The classic ITV show, Bullseye, is being rebooted with Freddie Flintoff stepping in as the host. After a highly successful Christmas special in 2024, producers have commissioned a new full series as well as another Christmas special for 2025. Filming started in September 2025, with the show expected to air at the end of the year.
Bullseye’s Return is Highly Anticipated
After a very successful one-off Christmas special, which drew in over 8.6 million people, it seems that Bullseye is getting bigger than ever. The new show is going to follow the existing format of the original show, with the “knower” and the “thrower”. People will combine their skills with answering questions while throwing darts at a board. Flintoff has come out to say that he absolutely loves the show and has loved it for quite some time. He really enjoyed doing the Christmas special and is now thrilled to be hosting the new series. Joe Mace, who is the Entertainment Commissioning Editor, has said that following the success of the Christmas special, they are very excited to see what the new season is going to bring, while being given the chance to entertain UK audiences once again.
The Lasting Appeal of Bullseye on UK Audiences
The reason why Bullseye is so successful is that it has a lasting appeal. This really helps it to stand apart from other quiz shows within the same era. Presented by Jim Bowen, Bullseye has a working-class demographic, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t just about throwing darts and answering questions. It was also about injecting a bit of camaraderie and humour.
One of the most iconic catchphrases in the show was “You can’t beat a bit of Bully!” which has stayed with viewers long after the original show’s run ended in 1995. Interestingly, the show has had such an impact that it has also spawned a number of spinoffs. You can download the Bullseye Official game on the App Store, which allows you to test your dart skills as well as your general ability to answer questions. Bullseye Bingo is another prime example of how the show has made its mark on other verticals. What makes this bingo game so special is that it offers a traditional spin on the classic game. The aim is to hit the Bullseye, or number 50, to win, with the iconic Bully character making an appearance.
As time goes on, it’s not surprising to see other classic UK television shows come back, with Deal or No Deal also returning to our screens for new seasons. Even though new TV shows are being created all the time, the resurgence of Bullseye just goes to show that sometimes, you just can’t beat the classics, and that its lasting appeal hasn’t just impacted viewers who watched the show when it was aired, but also the generations since.
Fans who want to watch the new series will be glad to know that it is set to be aired at the end of the year, with dates still to be announced.
Photo by Anastase Maragos on Unsplash