LUKE LITTLER hopes he will hit the Bullseye this week in Wolverhampton after making a return to the cult TV show.
The Nuke, who has an MBE, has transcended darts since bursting on to the scene and becoming the youngest world champion aged 18.
And he was the obvious choice to take part in the first episode of the new series of ITV’s Bullseye, which airs on Sunday evening after a 19-year permanent absence from television screens.
A one-off pilot show fronted by Freddie Flintoff last Christmas won rave reviews and a new series has been commissioned for this autumn and winter.
Bullseye became famous in the 1980s when up to 18 million people watched Jim Bowen’s wisecracks and putdowns while punters bizarrely won speedboats or fridges.
It ran for 14 series between September 1981 and July 1995 and then comedian Dave Spikey was the host for 30 episodes in 2006.
LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Premier League Darts ticket packages to all 17 nights from just £125
MIC DROP
Van Gerwen warned ‘it’s time to say goodbye’ to his days at the top of darts
Speaking to former England cricket all-rounder Flintoff, Littler said he was messaged by Sir David Beckham, his Manchester United hero, when he lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy in January.
Littler said: “It’s obviously a dream come true.
“It’s the one that everyone wants to win and to be the youngest to do it. Yeah, I was just too good.
“David was there congratulating me for getting to the final and then when I won. He said: ‘Well done. Once a red, always a red.’”
SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN
Littler is playing in the Grand Slam of Darts, which starts on Saturday, and is the provisional world No.1.
That is unless rival Luke Humphries manages to close a £81,500 money gap in the world rankings over the course of the tournament.
His role on Bullseye saw him throw darts for charity and in a quirk of fate, he had met two of the contestants before.
Two guys – Luke from Preston and Jordan from Yorkshire – randomly invited Littler on holiday with them to the Czech Republic when they saw him in an airport lounge.
Jordan, who is getting married soon, added: “Bumped into Luke in the airport.
“Well moments before I was about to get changed into what I later found out was a cheerleader’s outfit.”
Best man Luke said: “We did try and invite him on the stag do to Prague with us, but he was busy that night.”
Bullseye airs weekly on ITV from this Sunday.
