Bobby George admits 'overdoing it' with Essex mansion's bedrooms
Darts icon Bobby George admitted he "overdid it" by building 18 bedrooms inside his Essex mansion.The self-styled King of Bling constructed his dream house in Ardleigh, near Colchester, during the 1990s.Complete with three fishing lakes, a bar and 12 acres (4.85ha) of land, he crowned the estate George Hall.Referencing the extensive bedroom offering, George joked: "My poor wife has got to clean them all."
The 79-year-old was one of the first big names to emerge from darts in the 1980s, known for his flamboyant entrances and love of gold jewellery.He revealed 28 rooms were included in the initial blueprints for his property, something planners branded "over the top".
"I overdid it with the bedrooms, to be honest," said George, who designed the home when he was 50 years old. "But I was younger and I didn't have any fear."The arrow-thrower regularly made headlines during his playing days, becoming a fan favourite at the oche.He returned to the limelight in June after revealing he kept one of his toes in a jar of vodka at home.Since 1999, he has had four amputations due to a genetic condition."I put one in the jar behind my bar just for fun, and I always say 'Do you want a cocktail or a cock-toe?'," George said.
The closest the dartsman came to a World Championship title was in 1994, when he was runner-up to John Part.While building the mansion he now lives in with his wife Marie, George learned how to weld and install granite floors.The couple lived in a portable building in the garden while the ambitious project was ongoing."I built a bathroom first so we could use a bathroom, then a bedroom and a kitchen," George explained."I finished them and then I finished room after room after room."
But, the TV pundit admitted he could have toned it down with the bedrooms."I made a few mistakes when I done this: I had too many bedrooms from kick-off," George said."My poor wife has got to clean them all. I say 'Leave it, it doesn't matter, we don't go in the rooms, who cares? Let the spiders have it'. "But she doesn't want that to happen... so she's got a lot of work."
Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
17 minutes ago
- Leader Live
GB News announces expansion into the US
The news channel, launched in 2021, will open a new bureau in Washington DC as it launches its services across the Atlantic. The two-hour programme will begin in September from a studio 'close to the White House' and will 'bring British audiences closer than ever to the political news which unfolds each day in America'. The programme will feature 'headline-making exclusives, thought-provoking interviews with major figures, and in-depth analysis of the Trump presidency as well as stories from across the US', according to GB News. The move includes an extension of GB News' distribution across the US, with content to be made available free to American audiences. Turner said: 'With the gutsiest guests and the most iconic backdrops, I intend to keep viewers up late. Fronting the next stage of GB News's evolution is both a huge honour and an immense responsibility, and I cannot wait to represent the people's channel on a global stage. 'We will be disrupting the late-night TV space as the next day's papers land in the UK and America's prime-time analysis gears up. This affords us the chance to deliver a unique UK-USA hybrid of political, cultural and social issues from the start-line of global politics. 'We will fulfil the need for a British voice with an international perspective to help our viewers get a sense of who's really on their side. 'Tapping into Washington's heartbeat and delivering real-time perspective with editorial edge, the show will be alive, and a conversation that's punchy, intelligent and unmissable. What happens in DC reverberates in GB and we will capture every moment. 'Our highly engaged British audience understands how events in the US are directly impacting government policy and living standards here. 'We have a job to do: bridging the gap between British and American politics in the fearless style that typifies GB News. 'We will include the very best guests that Washington has to offer, alongside quintessentially British voices in an unparalleled assessment of events on both sides of the Atlantic. 'This isn't just a media experiment, this is a market intervention. And I look forward to leading it from the front.' Turner, 51, who began presenting her own show on GB News in 2022, previously hosted a talk show on LBC and has appeared on ITV's This Morning and Good Morning Britain. Michael Booker, GB News editorial director, said: 'This is a huge moment for GB News as we grow our presence and deliver more of the fearless journalism that defines us. 'The world's biggest political story is playing out in Washington, and its impact is being felt daily in towns and cities across Britain. 'More than ever before, what happens in the USA is having huge consequences, both socially and economically, for the people of Britain. 'We've seen time and again this year that a decision made on one day in Washington DC is felt the next day in Washington, Tyne and Wear. 'It's essential the people's channel is right there, reporting live, asking the tough questions, and telling it like it is. 'While others scale back on live free coverage, GB News is investing in our content. 'Our new Washington investment, our expanded programming and our brilliant on-the-ground team will ensure we're not just reporting on the story but that we're right at the heart of it.'
BreakingNews.ie
31 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
GB News announces expansion into the US
GB News is expanding into the US with a new live nightly show hosted by Bev Turner. The news channel, launched in 2021, will open a new bureau in Washington DC as it launches its services across the Atlantic. Advertisement The two-hour programme will begin in September from a studio 'close to the White House' and will 'bring British audiences closer than ever to the political news which unfolds each day in America'. The programme will feature 'headline-making exclusives, thought-provoking interviews with major figures, and in-depth analysis of the Trump presidency as well as stories from across the US', according to GB News. The move includes an extension of GB News' distribution across the US, with content to be made available free to American audiences. Turner said: 'With the gutsiest guests and the most iconic backdrops, I intend to keep viewers up late. Fronting the next stage of GB News's evolution is both a huge honour and an immense responsibility, and I cannot wait to represent the people's channel on a global stage. Advertisement 'We will be disrupting the late-night TV space as the next day's papers land in the UK and America's prime-time analysis gears up. This affords us the chance to deliver a unique UK-USA hybrid of political, cultural and social issues from the start-line of global politics. 'We will fulfil the need for a British voice with an international perspective to help our viewers get a sense of who's really on their side. 'Tapping into Washington's heartbeat and delivering real-time perspective with editorial edge, the show will be alive, and a conversation that's punchy, intelligent and unmissable. What happens in DC reverberates in GB and we will capture every moment. 'Our highly engaged British audience understands how events in the US are directly impacting government policy and living standards here. Advertisement 'We have a job to do: bridging the gap between British and American politics in the fearless style that typifies GB News. 'We will include the very best guests that Washington has to offer, alongside quintessentially British voices in an unparalleled assessment of events on both sides of the Atlantic. 'This isn't just a media experiment, this is a market intervention. And I look forward to leading it from the front.' Bev Turner (GB News/PA) Turner, 51, who began presenting her own show on GB News in 2022, previously hosted a talk show on LBC and has appeared on ITV's This Morning and Good Morning Britain. Advertisement Michael Booker, GB News editorial director, said: 'This is a huge moment for GB News as we grow our presence and deliver more of the fearless journalism that defines us. 'The world's biggest political story is playing out in Washington, and its impact is being felt daily in towns and cities across Britain. 'More than ever before, what happens in the USA is having huge consequences, both socially and economically, for the people of Britain. 'We've seen time and again this year that a decision made on one day in Washington DC is felt the next day in Washington, Tyne and Wear. Advertisement 'It's essential the people's channel is right there, reporting live, asking the tough questions, and telling it like it is. 'While others scale back on live free coverage, GB News is investing in our content. 'Our new Washington investment, our expanded programming and our brilliant on-the-ground team will ensure we're not just reporting on the story but that we're right at the heart of it.'
The Sun
39 minutes ago
- The Sun
Love Island's most controversial game returns to the villa TONIGHT – and leaves couples in chaos
LOVE Island fans will be on the edge of their seats tonight thanks to the return of the show's most controversial and sizzling game - The Heart Rate Challenge. The islanders will be turning up the heat in the villa by stripping off to an array of saucy outfits in a bid to excite the opposite sex. 1
