Multi-million TV Audiences for 2008 Championship
The largest global audience for darts watched Mark Webster become the third Welshman to be crowned BDO World Professional Darts Champion
- but the first ever from North Wales - and Anastasia Dobromyslova crowned the first ever Russian BDO World Professional Women's Darts Champion.
BBC viewing figures for the Lakeside Men's final peaked at 4.1 million, which represented a 15% share of the overall audience.
Throughout Lakeside week there was an average BBC audience of 1.5 million, with peaks of 1.7 million for the live Ted Hankey/Steve West match,
and 2.1 million for the epic battled between defending 2007 Champion Martin Adams and 2007 World Masters Champion Robert Thornton of Scotland.
The two live Semi-Finals enjoyed audiences of 2.6 million and 2.1 million respectively and every single dart thrown was seen by digital viewers to BBCi.
In addition, the global audience was enhanced by comprehensive coverage from SBS-6 in Holland, by Eurosport (available in 104 million outlets worldwide)
and to some seventy countries via BBC Worldwide. Collectively, this produced the largest TV audience for darts anywhere in the world.
Mark Webster lives in Denbigh and plays his County darts for Clywd, as does Anastasia,
the Russian darts sensation who ended the magnificent seven year unbeaten reign of England's Trina Gulliver.
It means that for the first time ever, the two reigning BDO World Professional Champions will be playing in the same County side.
"I can't tell you how delighted I am to win this great title", says Mark. "It means so much to me to be 2008 BDO World Professional Darts Champion.
How special is that?
"Bringing it home to Wales also fills me with pride - but even more so to be the first ever World Champion from North Wales,
and the first left-hander to win the title since Les Wallace in 1997.
"I am also over the moon for Anastasia, because our next County home game for Clywd will be an all-Welsh match against Gwynedd on February 2nd,
and we will be lining up as the reigning 2008 BDO World Champions.
"It has never happened before and I reckon we will probably feel as much pressure (well almost) as we did on that famous Lakeside stage!"
Mark is the only player from North Wales to win the most famous title in world darts. The first ever BDO World Professional Darts Champion was the
late Leighton Rees in 1978, and 17 years later Richie Burnett took the title back to Wales in 1995. Both were from the Welsh Valleys.
Mark Webster is 24 and Anastasia Dobromyslova is just 23. They are the 2008 BDO Lakeside World Professional Darts Champions,
and proudly represent the British Darts Organisation system which continues to look after the future of darts.
For the past 35 years, the BDO has provided the sport of darts for players of all abilities - men, women and youth - and as 2008 World Professional Champions,
Mark Webster and Anastasia Dobromyslova are at the very forefront of an exciting and youthful era for BDO darts.
BOBBY DAZZLER my story by Bobby George
Published to coincide with the 2007 BDO World Professional Darts Championships from 6th-14th January in Frimley Green
After a tough childhood, helping his imposing dad in the garden, looking after his pigeons, Bobby George left school early barely able to read or write.
A life in the building trade - digging the Victoria Line on the London underground and laying concrete and granite floors -
or minding Essex pub doors in the post-Krays era seemed to beckon.
That is until, after a day's fishing off southern Ireland in the summer of 1976, a game of pub darts got off the ground.
By the end of the night Bobby had taken on and beaten the whole pub. He was a natural.
He has never really looked back: three years later he won the News of the World Championship.
Bobby George burst onto the darts scene just as the popularity of darts went through the roof and began its golden era.
Slimmer than most, good-looking and toned, Bobby, with his glittery shirts and flashy jewellery, brought showbiz to darts.
Here he relives the gripping moments of the News of the World and Embassy finals.
He looks back over the ups and downs of life with characters such as Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson, John 'Stoneface' Lowe and Keith Deller,
and also the agony of the 1994 Embassy final, which he played in a steel corset after breaking his back.
From rags to bling, from the world of Essex pubs in the 1970s to behind the scenes with the BBC at Frimley Green, from films and videos to Celebrity Fit Club,
BOBBY DAZZLER: My Story is the vividly entertaining tale of one of the country's best loved and most charismatic showmen.
Bobby George was born in Manor Park, east London, in December 1945. He was thirty before he threw his first dart.
Months later he won the first serious competition he entered: the 1976 Essex Masters.
He won the News of the World tournament in 1979 and famously competed for the 1980 Embassy World Championship title with Eric Bristow.
After winning the News of the World title for a second time in 1986 he retired to become the game's first ever full-time exhibition player.
He is now a respected darts pundit for the BBC, as well as guv'nor for his self-built, eighteen bedroom mansion, George Hall,
in Essex where he lives with his wife, Marie.
Lance Hardy is the series editor of Final Score on BBC 1 and Score on BBCi. He began his career as a newspaper journalist before joining BBC Sport in 1990.
He has since worked at three World Cups and two Olympic Games.
Lance first met Bobby in 1996 at the World Championship qualifiers at Earl's Court. They have been good friends ever since.
Bobby George is available for interview. For further information, please contact Alex Hippisley-Cox on 020 8488 3764 or email her at ahipcoxpr@btconnect.com
The BDO Sends Best Wishes To Andy Fordham
On behalf of its officials, players and members, the British Darts Organisation sends best wishes to Andy Fordham,
who is recovering at home with the support of his wife Jenny and children Raymond and Emily, following a mild stroke.
Andy was taken ill during the 2007 Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships in January and following hospitalisation had been making a steady recovery.
"Andy is one of the most popular players and personalities in darts", says Olly Croft of the BDO, "and we all want to see him back where he belongs -
on the oche playing the type of darts that earned him the Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship title in 2004".
