Latest news with #EricBristow
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Crying my eyes out' – Darts star lifts lid on personal woes and moment opponent accused him of cheating
DARTS star Gian van Veen cried his eyes out after being accused of cheating by an opponent. The Dutchman suffers from dartitis - a condition which stops players from releasing the dart due to a psychological problem. Van Veen said on Huw Ware's Tops and Tales podcast: 'I still remember one game on the Challenge Tour when I first got dartitis and my opponent was angry at me because he thought I was doing it on purpose. 'I was in tears, crying my eyes out in the middle of Barnsley Metrodome because I was struggling so badly. "And for my opponent to tell me I was cheating or something — it was heartbreaking.' The name is a portmanteau and was coined by Darts World editor Tony Wood in 1981. This condition sees darts players of all levels struggle psychologically - and it is suggested it comes from a fear of missing. At the highest level, dartitis has affected many of the sport's best players, including five-time world champion Eric Bristow, who said he suffered with the condition for a decade. Nathan Aspinall also appeared to struggle with the condition when he faced Luke Littler in the World Darts Championship on New Year's Day. Van Veen is still overcoming his issues now - but believes dartitis has actually made him a better player. He said: 'The weird thing is, I played better through it. I started averaging like 85 with dartitis. "But when I got rid of it, I averaged 92, 93, because in my head, I was like, 'You're not going to release the dart until you're 100 per cent sure you're going to hit the target.' Rob Cross admits darts concerns after former world champ's major slump in form "So it took a while, but I started playing better, winning more games, and that massively grew my confidence. "And that's how I eventually got rid of it.' Former Youth World Champion Van Veen is now ranked 18th in the world and has titles in his sights. He said: 'I'm not going to sit here and say, 'I'm going to win five world titles.' I'll be very happy with my career if I win one. "I think so far, my career's already been very successful. But yeah, I'd love to top it off — whether it's in 20, 25, 30 years — with a world title. "Doesn't matter if it's next year or in 10 or 15 years. Just win one, and I'll be very satisfied.' 2
The Sun
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Bobby George: Eric Bristow could be a pain in the a**e, but his death hit me hard… he was only 60 for f***'s sake
BOBBY GEORGE has opened up on the passing of his great rival Eric Bristow - and admits he warned the darts great to slow down. Bristow died suddenly of a heart attack in 2018 aged just 60. 3 3 3 George, 79, and The Crafty Cockney faced off on the oche throughout the 1980s. Bristow was the face of darts in that era, winning five BDO World Championship titles. He was also known for his hell-raising antics away from the sport - and was rarely seen without a pint in his hand. George, who met Bristow as a teenager, remembers: "He could be a pain in the a***, "We had some right ding-dongs over the years. "But for most of the time, he was my mate and we had some great times together." Bristow memorably beat George in the 1980 World Championship final. It was Bristow's first crown, with the Hackney-born star going on to repeat the trick in 1981, 1984, 1985 and 1986. King of Bling was somewhat in Bristow's shadow, winning two major BDO titles during his career. And he was left stunned by Bristow's untimely passing seven years ago. Darts icon Bobby George claims Phil Taylor couldn't beat Luke Littler 'even in his heyday' He wrote in his autobiography: "Eric Bristow's death hit me hard. "He was only 60 for f***'s sake. That's no age these days, is it? "I had known him since he was a teenager – and he never changed." George admits Bristow wasn't one to follow health advice - despite trying to give it to him. He continued: "Anyone who knew him was aware that he didn't exactly lead a healthy lifestyle. When I go, I'll go like that. Bang. Eric Bristow "For as long as I'd known him, he was a heavy smoker, always rolling his own. "And he would think nothing of getting through 15 or 16 pints of Guinness in a day, rounding it all off with a curry. "Nobody's body can handle that day in, day out. "I'd say, 'You smoke and you drink too much.' "He said, 'I know all about that, Bob. But put it this way – no one is going to be pushing me around in a wheelchair. When I go, I'll go like that. Bang.' "And he f***ing did as well. Bang."
