Bobby George
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Bobby George | |||||||||||||
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![]() George in April 2014 | |||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||
Full name | Robert Francis George | ||||||||||||
Nickname | King of Bling Bobby Dazzler Mr Glitter | ||||||||||||
Born | 16 December 1945 Manor Park, London, England | ||||||||||||
Home town | London, England | ||||||||||||
Darts information | |||||||||||||
Playing darts since | 1976 | ||||||||||||
Darts | Winmau 23g Bobby George | ||||||||||||
Laterality | Right-handed | ||||||||||||
Organisation (see split in darts) | |||||||||||||
BDO | 1977–2009 | ||||||||||||
WDF major events – best performances | |||||||||||||
World Ch'ship | Runner Up: 1980, 1994 | ||||||||||||
World Masters | Semi Final: 1979 | ||||||||||||
World Trophy | Last 32: 2002 | ||||||||||||
Int. Darts League | Last 32 Group: 2005 | ||||||||||||
Other tournament wins | |||||||||||||
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Robert Francis George (born 16 December 1945) is an English television presenter and former professional darts player. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King of Darts" makes his way to the stage bedecked in jewellery, wearing a crown and cloak and holding a candelabra to the Queen song "We Are the Champions".[1][2]
George won several leading major darts tournaments; he won the News of the World Darts Championship twice and appeared in two BDO Darts World Championship finals and was the first full-time exhibition player.
Since 1998, George has also worked for the BBC as a co-presenter and promoter of the game in their coverage of darts tournaments.[3]
Career
George took up darts at the age of 30, and quickly improved, winning the first tournament he entered
George reached the final of the BDO World Darts Championship in 1980 at his first attempt, beating Dave Whitcombe, Leighton Rees and Cliff Lazarenko. His opponent in the final was Eric Bristow. George led the match 1–0, 2–1 and 3–2 in sets, before Bristow edged ahead 4–3. At 2–2 in legs in the eighth set, George missed an opportunity to take the match to a decider. On 66 with one dart in hand, he miscounted and hit treble-16 instead of treble-10, thus leaving himself the trickier double-9 instead of double-18. On his next throw for double-9, George hit single-9 with his first dart and then bust his score by hitting single-20, leaving Bristow with three darts for the championship, which he duly converted with his second dart to seal a 5–3 victory.[5]
George reached his second world final in 1994. After beating Russell Stewart and Martin Phillips, he broke his back when celebrating winning a set during his quarter final match against Kevin Kenny. George got through that match against Kenny by 4–2 in sets, having damaged his back when celebrating going 3–2 up. In his semi final match against Magnus Caris, George went two sets up, but then lost the next four sets and the opening two legs of the seventh set. When Caris missed a dart at double 18 to win the match, George responded by winning nine legs in a row to win the match 5–4 in sets. Competing in the final against doctor's advice, Wearing a steel corset, George lost 0–6 to John Part playing in extreme pain.
A few weeks after that final, it was found that he had literally broken his back and had to have eight titanium screws inserted into the base of his spine just so that he could stand upright.[6]
Since 1998, George has been a co-presenter and pundit on the
His colourful character has enabled George to be successful on the darts exhibition circuit, being introduced to it, and money races by his friend
In November 2017, George appeared on Gone to Pot: American Road Trip in which five celebrities (mainly older aged) go across California and Colorado to find out how cannabis can be used medicinally and how it would affect the UK if it was legalised.[14]
Personal life
George was born in
George lives with his wife and manager Marie and their two sons at George Hall. The layout of the rooms has been designed to look like a dart, and above the front door is a stained glass dartboard. George is a keen fisherman, and within the George Hall grounds are well-stocked fishing lakes.[citation needed]
His son Richie is also a former professional darts player. He reached the semi-final of the 2013 BDO World Darts Championship, losing to eventual champion Scott Waites.