"He is such a huge and well-loved character that he and the family not only have the support of the BDO, but also the worldwide support of everyone in darts."
"Needless to say, we all wish him a speedy return to good health".
Jelle Klaasen
Following recent media reports concerning the future of Dutch darts player Jelle Klaasen, the British Darts Organisation (organisers and promoters of the
Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship) wishes to place on record its disappointment at the apparent intention of the
2006 BDO Lakeside World Professional Men's Champion not to fulfil the contractual obligations placed upon him as to his future participation
in the Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship.
To date, Jelle Klaasen has failed to provide the BDO with any explanation as to his recent comments in the media and/or whether he intends to
participate in the BDO World Professional Men's Darts Championship at Lakeside in 2008.
The BDO is currently consulting with its lawyers as to what legal and/or disciplinary action might now be appropriate.
Issued by The British Darts Organisation: 17/1/07
Trina Is In Seventh Heaven!
Trina Gulliver is in seventh heaven after being crowned BDO Lakeside World Professional Women's Champion for an incredible seventh time.
It means that she remains unbeaten on the famous Lakeside stage since the first Women's World Championship was played in 2001
and has only lost 3 Sets at 'the home of World Darts'.
She can also boast a unique double, because when Martin Adams was crowned 2007 BDO Lakeside World Professional Men's Champion,
it meant that for the first time in the 30 year history of the BDO World Pro, the Men's and Women's England captains are reigning BDO Lakeside World Champions.
World Famous
Having been seen by 5 million BBC viewers in their epic 2007 BDO Lakeside World Final,
Martin Adams and Phil Nixon have quickly discovered that Lakeside finalists achieve instant fame.
As 2007 World Champion Martin returned home to be met by TV crews and media, and his mobile phone was so hot that it needed constant re-charging
and he almost lost his voice!
He was interviewed by Talksport, Radio Five Live, countless local radio stations and filmed for Anglia TV, BBC East, News 24 and Yorkshire TV in less than 24 hours!
Sponsorship offers and hundreds of messages of congratulation will keep him busy for quite a while.
As for Phil Nixon, he returned to Ferryhill, Co.Durham as a new sporting hero.
He had been in the local newspapers throughout Lakeside week, was nicknamed 'The Ferryhill Flyer' and even made the front pages.
He received so many calls on the long trip from Lakeside to Ferryhill that the battery in his mobile phone was quickly exhausted!
When he did get home he couldn't get into his house because of TV crews, radio reporters and media camping on his lawn!
He's also being given an official Civic Reception.
He and wife Suzanne have been offered Honorary Membership of Durham Cricket Club.
There is even a best-selling Nixy pizza in Ferryhill representing a dartboard.
And his inspirational route to the 2007 BDO Lakeside World Final is such that he has even had an offer for his amazing story from a British film company!
Yes Minister!
Sports Minister Richard Caborn enjoyed Lakeside so much - particularly playing 'A Leg With Bobby' in front of a packed
Lakeside audience (nicknamed 'The Sheffield Steeler') that his Press Secretary sent the following message to the BDO:
"The Minister had an excellent night. And that was quite a final. Most exciting night of sport I've watched in a long time.
"Congratulations on another excellent tournament."
During the week, Bobby also played his popular 'Leg With Bobby' on BBC with Jethro, two members of The Kaiser Chiefs, whose hit single 'I Predict A Riot'
went down extremely well with the Lakeside crowd, and Patrick Chaplin, who is now a Professor of Darts.
But best of all was the legendary Engelbert Humperdinck playing Bobby at George Hall.
He was supposed to spend a couple of hours filming but enjoyed himself so much that he stayed all day!
"I enjoyed playing them all - especially the Sports Minister - but Engelbert is definitely the best celebrity darts player I have ever met.
Never mind 'The Last Waltz' he had 'The Last Dart' with me!"
Other celebrities at Lakeside included snooker World Champion Mark Williams, former Rangers player Andy Goram,
cast members from Eastenders and a number of Water Rats, including guitar legend Bert Weedon.
Lakeside proprietor Bob Potter is a proud member of the Water Rats, an elite showbiz organisation which works tirelessly for charity.
BBC TV Extends BDO Contact For Lakeside World Darts To 2010
BBC TV has announced that its exclusive contract with the British Darts Organisation to screen the World Professional Darts Championships is being extended to 2010.
Barbara Slater, Head of General Sport, BBC said: "We are delighted to renew this contract and continue to bring darts to the widest possible audience."
As part of the agreement, BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has also confirmed that it has extended its contract with the BDO for International television rights to the World Professional Darts Championships.
Olly Croft, Managing Director, BDO Enterprises Ltd. said:
"This is wonderful news for BDO darts and our players in the very year that we are celebrating the 30th Anniversary (1978 to 2007) of
BBC Sport screening our World Professional Championships.
"It is a unique broadcasting partnership for darts, and we are extremely proud of it.
There are very few sports which can boast of a BBC contract that is now in its fourth decade."
The 2007 Lakeside World Professional Men's Final was seen by a peak BBC-2 audience of 5 million - the highest World Final audience for six years.
Martin Adams was crowned 2007 World Champion in a dramatic and exciting 7-6 victory against Phil Nixon.
Great Lakeside World Final Seen By 5 Million!
A peak BBC audience of 5 million viewers watched the exciting and dramatic Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship Final
between Martin Adams and Phil Nixon on Sunday, January 14th.
The final generated the remarkable figure, a 19.5% share of the audience (against Coronation Street on ITV) as the match reached its climax
and Martin Adams took the title by 7 Sets to 6.
This is an increase of nearly one million viewers on last year's peak audience and represents the highest peak audience figure for a Lakeside World Final in six years.