Scottish Sun
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I was looking at Eric Bristow's flat when he died and his demise hit me hard, says ex-BBC darts host Bobby George
'MY MATE' I was looking at Eric Bristow's flat when he died and his demise hit me hard, says ex-BBC darts host Bobby George Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BOBBY GEORGE says the sudden death of long-time drinking and darts pal Eric Bristow seven years ago 'hit me hard'. And his new book details the duo's many escapades. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Darts great Eric Bristow passed away seven years ago Credit: REX 4 The former world champion passed away aged 60 Credit: GETTY 4 Long-time pal Bobby George has opened up on the passing of the beloved Bristow Credit: GETTY They first met in the 1970s and became oche rivals — they contested the 1980 World Darts Championship final — but also 'very good friends'. According to George, the five-time world champion would be 'good as gold until about 10 or 10.30pm — then he'd become a complete a***hole once he had drunk too much'. The King of Bling, claimed Hackney-born Bristow would be 'rude, arrogant, leery and happy to pick a fight with anyone . . . I didn't like him when he was like that, no one did'. Yet the Crafty Cockney never wavered in his strong loyalty towards George, 11 years the senior man, whom he called Bo. Bristow — one of the sport's greatest throwers — died on April 5, 2018 from a heart attack before a Premier League event in Liverpool. He was 60. Writing in Still Here! The King of Bling, George, 79, said: 'Eric Bristow's death hit me hard. 'He was only 60 for f***'s sake. That's no age these days, is it? I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed. 'He could be a pain in the a*** and we had some right ding-dongs over the years. List of all-time Darts World Champions BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year. The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions. That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once - Barney also won four BDO titles - and none of Eric Bristow's five BDO titles are included. 1994 - Dennis Priestley 1995 - Phil Taylor 1996 - Phil Taylor (2) 1997 - Phil Taylor (3) 1998 - Phil Taylor (4) 1999 - Phil Taylor (5) 2000 - Phil Taylor (6) 2001 - Phil Taylor (7) 2002 - Phil Taylor (8) 2003 - John Part 2004 - Phil Taylor (9) 2005 - Phil Taylor (10) 2006 - Phil Taylor (11) 2007 - Raymond van Barneveld 2008 - John Part (2) 2009 - Phil Taylor (12) 2010 - Phil Taylor (13) 2011 - Adrian Lewis 2012 - Adrian Lewis (2) 2013 - Phil Taylor (14) 2014 - Michael van Gerwen 2015 - Gary Anderson 2016 - Gary Anderson (2) 2017 - Michael van Gerwen (2) 2018 - Rob Cross 2019 - Michael van Gerwen (3) 2020 - Peter Wright 2021 - Gerwyn Price 2022 - Peter Wright (2) 2023 - Michael Smith 2024 - Luke Humphries 2025 - Luke Littler Most World Titles 14 - Phil Taylor 3 - Michael van Gerwen 2 - John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright 1 - Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler 'But for most of the time, he was my mate and we had some great times together.' On the night Bristow died, George was on Merseyside, working at Shooters Bar and Diner. The pair had 'a little catch-up and I got him a Guinness'. 'One of the best things I've ever seen' - Frank Lampard stunned as Coventry star hits 180 with first-ever three darts That night, George stayed in a Stoke pub run by Barry Birch, Bristow's former driver. And he was even looking at 'Eric's flat' less than 200 yards away when he learned the tragic news. George said: 'I couldn't believe the suddenness of his passing. 'Nor could I take in the fact that I could see his flat — the same flat he'd have left just a few hours earlier — as I was trying to take in the tragic news. 'What were the odds of it? Me being with him, saying goodbye, going to Stoke and looking out of a window at his flat whilst stood alongside his former driver? 'We both needed a stiff drink that night. They reckon Eric's heart must have stopped before he hit the ground as there was no blood. 'In his diary, apparently, he'd written he had got bad chest pains. "Bloody hell, if that was the case, why didn't he go to the doctors or hospital and get it sorted? 