George has worked as an ambassador for basic arithmetic, touring schools teaching children how darts can help with counting skills.[15]
Tournament wins
- North American Open: 1978
- News of the World Darts Championship: 1979, 1986
- Butlins Grand Masters: 1979, 1980
- WDF Europe Cup Singles: 1982
- WDF Europe Cup Team: 1982
World Championship results
BDO
- 1980: Runner Up (lost to Eric Bristow 3–5)
- 1981: Quarter-finals (lost to Cliff Lazarenko 0–4)
- 1982: Semi-finals (lost to John Lowe 1–4)
- 1983: First round (lost to Tony Brown 0–2)
- 1984: First round (lost to Malcolm Davies 1–2)
- 1985: Second round (lost to Fred McMullan 1–3)
- 1986: First round (lost to Bob Anderson 0–3)
- 1987: First round (lost to John Lowe 0–3)
- 1993: Semi-finals (lost to John Lowe 3–5)
- 1994: Runner Up (lost to John Part 0–6)
- 1995: First round (lost to Ronnie Sharp 0–3)
- 1997: Second round (lost to Roland Scholten 0–3)
- 1998: Second round (lost to Sean Palfrey 2–3)
- 2000: Second round (lost to Ronnie Baxter 2–3)
- 2002: First round (lost to Raymond van Barneveld 1–3)
Career statistics
BDO major finals: 4 (2 titles, 2 runners-up)
Legend |
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World Championship (0–2) |
Grand Masters (2–0) |
Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score[N 1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 1979 | Butlins Grand Masters | ![]() |
unknown |
Runner-up | 1. | 1980 | World Championship | ![]() |
3–5 (s) |
Winner | 2. | 1980 | Butlins Grand Masters | ![]() |
unknown |
Runner-up | 2. | 1994 | World Championship | ![]() |
0–6 (s) |
WDF major finals: 1 (1 title)
Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score[N 1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 1982 | Europe Cup Singles | ![]() |
4–1 (l) |
Independent major finals: 2 (2 titles)
Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score[N 1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 1979 | News of the World Championship | ![]() |
2–0 (l) |
Winner | 2. | 1986 | News of the World Championship | ![]() |
2–0 (l) |
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Prel. | DNQ | DNP | NH |
Performance timeline
Tournament | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
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BDO World Championship | NYF | DNQ | F | QF | SF | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | DNQ | SF | F | 1R | DNQ | 2R | 2R | DNQ | 2R | DNQ | 1R | DNQ | ||||||||||||
World Masters | QF
|
Prel.
|
SF
|
3R
|
2R
|
QF
|
1R
|
3R
|
3R
|
DNP | 2R
|
3R
|
2R
|
DNP | 3R
|
2R
|
4R
|
1R
|
DNP | 1R
|
1R
|
2R
|
4R
|
Prel. | 2R | DNP | 2R | |||||||
British Professional | Not held | 2R | 2R | QF | 1R | 2R | DNP | Not held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MFI World Matchplay | Not held | 1R | 1R | DNP | Not held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Darts Trophy | Not held | 1R | DNP | Not held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International Darts League | Not held | DNP | RR | DNP | Not held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
News of the World | ??? | RR | W | QF | ??? | QF | ??? | W | ??? | Not held | DNP | Not held |
Performance Table Legend | |||||||
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DNP | Did not play at the event | DNQ | Did not qualify for the event | NYF | Not yet founded | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) |
QF | lost in the quarter-finals | SF | lost in the semi-finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
References
- ^ Gerrard, Jasper (12 August 2008). "Bobby George adds up to more than just a darts dazzler". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ Robertson, Stuart (1 January 2007). "An email conversation with Bobby George". The Independent. London. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ Broadbent, Rick (8 January 2007). "Showman George is still holding court as the king of bling". The Times. London. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ "Bobby George". BBC Press Office. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ "Classic Arrows - Eric Bistow v Bobby George 1980". BBC Sport. 22 December 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ "George whitewashed, Part satisfied". The Independent. London. 9 January 1994. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ "One Man and His Dog". IMDb. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ISBN 9781409105626.
- ^ Smith, Giles (3 June 2008). "Bobby George and Eric Bristow on the League of Legends darts tour". The Times. London. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ "Cash in the Celebrity Attic, Series 1, Bobby George". BBC Two. 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
- ^ BBC
- ^ "The Real Marigold Hotel". BBC Two. 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ "Search".
- ^ "Gone to Pot review: What were ITV smoking when they came up with this?". Radio Times. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ Smyth, Chris (8 January 2009). "How darts can help children to aim higher in jobs market". The Times. London. Retrieved 15 August 2010.