Former top darter Bobby George has opened up about Michael van Gerwen's playful antics behind the scenes, praising the Dutch star's humor and character. In an interview with Winmau, George, known as "The King of Bling," said Van Gerwen would have slotted effortlessly into the flamboyant darts world of the 1970s and 1980s, an era when he played alongside icons like Eric Bristow and John Lowe. George sees in Van Gerwen a player who makes an impact not only on stage but also brings color away from it, describing him as a "very humorous sort of lad" with the kind of character that used to be in darts.
One anecdote George shared illustrates Van Gerwen's mischievous side. When Van Gerwen offered to give George his new phone number, George handed over his phone. Two weeks later, Van Gerwen remarked, "You never phoned me Grandad." The explanation was typical Van Gerwen: he had put the number under the letter B, with B standing for "best in the world." George quipped, "Well, you're not going to find him then." This playful trick highlights the Dutchman's lighthearted approach off the oche.
George recounted other pranks that landed him in trouble. Van Gerwen once invited George outside for a cigarette, despite George's wife disliking him smoking. After lighting the cigarette and chatting, Van Gerwen filmed George smoking and showed the video to his wife, who immediately confronted George. George can laugh about it now but admits it got him into trouble at the time. In another instance, Van Gerwen locked George out of a passage to the outside due to crowds, preventing him from getting back in—a move George called "typical Michael."
Even during practice, Van Gerwen's antics continued. George picked up his darts and started throwing, only to realize later that Van Gerwen had swapped his flights with his own, a switch George didn't even notice. For George, these traits make Van Gerwen special, viewing him not only as an elite athlete but also as an entertainer who brings darts to life. He concluded, "He can adapt anywhere. I think he would have fit in perfectly with the players of the past. He's just got a great character."