'Knowing Eric, he probably thought, 'I'll put loads of Guinness down my neck, that'll get rid of the pain'. 'Anyone who knew him was aware that he didn't exactly lead a healthy lifestyle. I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed." Bobby George on Eric Bristow 'For as long as I'd known him, he was a heavy smoker, always rolling his own. 'And he would think nothing of getting through 15 or 16 pints of Guinness in a day, rounding it all off with a curry. Nobody's body can handle that day in, day out. 'Always on the go, working and travelling, meant he was always pushing it. "Although it wasn't work to him, just a chance to get on the p*** every day. 'I like a drink and a smoke but there are extremes and Eric pushed them to the limit. 'I'd say, 'You smoke and you drink too much'. He said, 'I know all about that, Bob. But put it this way, no one is going to be pushing me around in a wheelchair. When I go, I'll go like that. Bang'. And he f***ing did as well, bang.' George first encountered the 'mouthy so-and-so' while playing in a BDO event at Margate in Kent. 4 Bobby George knew the late Eric Bristow when he was a teenager Credit: GETTY He said: 'After that we became good mates and he would do anything for me, anything.' As they toured the country, they 'would share prize money', but there were times when George thought 'we're going to get our heads kicked in' due to Bristow's OTT antics. On a US tour in 1978, the first time George went on a plane, Bristow enraged locals by pretending 'to wipe his a***' with the American Stars and Stripes flag 'before chucking it on the floor'. George said: 'The atmosphere had turned really toxic and I was worried that someone was going to do something really stupid, like pull a gun out on him. ''Watch yourself, Eric,' I whispered in his ear. 'These guys aren't messing about and they have guns over here!' 'I'd like to say that was an isolated incident but it wasn't. 'That's how he was, always getting into trouble. But somehow always managing to get himself out of it.' Still Here! The King of Bling, published by Pitch Publishing, is out now, £25.
The Irish Sun
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I was looking at Eric Bristow's flat when he died and his demise hit me hard, says ex-BBC darts host Bobby George
BOBBY GEORGE says the sudden death of long-time drinking and darts pal Eric Bristow seven years ago 'hit me hard'. And his new book details the duo's many escapades. Advertisement 4 Darts great Eric Bristow passed away seven years ago Credit: REX 4 The former world champion passed away aged 60 Credit: GETTY 4 Long-time pal Bobby George has opened up on the passing of the beloved Bristow Credit: GETTY They first met in the 1970s and became oche rivals — they contested the 1980 World Darts Championship final — but also 'very good friends'. According to George, the five-time world champion would be 'good as gold until about 10 or 10.30pm — then he'd become a complete a***hole once he had drunk too much'. The King of Bling, claimed Hackney-born Bristow would be 'rude, arrogant, leery and happy to pick a fight with anyone . . . I didn't like him when he was like that, no one did'. Yet the Crafty Cockney never wavered in his strong loyalty towards George, 11 years the senior man, whom he called Bo. Advertisement READ MORE DARTS NEWS Bristow — one of the sport's greatest throwers — Writing in Still Here! The King of Bling , George, 79, said: 'Eric Bristow's death hit me hard. 'He was only 60 for f***'s sake. That's no age these days, is it? I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed. 'He could be a pain in the a*** and we had some right ding-dongs over the years. Advertisement Most read in Darts Breaking List of all-time Darts World Champions BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year. The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions. That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once - Barney also won four BDO titles - and none of Eric Bristow's five BDO titles are included. 