Jim Bowen
Contents |
Shows
The Comedy Quiz (team captain)
The Golden Shot (2007 Gameshow Marathon special) as "Bowen The Bolt"
Biography
Arguably one of the least likely game show hosts of all time. He first came to fame through appearing first on ITV's The Comedians, then on the 1970's ITV children's series "You Must Be Joking" (not to be confused with the Terry Wogan-hosted show of the same name) and somehow landed the job of hosting Bullseye. His catchphrase "Super. Smashing. Great." (which, like Barry Norman's "And, why not?", he never says himself) was acquired after failing to pay attention to a contestant who said he was unemployed.
Hasn't done much else of note, but Bullseye ran for years and years and he turned up as a guest on other shows from time to time.
Jim passed away on March 14th 2018, aged 80.
Trivia
Bowen was a schoolteacher before breaking into the world of comedy.
He made at least two cameo appearances on "Last Of The Summer Wine" (one of them as a security guard) and also on ITV's popular 1970's-set comedy "The Grimleys" as a militant union rep, as well as a non-speaking cameo on Jonathan Creek. He also played an accountant in the 1982 comedy-drama "Muck and Brass", which also starred Mel Smith.
He appeared on the one-off Vernon Kay-hosted edition of The Golden Shot, screened in 2007 as part of ITV's Gameshow Marathon as "Bowen The Bolt" (well, he couldn't really have been "Bernie The Bolt", could he?)
Books / Tapes
