Jim Bowen
Encyclopedia
Jim Bowen is an English
stand-up comedian and TV personality. He is best known as the host of the ITV
gameshow Bullseye
, which he hosted between 1981 and 1995.
, Merseyside
and educated at Accrington
Grammar School
in Lancashire
and Chester Diocesan Training College
. He was then a teacher at schools in Lancashire and became deputy headmaster of Caton
Primary School near Lancaster
. Bowen originally gained a degree in mathematics and early years education at Lancaster University.
on the northern club
circuit, balancing his comedy career with his day job as a teacher. The advent of Granada TV’s The Comedians gave Jim the opportunity to appear on national television which ultimately helped persuade him to become a full-time entertainer.
Television opportunities followed and Jim made appearances on Granada’s The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club
as well as Thames Television
’s late-night chat show Take Two.
. The format, devised by Andrew Wood, mixed general knowledge questions with darts
. The show quickly became a popular feature of ITV's schedules early on Sunday evenings, and ran for 14 years until it ended in 1995.
Bowen was the presenter throughout along with Tony Green
as the darts commentator, and several of the catchphrases he used on the programme became well-known. He would warn contestants that if they gambled and lost, all they would receive was their "BFH: Bus Fare Home". "Nothing in this game for two in a bed" referred to how contestants would win a prize by hitting the appropriate part of the dartboard, but would lose the prize if they hit it twice. Probably his most popular phrase was "super, smashing, great"; and he always showed contestants who lost the gamble "what they would have won".
In 1980 Host Jim Bowen was included in a "Charlton Athletic" team of entertainers to appear in an ATV variety game show called "Up for the Cup", three winning rounds followed and the team found themselves in the final becoming runners up, no matter game and series over. By this time Jim had asked the "Charlton captain of the TV show", South London entertainment agent Ray Donn
to look after him professionally & to help find him work down South.
A few weeks after “Up for the Cup” had been transmitted in 1981, the then head of ATV
casting the late Alec Fyne contacted Donn to enquire what Bowen was doing during the following month, he said “Nothing, I can’t get him out of”. Alec Fyne replied “Get him up here as soon as possible as we may have something for him" ……That was how the quiz show “Bullseye” started and of Bowen's renowned association.
and Channel 4's Phoenix Nights.
He appeared on a Comedians special of The Weakest Link in 2006, but lost the play-off to Iain Lee
.
but after working there for three years, resigned after referring to a guest on his show as a "nig-nog". He admitted that, even though he apologised for the remark almost immediately, he believed his showbusiness career was over.
, called "You Can't Beat a Bit of Bully". He returned to Edinburgh in the summer of 2006 performing at ‘Jongleurs’ from 8 to 28 August. He now takes this package around smaller theatres. He performed at the 2010 festival once again with his Bullseye spin off with side-kick and muse James Kazal.
in Cumbria.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
stand-up comedian and TV personality. He is best known as the host of the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
gameshow Bullseye
Bullseye (UK game show)
Bullseye was a popular British television programme. It was first made for the ITV network by ATV in 1981 and Central from 1982 until 1995, and hosted by Jim Bowen. The show originally aired on Monday nights from 1981, it was then moved to Sunday nights from 1982 to 1993 where it was watched by...
, which he hosted between 1981 and 1995.
Early life
Bowen was born in HeswallHeswall
Heswall is a town in Wirral, in the county of Merseyside, England. Administratively, it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. At the time of the 2001 Census, the total population of the ward was 16,012 , which included the nearby villages of Barnston and Gayton...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
and educated at Accrington
Accrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and Chester Diocesan Training College
University of Chester
The University of Chester is a public research university located in Chester, United Kingdom. The University, based on a main campus in Chester and a smaller campus in Warrington, offers a range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as undertaking academic research.Chester...
. He was then a teacher at schools in Lancashire and became deputy headmaster of Caton
Caton, Lancashire
The civil parish of Caton with Littledale is situated in Lancashire, England near the River Lune. The parish lies within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and contains the villages of Caton, Brookhouse, Caton Green, Littledale and Townend.-History:The original settlement of...
Primary School near Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
. Bowen originally gained a degree in mathematics and early years education at Lancaster University.
Beginnings in showbusiness
While teaching he became involved with the local dramatic society which kindled his interest in showbusiness. In the 1960s he worked part-time as a stand-up comedianStand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
on the northern club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
circuit, balancing his comedy career with his day job as a teacher. The advent of Granada TV’s The Comedians gave Jim the opportunity to appear on national television which ultimately helped persuade him to become a full-time entertainer.
Television opportunities followed and Jim made appearances on Granada’s The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club
The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club
The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club was a British television variety show produced by Granada Television from 1974 to 1977. It was set in a fictional working men's club in the North of England and was hosted by comedian Colin Crompton. Also regularly featured was comedian Bernard Manning...
as well as Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
’s late-night chat show Take Two.
