Bobby George: 'I could’ve been training with Arnold Schwarzenegger!'

We spoke with former professional darts champion and TV personality Bobby George, better known as the ‘King of Bling’.

He chatted with our UK Content Manager, Annabelle Leith, about his life in lockdown, his association with Arnold Schwarzenegger, how his famous nickname came to be and of course they discussed memmo too!

LIFE

What was lockdown like in the George household?

I’ve been really busy actually doing stuff that I haven’t had time to do before. I’ve been trimming trees and chopping them down, sorting the weeds out, cutting the lawn. I’m busy all the time, but I haven’t been out anywhere for six months. I’m not mixing with any people, only trees, all my neighbours are trees.

Do you like your nickname ‘King of Bling’?

Actually my nickname is ‘Bobbo’. Eric or Lowey or any of the other ones would call me Bobbo. It was the fans who came up with that nickname, they came to me and said ‘Oh you like all your jewellery, are you the King of Bling?’ and it just snowballed from there. They call me all different things - Bobby Dazzler, King of Darts and all the rest of them.

"I felt like Del Boy running down the road as batman." - Bobby George

Did you have a signature piece of jewellery that you wore for every game?

No, not really. I just got the jewellery made and thought I like it so I’ll wear it. The cloak and all the dazzle and that stuff was part theatrical. I did it to make it more interesting and entertaining. I was the first to do it - dress up in glittery shirts that had diamantes on, I had the cloak and the candles as well.

Yeah - where did the candelabra come from?

It was two of the officials of the BDO in 1980. They handed me a candelabra from a hotel all lit up with about 20 candles on it just as I was going on stage. I felt like Del Boy running down the road as batman. I’ve got a cloak all covered in glitter and what have you, I’ve got the candles, I felt like a right idiot, but that’s the thing they (the fans) like.

I was the first one to do the music as well and some players thought it was bad for the game but without the music now the game wouldn’t be the same. They all dress up and have their own music which everyone in the audience sings along to. It’s a party atmosphere now, so much better than just walking onto the stage.

"I could’ve been training with Arnold Schwarzenegger!" - Bobby George

Is there anything your fans don’t know about you that might come as a surprise to them?

I’ve got quite a few skills. I’ve got a HGV license to drive big lorries. Diggers, plastering, doing drawings, everything to do with building. I built my own house from scratch.

Also I hate it when celebrities don’t sign autographs. I tell people off for it! I used to practice my signature when I first started darts and was so happy when someone asked me for my autograph. I’ll never forget that.

Your walk-in music was ‘We Are The Champions’ by Queen. What song would be a theme song for your life?

I like Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks, it’s one of my favourite songs. If someone asks me what to play on the radio I’ll say 'play that one'.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to become a professional darts player?

Do your apprenticeship! Practise! Play people who are better than you. Enter opens. The more oches you tread the better you get. Most importantly, learn to count properly. Be committed and if you’re good enough, get a good sponsor!

Another important thing I’d say is to learn people skills. There are some really good darts players who win all these tournaments but then you don’t hear from them cause they’ve got no people skills so nobody remembers them. I call them dried up donuts with no jam in!

MEMMO

Who would your dream memmo be from?

I’d want a memmo from Arnold Schwarzenegger saying “Hello Bob, Hasta la vista baby”.

The guy who trained him to be Mr Universe was actually a mate of my dad's and used to buy flowers off him, and since I already had a good shape at the time he wanted to train me to do it as well! But my dad wouldn’t let me do it, he told me to go and work. So that was my ‘Hasta la vista baby’ out the window. I could’ve been training with Arnold Schwarzenegger!

"You can’t wrap yourself up in cotton wool and hide." - Bobby George

How does it feel to be able to interact with fans in such a personal way?

It’s a good thing, especially when you can make people happy. I enjoy it, it’s just all the funny names that does me like a kipper! I have to keep starting it (the memmo) again cause I forget how to say the sodden name.

FAN QUESTIONS

What was the highlight of your career?

Playing for England. It feels great to play for your country. Also when I won the News of the World Championship, that’s what made me.

Has anyone ever challenged you to a game of darts down the pub?

Yeah I’ve had all that, and that’s one problem. Not now because of lockdown, but if you go down the pub for a pint people will come and challenge me for a fiver. I just say ‘No you’re alright mate’ and it’s always ‘Oh are you scared or something?’ So I tell them a good player knows when not to play but a bad player will play all the time. I know when not to play.

I suppose you don’t get that as much when you’re at your local pubs?

I’ve been here for 26 years, I was in the darts team years ago, so they know me and so they don’t bother you. It’s when you go anywhere else, but that’s just part of the game you’re in and you have to accept that. You can’t wrap yourself up in cotton wool and hide.

Bobby George is available on memmo for personalised video messages - perfect for any occasion.