Shh ! You'll Blow The Whole Deal !

I read a very amusing piece by Giles Smith in the Times today [1]. Apparently ante-post favourite Phil Tufnell crashed out of Showbiz Darts at an early stage. Afterwards he pointed out that "Just because I can play cricket doesn't mean I can play darts" to which Smith, and excuse me if I mis-quote from memory, said it would be best not to tell anyone that in case it undermined the whole ethos of celebrity TV.

Showbiz Darts does sound quite amusing in that every game finishes on double one and the cameras frequently zoom in towards the targetted double only to pick up a "clunk" sound and the shoulder of the player in question as he or she bends over to retrieve the wayward arrow. It brings back happy memories of Bullseye when you would always hope that the female "non-darter" would make the final and adopt the classic square-on-tongue-sticking-out stance beloved by all devotees of the genre. Although it has to be said that when it comes to women playing darts nothing could ever match L!ve TV.

[1] I also recommend his book "Midnight In The Garden Of Evel Knievel" which frankly you should buy on the strength of the title alone. I did, and it was well worth it.