Crime drama hits Bullseye

THE Pembrokeshire Murders reminded us that TV’s Bullseye helped to convict serial killer John Cooper.

Footage of his appearance on the darts-based game show blew his claim that he had never had shoulderlength hair.

Although, sadly unaware of his place in true crime history, the great Jim Bowen failed to tell him: “Super, smashing, your murder weapons and khaki shorts are safe…”

Jim often told contestants: “You can’t beat a bit of bully.”

But you could if you were Detective Superintendent Steve Wilkins and the bully was Cooper.

Keith Allen was convincingly creepy as the rapist and murderer who had crippled his own son and abused his terrified wife Pat.

Luke Evans excelled as the granitejawed cop who was out for justice for Cooper’s victims.

The three-part story of his dogged cold case investigation started slowly but grew by the episode to a gripping courtroom climax.

Jailed for burglary, Cooper was grilled by Wilkins’ detectives, nicknamed Rambo and Bimbo.

Dimbo Cooper tried to lie his way out of it by shifting the blame on to his estranged son Adrian. He finally

TV QUESTIONS: How do the cast of A Discovery Of Witches keep a straight face? Could anyone do well with the Covid guidelines as their Mastermind subject? got out on parole in time to brutalise Pat, who was clearly repulsed by him.

The poor woman probably died of fear.

“Bad things happen around bad men,” said Adrian.

In the end, khaki shorts did for Cooper.

Stolen from a victim, they contained some vital DNA evidence.

And in court, Cooper’s disintegrated.

Not since It Ain’t Half Hot Mum have khaki shorts occupied us so.

Jim Bowen used to tell the contestants: “Look at what you could’ve won.”

This was more a case of: “Look at who we should’ve hung.”

Bullseye helped nail a killer. Apt. Jim Bowen got away with murder for years.

Just as well Cooper didn’t win Bullseye. There wasn’t room in his cell for the speedboat. lies