ITV Bullseye fans issue complaints over major change in Freddie Flintoff reboot: 'Had to turn it off!'

England cricket legend Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has taken over presenting duties for the reboot, taking the place of the late Jim Bowen, and for the first episode of the series, he was joined by teenage darts star Luke Littler.

The new series sticks to Bullseye’s classic format, pairing each amateur dart thrower with a teammate responsible for the quiz knowledge.

Together, they must land darts on different boards while answering questions correctly to rack up points and secure prizes.

However, after just one episode, viewers quickly flocked to social media with similar complaints about the show.

Some fans called for beloved contestant Bobby George to return. He is one of the sport's most recognisable personalities and has a history with Bullseye, appearing as a special guest in several classic episodes.

“I completely understand the choice, but relaunching Bullseye without the premiere featuring the one and only @BullyBoy180?” one user asked. Another wrote: “Get yourself on there Bobby. Your walk-on and wit would make good TV.”

Other viewers criticised the “constant clapping” heard throughout the show.

“Had to turn it off after 15 minutes. Questions too easy and the clapping!!!” one viewer posted, while another complained: “Already the clapping, even after just choosing a category… Why?! Stop it now. It’s like Wheel of clapping Fortune."

A third joined in: “Tried watching it, had to give up. Too much clapping. When an audience claps constantly for no reason it gets painful… The nation has a headache.”

Many viewers also complained about the studio lighting, claiming they couldn’t clearly see the darts hitting the board.

“Terrible lighting and shadows on the dartboard means you can’t see what anyone was hitting. For a show where the main focus is the dartboard, this is a terrible fail,” one disappointed fan posted.

However, not all viewers found fault with the show's premiere. Some defended the reboot, insisting it was needed.

“The show is needed. Darts has really come into its own,” one fan said, while another penned: “Yessss this is what we wanted!!!" (sic)

Mr Flintoff has revealed that Bullseye's revival was the catalyst that enticed him back to the screen after his traumatic Top Gear crash.

Three years ago, he suffered life-altering injuries while filming the British car television show, which led him to step away from public life for eight months.

His wife, Rachel Wools, supported him through his recovery, although their relationship has faced challenges over the years.

Mr Flintoff has openly admitted that his mental health battles and drinking caused turmoil at home.

In his 2015 memoir, he wrote: "Looking back, I feel for the missus. She used to get the worst of me."

He added: "You can understand why cricketers' marriages break down. If the shoe was on the other foot, I might have just said, 'You know what, sod this.'"

Now returning to screens to present the beloved darts show, he told The Sun he took the job for several reasons: "I've not done much TV recently, I'd not presented anything, and did Bullseye for a few reasons.

"One, I really like darts. And I used to watch Bullseye back in the '80s. I never thought that I'd get the chance to present Bullseye. I always wanted to be a cricketer, I didn't want to be Jim Bowen.

"It was fun when we did the Christmas special last year and it seemed to be really well received. "If you like darts and want to see people try and win something, have a watch."

With reboots including Wheel of Fortune, You Bet! and Deal or No Deal already returning, ITV/STV bosses appear committed to bringing back nostalgic favourites, with Bullseye now added back into the line-up.