and the like) were given away so as to fit within the IBA
's prize limits.
If in the rare case that both the second and third place couples had tied on equal points (prior to series 7), then both would be asked if they wanted to gamble. If both said yes, then the dart players would each throw three darts at the standard dartboard, the higher scorer winning.
On the show, it was never made clear if the two winning contestants had to share the Star Prize or if they got one each.
and also classic footage from the show. A second edition of the board game was also released.
In 2005, it was announced that programme creator Andrew Wood had signed a contract with Granada Media
for Granada to produce a one-hour long celebrity special Bullseye show to be hosted by Ant & Dec
. This Bullseye special was part of Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon
, in turn part of ITV’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and was aired on ITV on 22 October 2005. Vernon Kay
and Coronation Street
star William Roache
were the contestants, accompanied by professional darts players Eric Bristow
and Andy Fordham
, while Tony Green reprised his role as co-host.
Subsequently, as part of a six-month exclusive option agreement signed by Wood, Granada decided that a new series of Bullseye would be produced early the following year. On 25th January 2006, it was announced that Challenge had won the rights to show the new series. On 14 March 2006, it was announced that the show was to be hosted by comedian Dave Spikey
, despite tabloid rumours that it would be presented by Ant & Dec or Peter Kay
. Bully was also redesigned for the new series, albeit very similar to the Bully used in the original series.
Bullseye returned to the UK on Challenge at 10pm on 17 April 2006. The show maintained the style of prizes from the original — none of the cash prizes had increased in value since the first show. Some of the prizes from Bully's Prize Board were of more modern gameshow standard, such as a TFT television and an MP3 player. Dave Spikey and Tony Green commented on BBC Radio 1
's Colin
and Edith
show on 19 April 2006: "...[Bullseye is] The only gameshow on the television in which the prizes get a round of applause..." then joked around about some of the more "naff" prizes on the show.
The revived series was, unlike many other game show revivals in the UK, strikingly similar to the original series. Whilst refreshed, the show maintained the original theme music and stings, used a near-identical set to the original series, and a refreshed version of one of the original sets of titles, which sees Bully driving a bus before ejecting his seat and holding onto a flying dart. A cartoon version of Dave Spikey replaced Jim's in the titles.
The first series of the Challenge revival ran for fifteen episodes (one each weeknight) until 5 May 2006. The second series began on 4 September 2006, also running for fifteen episodes (again one each weeknight). However, there was no further production afterwards.
On 19 May 2007, another one-hour long celebrity special was aired on ITV, this time as part of Vernon Kay's Gameshow Marathon. This time the contestants were newsreader Andrea Catherwood
, footballer Graeme Le Saux
and another Coronation Street star, Michael Le Vell
, paired with professional darts players Martin Adams
, Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld
respectively. Once again, Tony Green reprised his co-host role.
The character 'Bully' was ambidextrous. In the opening credits of the show he was shown to throw his darts with his right hand, however prior to the advert break midway through the show he can be seen to write "End of part one" using his left hand.
Jim Bowen once described Bullseye as "the second-best darts-based game show on television". There are no others.
From Series 1 to 9, the show was recorded at ATV/Central House in Broad Street, Birmingham
. In Series 10, it moved to Central
's purpose-built studios at Lenton Lane in Nottingham
, where it remained until its first demise in 1995. The Challenge revival was recorded at the Yorkshire Television
studios in Leeds
, and the Gameshow Marathon one-offs were produced at the London Studios
.
Programme associates on the show were Mickey Brennan and Roger Edwards.
The theme music for the show was written by John Patrick, a successful musician who has written a number of theme tunes for commercial television shows.
Revival series presenter Dave Spikey
had also appeared as a contestant on the show in the 80's versions.
Bullseye was repeated on UK Gold from 1996 to 2000, then it was repeated on Granada Plus
from 2000 until the channel closed in 2004 and it was then moved to Challenge which is where it remains today. It was also repeated occasionally on defunct channels Ftn
and Virgin 1
(later Channel One).
