Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff is set to host a reboot of the classic darts-themed quiz show Bullseye for ITV, with a special Christmas episode already in the works.
The former England cricket captain and well-known presenter, now 46, expressed his excitement about the opportunity, noting that Bullseye “was one of my favourite shows as a kid” and admitting that he “can’t quite believe” he has landed the hosting role. It is still unclear whether ITV plans to commission a full series.
*Bullseye* originally aired on ITV from 1981 to 1995, with the late comedian Jim Bowen at the helm, alongside the show’s iconic mascot, Bully.
The show featured three teams, each consisting of a darts player and a quizzer who teamed up to win prizes. Flintoff paid homage to the show’s history in his announcement by quoting Bowen’s famous catchphrase, “You can’t beat a bit of Bully!”
At its peak, Bullseye attracted audiences of up to 20 million viewers. The show initially aired on Monday nights in 1981 before moving to Sunday afternoons in 1982 and then to Saturday afternoons from 1993 until the end of its run in 1995.
After an 11-year break, the show returned in 2006 on the Challenge channel, where old episodes continue to air each evening.
It remains to be seen if the reboot will follow the original format, but darts as a sport is enjoying a resurgence in 2024, driven by exciting new talents such as 17-year-old Luke Littler, who claimed victory in the World Series of Darts finals earlier this year.
Flintoff’s return to television marks a significant milestone in his recovery following a serious accident while filming Top Gear in 2022.
During the incident, he sustained facial and rib injuries after crashing a vehicle at the show’s test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.
While details of the crash remain undisclosed, the BBC has since paused production of Top Gear for the foreseeable future.
In his recent BBC series Field of Dreams, Flintoff opened up about his recovery, describing it as “a lot harder than I thought,” and admitted to struggling with anxiety and flashbacks from the accident.
Despite these challenges, Flintoff has re-engaged with his cricketing roots, joining the England coaching team for the T20 series against the West Indies and taking on the head coach role for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
