RL have just tweeted the sad news.

passed away aged 80.

let's have a look at what you could've won

RIP Jim

Science and darts is having a **** day.

I would say super, smashing, lovely but that would be inappropriate.

But remember to keep out of the black and into the red
Nothing for this game for two in a bed.

Another of the originals from The Comedians gone.

Pi and Peace supper

I used to work on the show before his slot, in the corridor on the phones. He always had time for you, always wished us a good morning as he was on his way to the studio, cheerful as could be. RIP Jim.

always liked the guy despite him being a Rovers fans

He was on Phoenix Nights wasn't he?

RIP Jim

Loved his appearance in Pheonix nights as the Hoss at the ponderosa, all under one roof.

The out takes on the DVD are hilarious.

Mr Whittaker. RIP.

NL Claret wrote:Loved his appearance in Pheonix nights as the Hoss at the ponderosa, all under one roof.

The out takes on the DVD are hilarious.

Sunshine indoors ha ha! He had some cracking lines in that episode. "Eeee Brian Potter. What happened to your legs?", "What happened to your hair, you were bald the last time I saw you" ha ha...

RIP Jim lad, keep out of the black!

Yep, Mr Whittaker at what was St. Ambrose RC Secondary School in Rawtenstall when it first opened in 1960.

Shabbily treated by Radio Blackburn when he was fired for using the word `niggardly` in a totally innocent context. Similar to those braindeads who attacked pediatricians thinking they were paedophiles. He used to be a PE teacher at my old school, St.Augustine`s in Billington (before my time). He was both enjoyable on the TV with Bullseye and on Radio Lancashire before they bottled it and bowed to the ill-informed PC brigade.

Sad news.

'...I laughed so much I nearly passed me fags round...'

great entertainer - was good on the comediennes!

RIP Jim!

Sad news, remember him as one of the originals on 'The Comedians' and 'Bullseye' was a Sunday tea-time institution in the early-mid eighties.

Remember some classic banter when Jim was introducing and chatting with 2 female contestants at the start of the show and one of them mentioned she had recently done a sponsored slim.

She must still have been about 20 stone and with that hang dog expression of his and perfect comic timing he looked her slowly up and down and said "how much do you owe?"

Think he got his wrist slapped by his TV bosses for that one

RIP Jim

R.I.P. Jim Bowen another good comedian to join Doddy.. Used to love his radio lance programme..

jlup1980 wrote:Sunshine indoors ha ha! He had some cracking lines in that episode. "Eeee Brian Potter. What happened to your legs?", "What happened to your hair, you were bald the last time I saw you" ha ha...

RIP Jim lad, keep out of the black!

Gutted. Was brilliant in bullseye but absolutely loved him in phoenix nights.

im more gutted on this one, than the mad scientist

As some have mentioned, Jim Bowen was a teacher before he took up comedy and "show business."

He was a pupil at Accy Grammar - and taught by my Dad. Mid-80s Jim Bowen was on "This is your life" and my Dad was invited on to say how he'd encouraged Jim to become a teacher. I've no idea whether he was always joking about in class.

"Gamble or bus fare home?"

RIP

jlup1980 wrote:Sunshine indoors ha ha! He had some cracking lines in that episode. "Eeee Brian Potter. What happened to your legs?", "What happened to your hair, you were bald the last time I saw you" ha ha...

RIP Jim lad, keep out of the black!

We've even got a jacutsze!

Used to love Bullseye. Still repeated every night on Challenge.

RIP Jim. "Ooh, look, ya live in Barnsley and ya've won a speedboat!"

Nice to see his former work colleagues forming a guard of honour in respect to him

Very sad and yes, he was treated shabbily by Radio Lancs. I used to work at home at the time he had his morning show, which I think he called the Happy Daft Farm. Used to make my morning when the job was going badly.

BroadIslandClaret wrote:Shabbily treated by Radio Blackburn when he was fired for using the word `niggardly` in a totally innocent context. Similar to those braindeads who attacked pediatricians thinking they were paedophiles. He used to be a PE teacher at my old school, St.Augustine`s in Billington (before my time). He was both enjoyable on the TV with Bullseye and on Radio Lancashire before they bottled it and bowed to the ill-informed PC brigade.

Sad news.

He didn’t use the word ‘niggardly’. He used the term ‘nig-nog’.

You may be conflating his story with this one...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controv ... ggardly%22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rest in peace Jim. Entertained millions.

Not bad for a Padiham lad.

Sundays have never been the same without a bit of Bully, RIP Jim

Granada reports did a thirty second report on his death ..Shame on them..

Wasn't he a claret who changed allegiances ( along with that wayne Hemingway ) ?

Look what you could have won!!!

Proper family tv......

RIP Burnley boy......

conyoviejo wrote:Granada reports did a thirty second report on his death ..Shame on them..

Got a bit longer on the national news.

Liked him on Comedians and Bullseye. However, not sure how a Burnley/Padiham lad could be so misguided!

Thanks Jim.

See him live in Nelson,absolutely brilliant and his last joke still makes me smile,it was so original and has been copied since.
RIP bfh bus fare home.

Lancasterclaret and myself had the misfortune of being at school with his son.
Always liked Jim though. Lots of good memories. Rest in peace Jim

I worked with the barfitters in Jims pub, The Royal Oak at Hornby near Lancaster, about 20 years ago, we all got invited to the opening night which was full of celebs and the special guest who did the opening was none other than Cyril Smith.
Jim was brilliant, always on site and had us in stitches at lunchtimes regaling us with his backstage stories of Bullseye and his stint on the cruise ships.
He also taught at our local primary in Clayton-Le-moors and lived on Duke St for a while.
RIP Jim, gone far too early.

https://youtu.be/aloNixbli6g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can't beat a bit of Bully!

Good old fashioned comedian/entertainer

At least he made 80 if not 180

A very funny man and a loss to comedy in general, will never forget some of his cock ups with Bulls Eye.

RIP

With Hawking going before Bowen on the same day, at least they kept with the tradition of the non Darter going first.

Peace be with you Jim.

Lord Beamish wrote:He didn’t use the word ‘niggardly’. He used the term ‘nig-nog’.

You may be conflating his story with this one...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controv ... ggardly%22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It seems so! Well, at least I got the first three letters correct. Thanks for the heads up.

watched a couple of episodes of bullseye the other night and one was bizarre to say the least.

a couple of chaps came on and jim basically accused them of being homosexual whilst obsessively telling one of them how good looking he was.

the one before had daphne from eggheads on.

Stephen Hawking and Jim Bowen dieing the same day.

They kept to the rules though, none dart player goes first

Walton wrote:Nice to see his former work colleagues forming a guard of honour in respect to him

IMG_20180314_152357.jpg

Didn't get that straight away - very good!

There's a clip on You Tube of Jim recalling an episode where they had 2 Irish guys on. They were useless and went out in the first round and proceeded to enjoy the hospitality in the bar. The winners declined the gamble as they had won a fair amount of cash and 8 of the 9 prizes on the red and black board. So they brought back the second couple, who had also a decent amount of cash. They too declined the gamble, so it was over to the Irish pair, who by this time are legless in the bar. They come back and the tale is hilarious as they try to actually get a show out of the filming. This is the clip I think

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N84zsnkv6_Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;