In 1989, John Cooper
appeared on the show, who would later be convicted of multiple burglaries, armed robberies, and in 2011, following advances in forensic science, two double murders, one rape and another sexual assault. Footage of his appearance on the show was later used by the prosecution to match him to witness reports at the time.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television programme. It was first made for the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network by ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
in 1981 and Central
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
from 1982 until 1995, and hosted by Jim Bowen
Jim Bowen
Jim Bowen is an English stand-up comedian and TV personality. He is best known as the host of the ITV gameshow Bullseye, which he hosted between 1981 and 1995.-Early life:...
. The show originally aired on Monday nights from 1981, it was then moved to Sunday nights from 1982 to 1993 where it was watched by around 17 million viewers in its Sunday evening slot. It was then moved from its traditional Sunday nights to Saturday afternoons from 1994 to 1995. After an eleven-year hiatus, Bullseye was revived and a new series was recorded for the digital channel Challenge, produced by Granada
Granada Productions
Granada Productions was a British commercial television production and distribution company. The company took its name from the successful ITV franchise, Granada Television....
at Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
in the Leeds Studios, and was hosted by Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey is an English comedian, actor, writer and film producer, currently residing in Chorley, Lancashire....
.
Centred around darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
, the show placed three pairs of contestants (each team with one person to answer questions and one darts player) against one another to win prizes ranging from a new car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
, a speedboat, a caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
, or a luxury holiday, to the consolation prizes of a set of darts, a tankard (silver goblet for lady contestants) and a 'Bendy Bully', a rubber model of the show's mascot.
From Series 2 til the show's end, the show was co-hosted by professional darts commentator Tony Green
Tony Green
Tony Green is a darts commentator for the British Darts Organisation on the BBC. He is also a former referee and master of ceremonies and was also co-host of the hit darts quiz show Bullseye on ITV alongside Jim Bowen and the show revived in 2006 on Challenge with Dave Spikey.- Darts career :A...
.
Category round
In round 1, the darts players threw one dart at a board in which each segment represented a different category of question (such as Faces, Places, Sport, Showbiz, Affairs, History, Books, Words, Britain, Spelling). The first set of questions were worth £30 each, the next set (more difficult) were worth £50, and the final set (more difficult still) were worth £100. The cash prize for hitting the board varied depending on what part of the board was hit; the easiest part of the board to hit won £30, a slightly harder part won £50, a narrow and difficult-to-reach part won £100, and hitting the bullseye won the maximum cash prize of £200 (£150 from 2006). If contestants hit a category which they had not chosen, they would win no money for the throw, and could only win money through answering the question if a question on the category had not already been asked. If a contestant hit a category which had already turned up on that programme, the host would say "The category's gone, so we can't ask the question" and carry on. Up to and including series 7, the lowest-scoring couple would be eliminated at the end of the first round, but from series 8 onward, all three couples would stay in the game for the second round.Pounds for Points
In round 2, the darts players threw three darts at a time at a traditional matchplay dartboard, with the highest scoring team given the chance to convert the number of points scored to poundPound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
s by answering a general knowledge question. An incorrect answer caused the question to be passed in turn to the second-highest and lowest scoring teams. After three rounds of play the pair with the highest total winnings went through to the next round. The other pairs received a set of darts, a tankard (silver goblet for female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
contestants), a 'Bendy Bully' and the money that they had won from the two rounds, which was counted during the commercial break, with Jim advising the viewers that counting the money would "take me two minutes".
Charity interlude
Immediately at the start of part 2, a professional darts player or other celebrity threw nine darts, with the score converted to money for the charity of the final contestant's choice. A score over 301 was doubled. At the end of the series, (Series 5 onward) the dart player who got the highest score in the series received a 'Bronze Bully' trophy. In the earlier years of the show (up to and including series 4) celebrity players were given a 60 head-start; between then and series 14, the charity segment was exclusive to professional dart players. Celebrity players invariably performed awfully, particularly in the case of an obviously worse-for-wear George BestGeorge Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
who managed to miss the board completely. Such stars would usually offer to 'add some of their own money' to increase the prize fund from, say, 20 pounds, to 80 pounds or so. Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson (darts player)
Robert Charles "Bob" Anderson is a former world darts champion. He was ranked as world number one for over three years in the late 1980s. Nicknamed The Limestone Cowboy, he lives in Clevedon in Somerset.-Before Darts:Anderson threw his first darts maximum at the age of just five...
