An old clip from an episode of has left many people claiming the host would be ‘cancelled’ today after watching him make a joke about a woman’s weight.
, the show’s format involved three pairs of contestants, each consisting of an amateur darts player and a quizzer, competing in darts games and quizzes to win cash and prizes.
The original series aired on and was during its initial 14-year run.
The stand-up comedian and TV presenter didn’t mind cracking a few jokes at contestant’s expenses, including one that now has some questioning whether his sense of humour would be acceptable today.
In the clip, which has been doing the rounds on social media after resurfacing, he asked the woman where she was from, before having a crack at her weight.
‘Tell us, you went on a sponsored slim, didn’t you?’ he said.
‘How much do you owe?’ he added.
Although Bowen seemed to get a laugh out of the audience at the time, he instantly apologised, before making a joke about the other contestant.
‘That’s very unkind of me, that. I knew they were good sports – has to be, wearing a dress like that,’ he said while pointing at the other woman in a striped dress.
‘Lovely to have you both with us.’
Commenting on the clip, one person said the complaints line would be ‘red hot’ if this was said now.
‘Imagine this happening today. The switchboards would melt,’ Phil Rostron shared.
A user called Clive added: ‘These days he would have been cancelled for that comment.’
While someone joked about the ‘outcry’ a similar comment would cause today, they and many others threw their support behind the joke and said those who didn’t like it were ‘snowflakes’.
‘I remember this at the time and fell off the settee laughing… wouldn’t happen today there would be an uproar,’ Tim wrote.
However, one person called the comment out, labelling it ‘public bullying’.
Meanwhile Tony Warne made a plea: ‘You can’t remake that show it was unique, so bad but so good. Whoever is revamping it just don’t.’
But, just a few days ago it was reported that there are currently talks to bring it back.
Following the massive interest in Luke Littler’s journey in the World Darts Championship, it is believed he is to thank for the potential revival of the show.
While no formal conversations appear to have taken place, former Top Gear host Paddy McGuinness was mentioned as a potential host.
‘ITV is already in discussions to bring back Bullseye after this year’s final drew in the event’s highest viewership in history,’ an insider told .
‘It’s early days, but ITV thinks it could be hugely successful.’
In 2006, Challenge TV brought the show back after ITV scrapped it, but it failed to gain popularity.
With comedian Dave Spikey at the helm, it was cut again after two seasons.
