For years, Scotsman Jocky Wilson was one of the leading darts players in the world.
BBC Scotland is to feature the troubled life of the Kirkcaldy-raised man in a new documentary, who died in 2012.
Featuring rare archive footage and told in Jocky’s own words, this is the bittersweet story of the rise and fall of a cult Scottish sporting hero.
Known for his heavy drinking and unorthodox throwing style, Jocky was propelled to fame through a sport that went from pub pastime to mass entertainment.
Darts took him from the dole queue in Kirkcaldy and made him one of the most recognisable faces in the country. Everything was on offer for a skilled arrowsmith; fame, glory and a potential fortune. In 1989, Jocky Wilson was crowned world darts champion for the second time.
But for the cheeky lad from The Lang Toun with the enigmatic smile, lasting riches were somehow beyond his reach. Poor choices and the love of a drink meant Jocky left the sport penniless.
In 1995, he abandoned the game and returned to the same council estate, in the same town, near the same pub where his incredible journey to stardom began.
Following his humble upbringing, his onwards rise to national treasure and sad descent, Jocky Wilson Said features exclusive interviews with his friends and darts contemporaries such as Bobby George, John Lowe and Phil Taylor.
Jocky Wilson Said will be shown on Wednesday, 15 May, on BBC One Scotland from 9–10pm.
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