Former darts star Bobby George has opened up about Michael van Gerwen's playful antics behind the scenes, praising the Dutchman's humor and character while sharing several mischievous anecdotes. George, known as "The King of Bling," told Winmau that Van Gerwen would have slotted effortlessly into the flamboyant darts world of the 1970s and 1980s, comparing him to icons like Eric Bristow and John Lowe. "Very humorous sort of lad," George said. "He really has that kind of character that used to be in darts."
One prank involved Van Gerwen giving George his new phone number. "Michael said to me: 'Grandad, I'll give you my new number.' I said alright and gave him the phone," George recalled. Two weeks later, Van Gerwen asked why George never called, revealing he had listed the number under the letter B—"B for 'best in the world'." "Well, you're not going to find him then," George quipped.
Van Gerwen's antics didn't stop there. George described how the Dutchman once lured him outside for a cigarette, despite George's wife disapproving of his smoking. "Michael said: 'Grandad, have a fag, come outside with me,'" George said. After lighting the cigarette and chatting, Van Gerwen filmed George smoking and showed the video to his wife, who immediately confronted him. "She immediately said: 'You smoked today!'" George admitted it got him into trouble at the time but can laugh about it now.
Other pranks included locking George out of a venue. "There was a passage to the outside because of the crowds. He locked the door so I couldn't get back in," George said. Even during practice, Van Gerwen swapped George's dart flights with his own without George noticing. "I picked up my darts and started throwing. Turned out he had swapped my flights with his. I didn't even notice."
For George, these traits make Van Gerwen special—not just an elite athlete but an entertainer who brings darts to life. "He can adapt anywhere," George concluded. "I think he would have fit in perfectly with the players of the past. He's just got a great character."