's score of 380 was the highest recorded on this segment of the show.
Bully's Prize Board
In this round the final pair were faced with a large prize board containing large black segments, smaller red segments and a large red bullseye. They threw nine darts (three for the non-dart player and six for the dart player) and won a prize for each red segment they hit (however, if they hit a red segment twice, the prize was lost - hence the catchphrase "Keep out of the black, and in the red; there's nothing in this game for two in a bed". However, they could win the prize back by hitting it again). Sometimes though, in special charity episodes, contestants did win the prize twice. The bullseye represented 'Bully's Special Prize'.The prize board has become the butt of jokes since the programme's original demise because of the perceived poor quality of prizes on offer, but it should be pointed out that for most of the programme's original run prize values were restricted by the Independent Broadcasting Authority
Independent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
. Although some prizes (such as a remote-controlled toy car or legendary "TV with wired remote control") were laughed at by the studio audience even then, smaller prizes were taken for granted at the time, and they seemed relatively lavish compared to those on offer in BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
game shows such as Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1978 Australian game show Blankety Blanks ....
. In a 2006 episode, Bully's Special Prize was a fully functional Bullseye Fruit Machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
, quite possibly the most valuable prize in the show's history not to be the mystery Star Prize - however the contestants promptly lost it after doing badly in the final round.
During series 1, the black segments were green.
In the 1991 Christmas special of the show, Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley is an English professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively...
and John McCririck
John McCririck
John McCririck is an English television horse racing pundit. He is notable not only for his racing opinions but also for his old-fashioned style of dress and mannerisms...
playing as a professional darts player/celebrity guest combination managed a 100% record with their nine collective darts taking out all eight main prizes and Bully's special prize, all of which went to nominated charities across the UK.
Bully's Star Prize gamble
Having completed Bully's Prize Board, the winning pair were presented with the option of whether to gamble their winnings from the prize board for the mystery Star Prize hidden behind a screen in the studio. From series 11 onward, they also had to gamble the money they had won earlier in the show (it was at this point that the phrase "all you'll win is your BFH - Bus Fare Home" came about). If they gambled, they then had six darts (three for each member of the team) to score 101 or more on a standard matchplay dartboard. Contestants who failed to reach 101 were then invited to "have a look at what you would have won", by Jim. Jim's assistants would then wheel out the Star Prize from behind a screen to the sounds of a remixed "sad" version of the theme music, while the audience enjoyed the losing contestants' astonished faces of despair.If the couple who took part in Bully's Prize Board refused to gamble (inevitably ducking out claiming that they'd already had a "smashing day, Jim" and would like "to give the others a chance"), the second-placed couple from the second round was asked to gamble their money. If the second couple declined, the third couple was asked. On the rare occasions that no couple took up the gamble, the Star Prize was revealed and the show ended. The Star Prize was usually a holiday (especially in later series), a car, a caravan or a speedboat. Sometimes in the earlier series, less lavish Star Prizes (fitted kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
s and the like) were given away so as to fit within the IBA
Independent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
's prize limits.
If in the rare case that both the second and third place couples had tied on equal points (prior to series 7), then both would be asked if they wanted to gamble. If both said yes, then the dart players would each throw three darts at the standard dartboard, the higher scorer winning.
On the show, it was never made clear if the two winning contestants had to share the Star Prize or if they got one each.
