The former deputy headmaster, who was from Lancashire, began his career as a stand-up comedian on the club circuit in the 1960s.

He became a household name when he began presenting Bullseye in 1981. The Sunday tea time show ran for 14 years.

It attracted 20 million viewers at its peak and involved three pairs of contestants – with a “thrower”, who would throw the darts, and a the “knower”, who would answer general knowledge questions.

One of Bowen’s catchphrases – “keep out of the black and in to the red, nothing in this game for two in a bed” – referred to the segments of the darts board that the players had to hit. His other beloved phrases included “You can’t beat a bit of Bully!” and “Let’s look at what you could have won.”

Bowen also had a number of TV acting roles, including in Muck and Brass, Jonathan Creek, The Grimleys, and as Hoss Cartwright in the second series of Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights. And he presented a live morning magazine programme on Radio Lancashire from 1999 to 2003

RIP Jim Bowen