Let's Play Darts
Contents |
Host
Co-hosts
Tony O'Shea (pundit)
Vassos Alexander and Tony Green (commentators)
Rab Butler (MC)
Nick Rolls (scorer)
Broadcast
Zeppotron for BBC Two, 1 March 2015 to present
Synopsis
Professional darts players and comedians team up for a knockout tournament in aid of Comic Relief.
All the trappings of a professional darts tournament are present. The nervous pre-match interview, the much more relaxed post-match chat. The ostentatious entry to the stage, the rowdy crowd in fancy dress.
One thing was unusual: not all the competitors were professional darts players. Pros had been paired with celebrities, and these pairs took part in a doubles match.
The programme was accessible for people who hadn't seen darts since Bullseye left ITV two decades earlier: an "Idiot's Guide to Darts" explained the basics, and the commentators - Tony Green and Vassos Alexander - reinforced the key messages as they arose. The commentary also included some more advanced thoughts, for people who spend weekends with darts on ITV4.
Matches were best of 9 legs (best of 11 in the semi-final), and lasted up to an hour. With the whole show constrained to a 30 minute slot, the editors had to cut out massive chunks of the action. "Richard and Dita won the next two legs, and we rejoin with Richard 76 points behind", said Gabby almost every night. The show was so choppy it had difficulty setting a clear narrative.
The show was done in a friendly spirit, players wore microphones so we could hear the on-stage banter. As is traditional in darts, crowd reaction is encouraged, and the celebrities played to the gallery.
Key moments
Roisin Conarty had been erratic throughout her first-round match, but managed to take the game to a decisive final end. Against all expectations, Roisin fired her last dart, hit double-top, and clinched a win that had looked impossible thirty seconds earlier.
Participants
The first round results were:
- Lee "Hit the Board" Mack and Bobby George beat Martin "Chariots" Offiah and Anastasia Dobromyslova
- Richard "The Big Frimley Giant" Osman and Dita Hedman beat Liza "Queen of Darts" Tarbuck and Bobby George
- Tim "The Punaway Train" Vine and Darryl Fitton beat Sean "The Midwife" Lock and Ted Hankey
- Roisin "The Wedding Slinger" Conarty and Robbie George beat Bob "Carpets" Mortimer and Andy Fordham
Lee Mack and Tim Vine contested the final, winning semi-finals against Richard Osman and Roisin Conarty respectively.
Trivia
Recorded at Lakeside Country Club, under the aegis of the British Darts Organisation. Darts players from the rival Professional Darts Corporation did not appear.