Revival
Bullseye was one of several game shows to be released as an interactive DVD game for Christmas 2005, although the game did not feature the voice of Jim Bowen, and 'Bully' was redesigned. A Bullseye board game was made around the same time. A 'Classic Bullseye' DVD game was released the following year, which featured the voices of both Jim Bowen and Tony GreenTony Green
Tony Green is a darts commentator for the British Darts Organisation on the BBC. He is also a former referee and master of ceremonies and was also co-host of the hit darts quiz show Bullseye on ITV alongside Jim Bowen and the show revived in 2006 on Challenge with Dave Spikey.- Darts career :A...
and also classic footage from the show. A second edition of the board game was also released.
In 2005, it was announced that programme creator Andrew Wood had signed a contract with Granada Media
Granada Productions
Granada Productions was a British commercial television production and distribution company. The company took its name from the successful ITV franchise, Granada Television....
for Granada to produce a one-hour long celebrity special Bullseye show to be hosted by Ant & Dec
Ant & Dec
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly , known collectively as Ant & Dec, are an English comedy and TV presenting duo from Newcastle upon Tyne, England...
. This Bullseye special was part of Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon
Gameshow Marathon (UK game show)
Gameshow Marathon is a British game show, broadcast from 17 September 2005 to 26 May 2007 on ITV .After a quick retrospective look at the history of the particular show, the show itself is recreated. This involved recreating the original set and using original opening programme titles, including...
, in turn part of ITV’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and was aired on ITV on 22 October 2005. Vernon Kay
Vernon Kay
Vernon Charles Kay is a British television presenter, radio DJ, american footballer and former model. He began television presenting on the BBC children's programme FBi, a spin-off of Fully Booked. Since he has presented various programmes, most notably T4, Beat the Star and All Star Family...
and Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
star William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
were the contestants, accompanied by professional darts players Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow MBE is a British darts player, whose skill at the game in the 1980s helped turn it into a worldwide spectator sport.- Early career :...
and Andy Fordham
Andy Fordham
Andy "The Viking" Fordham is an English darts player. He won the 2004 BDO World Darts Championship, beating Mervyn King in the final...
, while Tony Green reprised his role as co-host.
Subsequently, as part of a six-month exclusive option agreement signed by Wood, Granada decided that a new series of Bullseye would be produced early the following year. On 25th January 2006, it was announced that Challenge had won the rights to show the new series. On 14 March 2006, it was announced that the show was to be hosted by comedian Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey is an English comedian, actor, writer and film producer, currently residing in Chorley, Lancashire....
, despite tabloid rumours that it would be presented by Ant & Dec or Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
. Bully was also redesigned for the new series, albeit very similar to the Bully used in the original series.
Bullseye returned to the UK on Challenge at 10pm on 17 April 2006. The show maintained the style of prizes from the original — none of the cash prizes had increased in value since the first show. Some of the prizes from Bully's Prize Board were of more modern gameshow standard, such as a TFT television and an MP3 player. Dave Spikey and Tony Green commented on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Colin
Colin Murray
Colin Murray is a Northern Irish sports and music radio and television presenter. He is the current host of the BBC Television show Match of the Day 2 on BBC Two, and the BBC Radio 5 Live shows 5 Live Sport and Fighting Talk, as well as a show on BBC Radio Ulster. He has previously hosted regular...
and Edith
Edith Bowman
Edith Eleanor Bowman is a Scottish music critic, radio DJ and television presenter. She is mostly known for hosting the weekday afternoon show and from September 2009 weekend morning on BBC Radio 1 and for presenting a variety of music related television shows and music...
show on 19 April 2006: "...[Bullseye is] The only gameshow on the television in which the prizes get a round of applause..." then joked around about some of the more "naff" prizes on the show.
The revived series was, unlike many other game show revivals in the UK, strikingly similar to the original series. Whilst refreshed, the show maintained the original theme music and stings, used a near-identical set to the original series, and a refreshed version of one of the original sets of titles, which sees Bully driving a bus before ejecting his seat and holding onto a flying dart. A cartoon version of Dave Spikey replaced Jim's in the titles.
