Tony Green

Tony Green
Born Anthony John Green
(1939-01-29) 29 January 1939
Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Nationality British
Occupation Sports commentator, television presenter
Years active 1978–2016
Known for Darts commentary and Bullseye

Anthony John "Tony" Green (born 29 January 1939) is an English sports commentator and television presenter.

Darts career

A former amateur player, who played county darts for Lancashire, he was the BBC's lead commentator when they showed the annual World Professional Darts Championship staged at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey. In 2017 the tournament was televised by Channel 4 and BT Sport and Green was not on the commentary roster. In his capacity as a British Darts Organisation (BDO) official, he was a protagonist in the dispute which resulted in the formation of the rival governing body, the Professional Darts Corporation. He is also a former chair of the International Darts Players' Association (IDPA), the 'players' union' for those who remained with the BDO.

Broadcasting career

Green and Geordie entertainer, Sid Waddell, were the darts commentators on the BBC from 1978 to 1994.[1] Waddell left the BBC in 1994, but Green remained until the 2016 Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships, the last one televised by the BBC.

Green was well known as the announcer and co-host of the popular television darts quiz Bullseye, produced by Central for ITV, and returned in the new version of the show which aired from April 2006, produced by Granada Productions for Challenge. He also reprised his role of 'scorer' on a special edition of Bullseye which aired as part of the Gameshow Marathon series and was broadcast on ITV on 19 May 2007.

On 18 and 19 May 2007, Green co-hosted Challenge TV's coverage of the inaugural PDC US Open tournament.

Green also appeared on Channel 4's Meet Ricky Gervais, which ran for one series in 2000.

In 2015, Green was narrator and commentator for the BBC's Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief.[2]

On 20 September 2015, he was the continuity announcer on Challenge.

Illness

In December 2010, it was announced on the BDO website that Green had been diagnosed with cancer of the tongue and as a result would not be commentating on the forthcoming 2011 Lakeside World Darts Championship. Green had previously commentated on the World Professional Darts Championship every year since its inception in 1978. Green was replaced by Vassos Alexander.[3]

Green returned to commentary at the 2011 Winmau World Masters, and was back at Lakeside the following year alongside Alexander and David Croft, and until 2016 continued to commentate regularly although no longer lead commentator having relieved this duty to Alexander who shared the role with Jim Proudfoot and John Rawling.

References

  1. ↑ Waddell, Sid. Bellies and Bullseyes: The Outrageous True Story of Darts. Ebury Press. ISBN 0-09-191755-7.
  2. ↑ http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/lets_play_darts_comic_relief/details/
  3. ↑ Tony Green tongue cancer https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/other-sports/168566/Illness-forces-Tony-Green-to-rest
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.