Bullseye
In 1981, Bowen was appointed presenter of a new ITV gameshow BullseyeBullseye (UK game show)
Bullseye was a popular British television programme. It was first made for the ITV network by ATV in 1981 and Central from 1982 until 1995, and hosted by Jim Bowen. The show originally aired on Monday nights from 1981, it was then moved to Sunday nights from 1982 to 1993 where it was watched by...
. The format, devised by Andrew Wood, mixed general knowledge questions with darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
. The show quickly became a popular feature of ITV's schedules early on Sunday evenings, and ran for 14 years until it ended in 1995.
Bowen was the presenter throughout along with Tony Green
Tony Green
Tony Green is a darts commentator for the British Darts Organisation on the BBC. He is also a former referee and master of ceremonies and was also co-host of the hit darts quiz show Bullseye on ITV alongside Jim Bowen and the show revived in 2006 on Challenge with Dave Spikey.- Darts career :A...
as the darts commentator, and several of the catchphrases he used on the programme became well-known. He would warn contestants that if they gambled and lost, all they would receive was their "BFH: Bus Fare Home". "Nothing in this game for two in a bed" referred to how contestants would win a prize by hitting the appropriate part of the dartboard, but would lose the prize if they hit it twice. Probably his most popular phrase was "super, smashing, great"; and he always showed contestants who lost the gamble "what they would have won".
In 1980 Host Jim Bowen was included in a "Charlton Athletic" team of entertainers to appear in an ATV variety game show called "Up for the Cup", three winning rounds followed and the team found themselves in the final becoming runners up, no matter game and series over. By this time Jim had asked the "Charlton captain of the TV show", South London entertainment agent Ray Donn
Ray Donn
Ray Donn is a British entepreneur and businessman-turned-actor.-Businessman:Donn began his professional life in 1961 and spent 36 years running pubs, clubs and hotels, such as The Pegasus from 1961 to 1968, The Goat from 1968 to 1970, The Valley Club from 1970 to 1984, and Syndale Park Motel from...
to look after him professionally & to help find him work down South.
A few weeks after “Up for the Cup” had been transmitted in 1981, the then head of ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
casting the late Alec Fyne contacted Donn to enquire what Bowen was doing during the following month, he said “Nothing, I can’t get him out of”. Alec Fyne replied “Get him up here as soon as possible as we may have something for him" ……That was how the quiz show “Bullseye” started and of Bowen's renowned association.
Other television work
Bowen has also appeared in TV dramas and comedies. He played a crooked accountant in ITV's 1982 drama Muck and Brass, and later guest starred in BBC1's Jonathan CreekJonathan Creek
Jonathan Creek is a British mystery series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick. Primarily a crime drama, the show is also peppered with broadly comic touches...
and Channel 4's Phoenix Nights.
He appeared on a Comedians special of The Weakest Link in 2006, but lost the play-off to Iain Lee
Iain Lee
Iain Lee is a British comedian, and a television and radio presenter. His career began when he performed stand-up comedy gigs across venues in London. He subsequently became co-presenter of the comedy current affairs show The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel 4 and RI:SE...
.
Radio
In 1999, Bowen began presenting on BBC Radio LancashireBBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Lancashire is the BBC Local Radio service for the county of Lancashire, in North West England. It began as BBC Radio Blackburn on 26 January 1971 on 96.4FM, then adding 854 kHz AM in 1972 and changing to its current name on 4 July 1981...
but after working there for three years, resigned after referring to a guest on his show as a "nig-nog". He admitted that, even though he apologised for the remark almost immediately, he believed his showbusiness career was over.
One-man show
Bowen returned to the limelight in 2005, when he performed a solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe about BullseyeBullseye (UK game show)
Bullseye was a popular British television programme. It was first made for the ITV network by ATV in 1981 and Central from 1982 until 1995, and hosted by Jim Bowen. The show originally aired on Monday nights from 1981, it was then moved to Sunday nights from 1982 to 1993 where it was watched by...
, called "You Can't Beat a Bit of Bully". He returned to Edinburgh in the summer of 2006 performing at ‘Jongleurs’ from 8 to 28 August. He now takes this package around smaller theatres. He performed at the 2010 festival once again with his Bullseye spin off with side-kick and muse James Kazal.
Return to radio
Bowen can now be heard presenting a mid-morning radio show on 106.6 Indigo FMIndigo FM
Indigo FM is a radio station broadcasting to the South Lakes and North Lancashire area in the United Kingdom.-History:Indigo FM first went on air in March 2008 following a successful application for a 5 year broadcast license from media watchdog Ofcom. The station broadcasts on 106.6 FM...
in Cumbria.