1994 - Dennis Priestley 1995 - Phil Taylor 1996 - Phil Taylor (2) 1997 - Phil Taylor (3) 1998 - Phil Taylor (4) 1999 - Phil Taylor (5) 2000 - Phil Taylor (6) 2001 - Phil Taylor (7) 2002 - Phil Taylor (8) 2003 - John Part 2004 - Phil Taylor (9) 2005 - Phil Taylor (10) 2006 - Phil Taylor (11) 2007 - Raymond van Barneveld 2008 - John Part (2) 2009 - Phil Taylor (12) 2010 - Phil Taylor (13) 2011 - Adrian Lewis 2012 - Adrian Lewis (2) 2013 - Phil Taylor (14) 2014 - Michael van Gerwen 2015 - Gary Anderson 2016 - Gary Anderson (2) 2017 - Michael van Gerwen (2) 2018 - Rob Cross 2019 - Michael van Gerwen (3) 2020 - Peter Wright 2021 - Gerwyn Price 2022 - Peter Wright (2) 2023 - Michael Smith 2024 - Luke Humphries 2025 - Luke Littler Most World Titles 14 - Phil Taylor 3 - Michael van Gerwen 2 - John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright 1 - Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler 'But for most of the time, he was my mate and we had some great times together.' On the night Bristow died, George was on Merseyside, working at Shooters Bar and Diner. The pair had 'a little catch-up and I got him a Guinness'. 'One of the best things I've ever seen' - Frank Lampard stunned as Coventry star hits 180 with first-ever three darts That night, George stayed in a Stoke pub run by Barry Birch, Bristow's former driver. And he was even looking at 'Eric's flat' less than 200 yards away when he learned the tragic news . Advertisement George said: 'I couldn't believe the suddenness of his passing. 'Nor could I take in the fact that I could see his flat — the same flat he'd have left just a few hours earlier — as I was trying to take in the tragic news. 'What were the odds of it? Me being with him, saying goodbye, going to Stoke and looking out of a window at his flat whilst stood alongside his former driver? 'We both needed a stiff drink that night. They reckon Eric's heart must have stopped before he hit the ground as there was no blood. Advertisement 'In his diary, apparently, he'd written he had got bad chest pains. "Bloody hell, if that was the case, why didn't he go to the doctors or hospital and get it sorted? 'Knowing Eric, he probably thought, 'I'll put loads of Guinness down my neck, that'll get rid of the pain'. 'Anyone who knew him was aware that he didn't exactly lead a healthy lifestyle. Advertisement I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed." Bobby George on Eric Bristow 'For as long as I'd known him, he was a heavy smoker, always rolling his own. 'And he would think nothing of getting through 15 or 16 pints of Guinness in a day, rounding it all off with a curry. Nobody's body can handle that day in, day out. 'Always on the go, working and travelling, meant he was always pushing it. "Although it wasn't work to him, just a chance to get on the p*** every day. Advertisement 'I like a drink and a smoke but there are extremes and Eric pushed them to the limit. 'I'd say, 'You smoke and you drink too much'. He said, 'I know all about that, Bob. But put it this way, no one is going to be pushing me around in a wheelchair. When I go, I'll go like that. Bang'. And he f***ing did as well, bang.' George first encountered the 'mouthy so-and-so' while playing in a BDO event at Margate in Kent . Advertisement 4 Bobby George knew the late Eric Bristow when he was a teenager Credit: GETTY He said: 'After that we became good mates and he would do anything for me, anything.' As they toured the country, they 'would share prize money', but there were times when George thought 'we're going to get our heads kicked in' due to Bristow's OTT antics. On a US tour in 1978, the first time George went on a plane, Bristow enraged locals by pretending 'to wipe his a***' with the American Stars and Stripes flag 'before chucking it on the floor'. Advertisement George said: 'The atmosphere had turned really toxic and I was worried that someone was going to do something really stupid, like pull a gun out on him. ''Watch yourself, Eric,' I whispered in his ear. 'These guys aren't messing about and they have guns over here!' 'I'd like to say that was an isolated incident but it wasn't. 'That's how he was, always getting into trouble. But somehow always managing to get himself out of it.' Advertisement Still Here! The King of Bling, published by Pitch Publishing, is out now, £25.
