Luke Littler’s TV future revealed with ITV set to make big money offer after Bullseye success
TEEN darts sensation Luke Littler is set to bag a big-money deal to star on a new series of Bullseye — in a “dream double act” with 6ft 4in Freddie Flintoff.
Luke, who tonight faced Michael van Gerwen in the World Darts Championships final, impressed ITV bosses when he appeared with the cricket hero in a one-off Christmas special.
The reboot of the cult gameshow pulled in almost 7million viewers.
A TV insider said: “Luke will be getting deals thrown at him from all quarters, but ITV are confident that he’ll be tempted. This deal could turn him from being a darts star into a bona fide TV star.”
Bullseye was one of ITV’s biggest festive hits.
A peak of 3.3million watched on December 22 and the Christmas Day repeat got another 2.6million.
A further 700,000 caught up on ITVX and a repeat was hurriedly slotted into the schedules yesterday afternoon.
Telly critics and viewers commented on the rapport between 17-year-old Luke and Freddie, 47.
And the Ashes legend joked that beating the arrows star at a game of darts on the show was his greatest sporting achievement.
However, show bosses still face a challenge convincing Freddie to sign full-time as he is expected to be devoting more of his time to cricket coaching and has two TV shows already lined up.
A spokeswoman for Bullseye declined to comment.
Ahead of the final, Barry Hearn, whose Matchroom Sport own a majority stake in the championship organisers Professional Darts Corporation, was asked if Littler was one of the greatest talents of the last 50 years.
He said: “First glances are very optimistic. He could be the biggest influence in darts we have ever seen.”