If you’ve been watching Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow on ITV, it might have left you feeling nostalgic for the originals with faces like Jim Bowen and Michael Aspel at the helm.
Bullseye, once hosted by Jim Bowen, has been remade with Alan Carr taking the helm as part of his Epic Gameshow series.
But what happened to Jim, and what led to his adoption as a baby?
Read on and we’ll tell you.
Alan Carr steps into Jim Bowen’s shoes to remake Bullseye
Bullseye is just one of the TV greats that Alan Carr has rebooted for his ITV series.
Other episodes have seen the comedian take on Child’s Play, Strike It Lucky and The Price Is Right.
Viewers have enjoyed the throwback to the gameshow days, but it hasn’t been plain sailing for TV host Alan.
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One of Alan’s other remade game shows was originally hosted by Michael Barrymore, and quickly viewers were drawing comparisons.
Some were left feeling more than a little nostalgic for the former presenter.
When Alan has previously presented Bullseye, comparisons were drawn again.
This time, it was for Bullseye presenter Jim Bowen.
Fans of the show declared that Carr didn’t match up compared to Bowen. One fan even went so far as to say that former Bullseye host Jim Bowen – who died in 2018 – would be “turning in his grave”.
Who is Jim Bowen?
Jim Bowen was a stand-up comedian, actor and well-known face on TV from the 1980s onwards.
As the presenter and host of Bullseye from when it first hit screens in 1981 up until it was axed in 1995, the northern presenter was watched by millions.
However, he wasn’t always destined for TV. In fact, Bowen’s start in life was very different.
Born in 1937, Bowen was born to a single unmarried mother and as a result, placed into an orphanage.
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He was adopted at nine months old by Joe and Anne Whittaker, who named him James Brown Whittaker.
He grew up in Accrington in Lancashire and tried out various careers before settling into teaching.
As a teacher, he taught PE but also sought out fame and fortune by trying out stand-up comedy in his free time.
Taking to the stage he took his wife’s maiden name of Owen and combined it with the initial of his mother’s surname of Brown to give him his stage name of Jim Bowen.
It’s under this name that he began to be noted for his comic talents, and was spotted for ITV’s Bullseye.
Whilst he fronted Bullseye, Bowen’s catchphrases became legendary.
For contestants that were disappointed not to have won, Bowen’s famous words of “look at what you could have won” became synonymous with the ’80s show.
How did Jim Bowen die?
He died in 2018 after suffering a series of strokes, the third of which left hi struggling to walk and talk.
He was 80 years old when he died.
What happened to Bullseye?
Bullseye first came to TV in 1981, and ran for 14 years before finally coming off air.
As a mixture of darts and general knowledge, it was a hit with viewers. Each week it brought in 15 to 20 million viewers before eventually ending.
The show was brought back for ‘a comeback’ with comedian Dave Spikey in 2006. The show stayed true to the original, with similar prizes and a cash prize of £200 for those who could hit a bullseye.
Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow is on tonight (July 16) at 7pm on ITV.
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