Freddie Flintoff to host ITV Bullseye reboot in Christmas special
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff will host a revamped version of the darts-inspired quiz program Bullseye on ITV.
The ex-captain of the England cricket team and television host has agreed to participate in a special Christmas episode.
Flintoff, 46, expressed that Bullseye has always been one of his favorite programs from his childhood. He mentioned that he is amazed to have landed the role of host.
It's still uncertain if a complete season has been greenlit.
Bullseye was first aired on ITV from 1981 to 1995, hosted by the late comic Jim Bowen.
The show includes three pairs of competitors, with each duo consisting of a darts player and a quiz enthusiast, collaborating to earn rewards.
The program featured a mascot named Bully, which Flintoff mentioned when he announced he would be hosting the show.
"You can't go wrong with a little bit of Bully!" he exclaimed, echoing Bowen's well-known slogan.
At its height, Bullseye regularly drew in 20 million viewers. The show originally aired on Monday nights in 1981, then shifted to Sunday afternoons in 1982, and finally moved to Saturday afternoons from 1993 until it concluded in 1995.
After being off the air for eleven years, the show made its comeback in 2006 on the Challenge channel. You can still catch reruns of the original episodes each evening on the digital channel.
There's little information available regarding any potential changes to the Bullseye format, but it's clear that darts is experiencing a resurgence in 2024.
Prominent figures in the world of professional darts have contributed to its popularity, including the 17-year-old Luke Littler, who claimed victory at the World Series of Darts finals earlier this year.
Flintoff has been gradually making his way back to television after healing from an accident that happened while filming Top Gear in 2022.
He suffered injuries to his face and ribs following a vehicle accident at the test track during the show at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.
The specifics of the incident have not been revealed to the public, and the BBC has announced that the Top Gear series will be put on hold for now.
In his recent BBC series, Field of Dreams, Flintoff shared that his recovery has proven to be much more challenging than he anticipated. He also opened up about experiencing anxiety and flashbacks.
He’s back in the cricket scene, joining the England coaching staff for the T20 series against the West Indies. Additionally, he has taken on the position of head coach for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred tournament.