The first series of the Challenge revival ran for fifteen episodes (one each weeknight) until 5 May 2006. The second series began on 4 September 2006, also running for fifteen episodes (again one each weeknight). However, there was no further production afterwards.
On 19 May 2007, another one-hour long celebrity special was aired on ITV, this time as part of Vernon Kay's Gameshow Marathon. This time the contestants were newsreader Andrea Catherwood
Andrea Catherwood
Andrea Catherine Catherwood is a Northern Irish television presenter and journalist.-Early life:Andrea Catherwood was born and raised in Belfast where her mother, 'Adrienne McGuill', was an announcer and newsreader at Ulster Television from 1959 to 1969, and also presented 'The Romper Room', from...
, footballer Graeme Le Saux
Graeme Le Saux
Graeme Pierre Le Saux is a retired English footballer of French ancestry who played for the Premier League clubs Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and Southampton, and for the England national football team. Primarily a left back, he was sometimes also played in midfield or on the left wing.After...
and another Coronation Street star, Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell is an English character actor, who since 1983 has played the role of garage mechanic, Kevin Webster, in the soap opera Coronation Street....
, paired with professional darts players Martin Adams
Martin Adams
Martin Adams is an English international darts player. Nicknamed Wolfie or Mr BDO, he is BDO world ranked number one, three-time and reigning BDO World Champion and three-time World Masters champion...
, Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
respectively. Once again, Tony Green reprised his co-host role.
Additional information
The show was unusual in having two different closing theme tunes — an upbeat tune played when the contestants won the Star Prize, and a tune in a minor key played when they lost or nobody took the gamble.The character 'Bully' was ambidextrous. In the opening credits of the show he was shown to throw his darts with his right hand, however prior to the advert break midway through the show he can be seen to write "End of part one" using his left hand.
Jim Bowen once described Bullseye as "the second-best darts-based game show on television". There are no others.
From Series 1 to 9, the show was recorded at ATV/Central House in Broad Street, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. In Series 10, it moved to Central
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
's purpose-built studios at Lenton Lane in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, where it remained until its first demise in 1995. The Challenge revival was recorded at the Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
studios in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, and the Gameshow Marathon one-offs were produced at the London Studios
The London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
.
Programme associates on the show were Mickey Brennan and Roger Edwards.
The theme music for the show was written by John Patrick, a successful musician who has written a number of theme tunes for commercial television shows.
Revival series presenter Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey is an English comedian, actor, writer and film producer, currently residing in Chorley, Lancashire....
had also appeared as a contestant on the show in the 80's versions.
Bullseye was repeated on UK Gold from 1996 to 2000, then it was repeated on Granada Plus
Granada Plus
Plus was a digital channel run by Granada Sky Broadcasting. It was launched on 1 October 1996 under the original name of Granada Plus, and during its availability it underwent successive rebrands as G Plus, G+ and then simply Plus. However, it remained widely referred to by the public at large by...
from 2000 until the channel closed in 2004 and it was then moved to Challenge which is where it remains today. It was also repeated occasionally on defunct channels Ftn
Ftn
Ftn was a television channel from Virgin Media Television transmitting free-to-air on Freeview and Virgin Media, and as a subscription channel on Sky Digital. The channel was broadcast between 18:00 and 06:00 daily...
and Virgin 1
Virgin 1
Channel One was a television channel owned and operated by British Sky Broadcasting. The channel was launched on 1 October 2007 at 21:00 on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky as Virgin1, replacing Ftn...
(later Channel One).
In 1989, John Cooper
John Cooper (serial killer)
John William Cooper is a serial killer from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. On the 26th May 2011 he was given four life sentences for the 1985 double murder of brother and sister Richard and Helen Thomas, and the 1989 double murder of Peter and Gwenda Dixon...
appeared on the show, who would later be convicted of multiple burglaries, armed robberies, and in 2011, following advances in forensic science, two double murders, one rape and another sexual assault. Footage of his appearance on the show was later used by the prosecution to match him to witness reports at the time.
Transmissions
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