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BOBBY
GEORGE: Profile of a darts legend
BOBBY
GEORGE is widely recognised as the best known and most colourful
and charismatic darts player of all time. He is the biggest
personality in darts and after co-presenting the famous World
Darts Championships for BBC TV since 1999, followed by the
Winmau World Masters (also on BBC) he is now known as 'the
face of televised darts'.
Famed
for his extravagant stage entrances to the sound of Queen's
'We Are The Champions' dressed in sequinned cape and carrying
a lighted candelabra, Bobby has become a living darts legend.
He
has appeared in top-rating TV shows like 'They Think It's
All Over', 'You Bet!', 'Bullseye' and 'Rise' and has also
made films and videos - notably the gangster film 'one man
and his Dog' in which he plays the villainous Tony 'The Butcher'
Barton (released Autumn 2003) and 'The Story Of Darts', a
double-video made for WHSmith on which he is the presenter
from his own home - the magnificent George Hall. He has also
featured in TV commercials - notably delivering the catchphrase
'You Know The Big Dollop's Right' in several TV campaigns
for Hellmanns Mayonaisse and more recently on Celebrity Fit
Club ITV1
He's
been featured in 'Gillette World Of Sport' (seen by an audience
of 100 million worldwide) and it is hardly surprising that
he is universally acknowledged as 'The King Of Darts'.
He
launched Sport Relief '04 at the Lakeside World Professional
Darts Championships, and on behalf of darts encouraged players
to compete in 4-minute darts marathons all over the country.
The focal point for Sport Relief was the 50th Anniversary
of Dr.Roger Bannister (a sporting hero of Bobby's) breaking
the 4 minute mile.
Home
is the truly Baronial George Hall - which really is as grand
as it sounds! The beautiful house is set in several acres
of Essex countryside and has 18 bedrooms and a games-room
complete with full-size snooker table, pool tables, dartboard
and enough sporting memorabilia to satisfy the most ardent
fan.
Outside,
the property has a set of darts on the iron gates and a stained
glass window above the front door that is half a dartboard!
From the air it has the shape of a darts flight, and flying
proudly atop the building is the flag of St.George.
No
half-measures for Bobby George!
He
even has his own kitchen away from the main house in which
his speciality is Chinese cuisine. However, what makes George
Hall extraordinary is the fact that Bobby George built it
with his own hands!
It
took him five years to complete, and it even has three fishing
lakes which are open to the public and available for an ever-growing
diary of corporate days. Company executives and clients enjoy
the fishing before meeting 'The King Of Darts' afterwards.
Twice
winner of the famous News Of The World Darts Championship
(1979 and 1986), the Butlin's Grand Masters Champion of 1979,
Bobby has competed in 15 World Championships and twice been
a finalist. He has more trophies, awards, honours and accolades
than practically any player in the sport.
Above
all, he's the best known and most colourful of them all!
He's
an entertainer, raconteur and world-class darts player with
a worldwide reputation and identity. Uniquely, nowadays he
only plays in major tournaments, including the two biggest
events in World Darts - the Lakeside World Professional and
the Winmau World Masters - both of which are screened by BBC
TV Sport. He's also competed in the International Darts League
and World Darts Trophy in The Netherlands - where he is a
huge favourite with the darts fans.
And,
as he always jokes, he's in every Lakeside and World Masters
final because he co-presents BBC darts coverage with his friend
and colleague Ray Stubbs.
Other
than this high-profile, his entire year is spent touring with
his own 'Fun' darts exhibitions throughout the UK and Europe,
or raising money for various charities.
One
of the most successful England Internationals of all time,
he has been a star columnist for Darts World Magazine since
1994. He writes his own humorous, frank and often outspoken
column in every issue.
He's
currently writing his autobiography and has become a cult
figure with a whole new generation of darts fans through his
TV persona, burgeoning film career and his huge popularity
as an entertainer in his now famous darts exhibitions.
Married
to Marie, Bobby has two sons Robert and Richard, and they
all live in the magnificent George Hall, which is on land
mentioned in the Domesday Book. To this day his water comes
from the first Roman well to be sunk in England (Colchester
was a Roman garrison).
BOBBY'S
HISTORY (amongst others)
North
American Open Champion 1978
News
of The World Champion 1979
World
Masters Semi-Finalist 1979
Butlins
Grand Masters Champion 1979
Butlins
Grand Masters Champion 1980
Embassy
World Championship runner-up 1980
Embassy
World Championship Semi-Finalist 1982
WDF
Europe Cup Singles winner 1982
News
of The World Champion 1986
Embassy
World Championship Semi-Finalist 1993
Embassy
World Championship runner-up 1994
15
times Embassy World Championship competitor.
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