“I’m not afraid for Bullseye to evolve”: Laura Wood on an exciting year ahead for Bullseye

2025 seems to have been a very busy year for Bully and Bullseye. How would you sum up this past year?
2025 was a wonderfully progressive and exciting year for Bullseye. A key highlight was the return of Bullseye to television, hosted by Freddie Flintoff alongside our official scorer, Richard Ashdown. The 2024 Christmas Special consolidated a strong viewing audience of 8.2 million, leading to the announcement of a full new series in 2025, a 2025 Christmas Special, and a Soccer Aid Special, all airing later this year.

Beyond broadcast, 2025 Bullseye has attracted numerous partners to expand the Bullseye merchandise range across fancy dress with Blues Group, Bullseye confectionary through Rose Marketing and Personalised Wall Art at Themed.co.uk.

We’ve also expanded our publishing portfolio with the New Bullseye Quiz Book from Penguin Michael Joseph and partnered with Darts Corner as the official retail partner for Bullseye licensed darts products. We also welcome Harry Levy Amusements for coin pushers and novelty redemption games and PMS International for a wide range of gift products.

2025 also saw Bullseye deepen its commitment to the wider darts community. We were proud to sponsor military darts across all three services, the RAF, Royal Navy, and British Army. In addition, we were proud to support youth darts by sponsoring the Blackburn Youth Darts Academy, as well as their Festival of Darts and Clacton Youth Matchplay Darts Competition.

You’ve been busy!
2025 reinforced that Bullseye is more than a television game show – it’s a brand with a genuine commitment to the darts community. We actively support the growth of the sport at every level, from grassroots and youth participation to military and professional darts, helping to ensure the game continues to thrive for future generations.

And how have you had to adapt the way you sell and support your brand in the market over the last year in response to economic challenges?
My response to economic and market changes has been to invest more in the brand rather than pull back. I believe that during uncertain times, visibility and creativity matter even more. Instead of cutting spend, I’ve remained focused on high-impact areas such as branding and creative, making sure the brand stays strong, relevant and recognisable. For me, investing in the brand is about long-term confidence and positioning, even when the market is challenging.

How do you keep things fresh for such an iconic brand?
Respecting its heritage is essential to an iconic brand such as Bullseye, but I’m not afraid for Bullseye to evolve. Our product development balances nostalgia with fresh, contemporary creativity to keep the brand relevant and exciting, with maximum shelf appeal.

“I believe that during uncertain times, visibility and creativity matter even more.”

Working with Bulldog Licensing and Watermelon Creative, we’ve developed a clear yet flexible Bullseye style guide – including seasonal guides – which ensures consistency while giving licensees the freedom to bring new, creative ideas to life. We actively encourage collaboration with our licensees, seeing them as key partners in keeping the brand fresh while staying true to our core identity.

You mentioned the new series earlier – how has it been received?
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The Christmas Special created real buzz and the new series that followed has continued that momentum. Freddie Flintoff has been a brilliant fit, he brings warmth, humour and authenticity, which aligns perfectly with Bullseye’s DNA. Audiences have really embraced him, and his presence has helped introduce the show to a new generation of viewers.

You have a sizeable fanbase. How do the fans help shape the brand’s direction?
Our fans are central to everything we do and I always listen carefully to their feedback. Anyone who is part of our online Bullseye community knows we are a shared experience brand, and that sense of community is something I nurture rather than control. I also interact in real time, not on a schedule. With the rise of AI, it’s important to me, and hopefully our fans, that our engagement feels genuine, not automated.

In 2025, we saw significant growth in fan engagement across Bullseye’s social channels. As a brand owner, I wanted to respond to their calls for more content, so for the first time, as part of Bullseye Series 1, we collaborated with TalkSport Darts. This partnership reinforced Bullseye’s position as more than a television show, allowing us to build on our existing fanbase and provide a more tailored, show-specific social media experience featuring the professional players who appeared on the series.

Sporting Profiles host an online shop for Bullseye fans. How does this work in regard to licensed products and licensees?
Sporting Profiles acts as both a retail platform and a brand partner. The shop offers licensed products from our partners, but Sporting Profiles also develops exclusive Bullseye items that you won’t find elsewhere. This allows us to test new ideas, respond quickly to fan demand, and offer limited-edition products that keep the range feeling fresh and special.

The popularity of darts is growing. How do you take advantage of this?
The continued growth of darts presents a significant opportunity for Bullseye, given its association with the sport. We actively lean into this through strategic partnerships, live events and licensed product development, while ensuring Bullseye retains its distinctive, entertainment-led identity.

