Eric Bristow was loved up with a younger partner after vowing never to settle down again before the darts icon’s tragic death that left fans and the sports world devastated
Darts legend Eric Bristow had found love with a partner 21 years his junior prior to his sudden death.
The Crafty Cockney died in 2018 aged 60 after suffering a heart attack while attending a Premier League darts night in Liverpool. A five-time world champion between 1980 and 1986, Bristow also claimed five World Masters crowns and was among the founding players when the WDC (now PDC) launched in 1993.
Bristow received an MBE for his sporting contributions in 1989. He later worked as a television commentator and featured on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in 2012.
Beyond the oche, Bristow had previously been romantically involved with fellow darts player Maureen Flowers during his earlier years. After they broke up, he married Jane, who became the mother of his children, in 1989.
The pair subsequently divorced in 2005. Following this, he pledged in his 2008 autobiography never to settle down again, writing: “I don’t want to, I want to do what I want to do. The divorce hurt me and I have made a vow never to get hurt like that again.”
Nevertheless, Bristow discovered love once more after meeting Rebecca Gadd at a Bulleyes darts event in 2011. Gadd, who was 39 when the tungsten titan passed away, shared an emotional tribute to Bristow after his death, expressing gratitude to the darts community for their support
She said: “On behalf of everyone in the Bristow family we would like to thank everyone for their kind words about our Eric.
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“He will always live on through the darting family throughout the world. My treble 20 man forever more. A man who had more rabbit than Sainsbury’s, who now gives us a rest.”
In an interview with the Mirror in the weeks following his passing, Gadd disclosed that Bristow had been experiencing chest pains just hours before he collapsed.
On that very day, he had scribbled in his diary that he feared his heart was “going to explode” but chose to fulfil a meet-and-greet commitment in Liverpool instead of getting medical help. Gadd explained: “He lived for darts and died for it too.
“He never put anything personal in the diary, just notes and things, so to write that shows he must have been worried. Eric could have asked for help but didn’t. He obviously didn’t know how serious it was.
“I think he would have done if he had known but there was nothing anyone could have done. He had died before he hit the floor.”
Gadd believed her other half was in excellent shape – despite his well-documented passion for booze and cigarettes – and had “never been happier”.
She disclosed he would routinely knock back 15 pints of Guinness in one sitting and had “never played darts sober in his life”.
Word of Bristow’s death spread amongst the Liverpool audience as the evening’s matches continued, with supporters chanting: “There’s only one Eric Bristow.”
PDC chief executive Matt Porter expressed his sorrow at the time, saying: “Awful evening here in Liverpool. Was with Eric earlier and he was in great spirits. A massive character. There are tears for a legend backstage here tonight.”
Keith Deller, who famously triumphed over Bristow to clinch the 1983 world title, shared his grief on stage: “I’m devastated, me and Eric were together all the time. What he’s done for our game… If it wasn’t for Eric, no-one would be here tonight.”
Bristow’s legacy continues to live on in the sport, with the Grand Slam of Darts trophy, recently won by Luke Littler, bearing his name.