Luke Littler reveals he'll star alongside Freddie Flintoff on iconic ITV reboot

Luke Littler has confirmed that on the new version of iconic darts game show Bullseye.

will be a special guest on the show when it is broadcast on around . It by , who will fill the shoes of comedian Jim Bowen, who presented the programme from 1981 to 1995.

A Bullseye Christmas Special is in the works, with ITV bosses banking on the resurgence in the popularity of darts. That has been partly inspired by Littler, who has enjoyed a remarkable rise this year since reaching the final of the World Championship in January.

The 17-year-old from Warrington caught the nation’s attention at Alexandra Palace and has since cemented his place at the top of the sport by winning the World Series finals and Players Championship 20. His profile has continued to grow and he now has 1.3 million followers on , where he shared the Bullseye news on Monday evening.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

It is not yet known what format the reboot of Bullseye will take, but Littler is sure to get a chance to show off his talents. Darts players were regular guests on the original show, tasked with scoring as many points as possible to win money for charities.

Littler was not even born when Bullseye was on our screens, but at its height the show attracted 20 million viewers. ITV hope that the combination of Flintoff and Littler can make it a success again.

It will be one of Flintoff’s first TV show appearances since he nearly lost his while filming for Top Gear in December 2022. The 46-year-old has returned to , taking up coaching roles with England and the Northern Superchargers, as well as appearing on Field of Dreams – a documentary about inspiring young cricketers from his hometown of Preston.

"I love the darts and Bullseye was one of my favourite shows as a kid," Flintoff said. "I can’t quite believe I’ll get to host this Christmas special.” He then added one of Bowen’s famous catchphrases: "You can't beat a bit of Bully!"

Littler’s appearance will see him follow in the footsteps of darts legends Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson, John Lowe, Mike Gregory, Bob Anderson and Kevin Painter on the show. It will also accelerate his move into the mainstream as a sports star.

The youngster, known as “The Nuke”, has earned more than £625,000 in prize money since making his breakthrough at Ally Pally. He has been thrust into the spotlight of celebrity and is currently ranked No.20 in the , with Luke Humphries – the man who beat him in the World Championship final – sitting in top spot.