The Sun
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I was looking at Eric Bristow's flat when he died and his demise hit me hard, says ex-BBC darts host Bobby George
BOBBY GEORGE says the sudden death of long-time drinking and darts pal Eric Bristow seven years ago 'hit me hard'. And his new book details the duo's many escapades. 4 4 4 They first met in the 1970s and became oche rivals — they contested the 1980 World Darts Championship final — but also 'very good friends'. According to George, the five-time world champion would be 'good as gold until about 10 or 10.30pm — then he'd become a complete a***hole once he had drunk too much'. The King of Bling, claimed Hackney-born Bristow would be 'rude, arrogant, leery and happy to pick a fight with anyone . . . I didn't like him when he was like that, no one did'. Yet the Crafty Cockney never wavered in his strong loyalty towards George, 11 years the senior man, whom he called Bo. Bristow — one of the sport's greatest throwers — died on April 5, 2018 from a heart attack before a Premier League event in Liverpool. He was 60. Writing in Still Here! The King of Bling, George, 79, said: 'Eric Bristow's death hit me hard. 'He was only 60 for f***'s sake. That's no age these days, is it? I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed. 'He could be a pain in the a*** and we had some right ding-dongs over the years. List of all-time Darts World Champions BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year. The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions. That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once - Barney also won four BDO titles - and none of Eric Bristow's five BDO titles are included. 1994 - Dennis Priestley 1995 - Phil Taylor 1996 - Phil Taylor (2) 1997 - Phil Taylor (3) 1998 - Phil Taylor (4) 1999 - Phil Taylor (5) 2000 - Phil Taylor (6) 2001 - Phil Taylor (7) 2002 - Phil Taylor (8) 2003 - John Part 2004 - Phil Taylor (9) 2005 - Phil Taylor (10) 2006 - Phil Taylor (11) 2007 - Raymond van Barneveld 2008 - John Part (2) 2009 - Phil Taylor (12) 2010 - Phil Taylor (13) 2011 - Adrian Lewis 2012 - Adrian Lewis (2) 2013 - Phil Taylor (14) 2014 - Michael van Gerwen 2015 - Gary Anderson 2016 - Gary Anderson (2) 2017 - Michael van Gerwen (2) 2018 - Rob Cross 2019 - Michael van Gerwen (3) 2020 - Peter Wright 2021 - Gerwyn Price 2022 - Peter Wright (2) 2023 - Michael Smith 2024 - Luke Humphries 2025 - Luke Littler Most World Titles 14 - Phil Taylor 3 - Michael van Gerwen 2 - John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright 1 - Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler 'But for most of the time, he was my mate and we had some great times together.' On the night Bristow died, George was on Merseyside, working at Shooters Bar and Diner. The pair had 'a little catch-up and I got him a Guinness'. That night, George stayed in a Stoke pub run by Barry Birch, Bristow's former driver. And he was even looking at 'Eric's flat' less than 200 yards away when he learned the tragic news. George said: 'I couldn't believe the suddenness of his passing. 'Nor could I take in the fact that I could see his flat — the same flat he'd have left just a few hours earlier — as I was trying to take in the tragic news. 'What were the odds of it? Me being with him, saying goodbye, going to Stoke and looking out of a window at his flat whilst stood alongside his former driver? 'We both needed a stiff drink that night. They reckon Eric's heart must have stopped before he hit the ground as there was no blood. 'In his diary, apparently, he'd written he had got bad chest pains. "Bloody hell, if that was the case, why didn't he go to the doctors or hospital and get it sorted? 'Knowing Eric, he probably thought, 'I'll put loads of Guinness down my neck, that'll get rid of the pain'. 'Anyone who knew him was aware that he didn't exactly lead a healthy lifestyle. I had known him since he was a teenager — and he never changed." Bobby George on Eric Bristow 'For as long as I'd known him, he was a heavy smoker, always rolling his own. 'And he would think nothing of getting through 15 or 16 pints of Guinness in a day, rounding it all off with a curry. Nobody's body can handle that day in, day out. 'Always on the go, working and travelling, meant he was always pushing it. "Although it wasn't work to him, just a chance to get on the p*** every day. 'I like a drink and a smoke but there are extremes and Eric pushed them to the limit. 'I'd say, 'You smoke and you drink too much'. He said, 'I know all about that, Bob. But put it this way, no one is going to be pushing me around in a wheelchair. When I go, I'll go like that. Bang'. And he f***ing did as well, bang.' George first encountered the 'mouthy so-and-so' while playing in a BDO event at Margate in Kent. 4 He said: 'After that we became good mates and he would do anything for me, anything.' As they toured the country, they 'would share prize money', but there were times when George thought 'we're going to get our heads kicked in' due to Bristow's OTT antics. On a US tour in 1978, the first time George went on a plane, Bristow enraged locals by pretending 'to wipe his a***' with the American Stars and Stripes flag 'before chucking it on the floor'. George said: 'The atmosphere had turned really toxic and I was worried that someone was going to do something really stupid, like pull a gun out on him. ''Watch yourself, Eric,' I whispered in his ear. 'These guys aren't messing about and they have guns over here!' 'I'd like to say that was an isolated incident but it wasn't. 'That's how he was, always getting into trouble. But somehow always managing to get himself out of it.'