Bullseye is not seeking to compete with the sport but to be at the forefront celebrating its growth. By maintaining a presence at darts events across all levels, we are able to grow alongside the sport and introduce a new generation of fans and players to the Bullseye brand.

You have worked on a product range with the Professional Darts Corporation that has been on sale at the PDC World Darts Championship. Can you tell us more about this range?
The PDC collaboration has been a strong example of brand synergy, built around a shared audience. The product range, available via the PDC online store and at merchandise outlets across UK PDC events, performed particularly well at the 25/26 World Darts Championships.

Working closely with National Merchandise, the licensee for the Bullseye x PDC range, our focus was on ensuring the designs captured the energy and excitement of darts while remaining true to Bullseye’s playful, iconic identity. By combining our visual language with the PDC’s authority within the sport, we created a range that resonated with fans and felt like a natural extension of both brands.

You are very active in the live events and experiential space. Can you tell us more about this strand of activity?
Live events are a vital part of the Bullseye brand. They allow fans to engage with Bullseye in a tangible, memorable way. Over the years we have done everything from theatre tours, corporate nights, charity galas and at moment I am delighted that Away Resorts offer a live Bullseye show as part of their evening entertainment offerings across their UK resorts.

We have also partnered with Buzz Bingo for Bullseye-themed games via multiple formats both online and in their physical high street clubs. The collaboration offers experiences such as Bully’s 180 jackpot and a daily Bullseye Live Bingo session.

Our Bully Mascot, managed through Rainbow Productions, also allows for smaller scale Bullseye experiences but still maintaining high audience engagement through photo and media opportunities. Over the last year Bully has represented Bullseye at trade events, dart shop openings, Christmas parades and of course at Ally Pally for the World Championships.

I’ve learned in the live event space that simplicity, interactivity and fun are key. My advice to other brand owners would be to stay true to your brand’s core values and structure, design experiences that invite participation rather than passive viewing.

Do you have a specific strategy for making Bullseye ‘retail ready’?
Our retail approach is focused on being retail ready, delivering clear branding, strong packaging and products that tell their story instantly on shelf. We’ve seen particular success when Bullseye products are supported by strong point-of-sale and seasonal relevance, especially around key gifting moments such as Christmas and Father’s Day, alongside alignment with wider brand moments like the TV series or major darts events.

At Christmas 2025, both the Bully Soft Plush Toy from Whitehouse and Bullseye Board Game from University Games were bestsellers in their categories at Menkind. The Bullseye Beer and Quiz Book set and the Bullseye pint glass and beer set from Blue Tree Gifts were the two fastest-selling alcohol gift products at B&M for Christmas 2024. The Bullseye T-shirt sold through Tesco was one of their fastest-selling products that Christmas. As you can imagine, I’m eagerly awaiting further data from Christmas 2025.

You have also worked with Prostate Cancer UK. Can you tell us about this campaign and why you decided to partner with this charity?
Partnering with Prostate Cancer UK is incredibly important to me. With Bullseye’s predominantly male audience, I saw both a responsibility and an opportunity to raise awareness in a positive, approachable way. By leveraging the familiarity and warmth of Bullseye and our mascot, Bully, the campaign helped spark meaningful conversations around men’s health.

At the start of October, a Bullseye-branded London taxi hit the streets of the capital in support of Prostate Cancer UK, featuring the charity’s logo prominently on the bonnet to maximize visibility and inspire conversations. Inside, the flip seats included a unique QR code, giving passengers instant access to Prostate Cancer UK’s 30-second risk checker.

During the World Darts Championship, Bullseye continued the collaboration on-site with the Prostate Cancer UK social media team, raising awareness and encouraging life-saving conversations about prostate cancer.

This partnership is also personal to me. I’ve seen friends diagnosed with prostate cancer and witnessed the impact it can have on the whole family. I’m excited to build on our relationship with Prostate Cancer UK and explore new ways to support their vital work in 2026.

Is there a product or promotional gap you would love to see filled this year?
I’d love to see Bullseye collaborate with a sports clothing brand – adidas feels like a natural fit. During the 25/26 PDC World Darts Championship, adidas released a novelty darts t-shirt, highlighting the growing cultural appeal of the sport. It made me think how exciting it would be to bring both brands together to launch an official adidas X Bullseye range, combining Bullseye’s heritage in darts and adidas’ fashion lead sports wear to place the sport within fashion and lifestyle culture.

Laura, thanks again!