Darts legend Russ Bray reveals bizarre side job

Ahead of the PDC World Darts Championship, the legendary Russ Bray has told Ladbrokes what his bizarre side job is.

• "I signed up with a supporting artist agency, called Guys & Dolls, in North London. They were so good to me; I couldn't push or promote them anymore. They got me a lot of work, because I had a lot of free time, so I was doing a couple of days here, and a couple of days there. One time, I ended up going on the EastEnders set..."
• "I ended up on Family Affairs, and the main guy on that show was a guy called Dave Easter. He was a lovely guy... Dave used to love the darts, and so because he knew I was on set, he'd often get me to come down and have a cigarette with him, and have a chat, and he'd always get me a walk-on! He used to do that for me nearly every time I was on there, so my wage was tripling every time because of him!"
• "Then there's Not Going Out... that's where I first met Tim Vine. I was stood there with a hat on, and overalls, in this garage, playing a mechanic. There were about five of us in there, and Tim's in there with Lee Mack. Tim's looked across, a couple of times, then he's come over to me and said "do you do the darts?!"
• "2019 was my busiest year... I was home, indoors, for 61 days. That gives you some idea of what my calendar looks like. This is my first year since 'retiring', and don't forget, I don't do the World Championships, I don't do the Grand Prix, I don't do the Matchplay or the Premier League, or any of that, but this year, by the end of the year, I will have spent 82 days at home. That gives you an idea of how busy I am. I'm still all over the place, literally!"
  

When I first started in darts, we didn't have half of the tournaments that we do now, so as a referee, you're basically scratching a living. I might get the odd bit of work on a weekend, and there were only two or three major tournaments, during the year. I was a scaffolder at the time, with Rab Bain, who funnily enough now manages the likes of Rob Cross and Josh Rock. I was working with him, and doing a little bit of the darts on the side, until in the end he told me to give the darts a proper go, assuring me that I could go back to work with him after a year if it didn't work out. That gave me a little bit of a cushion.

But I still needed to find work, so I signed up with a supporting artist agency, called Guys & Dolls, in North London. They were so good to me; I couldn't push or promote them anymore. They got me a lot of work, because I had a lot of free time, so I was doing a couple of days here, and a couple of days there.

One time, I ended up going on the EastEnders set, and I was stood there in a group of 10, when the director pointed to me and asked me to come with him. He said he wanted me to be in the square with 'Phil' [Steve McFadden], drinking on a bench. I didn't need to talk to him, or say anything, but because I'd interacted with a major actor, it meant I got paid extra. So instead of getting, say £50, for the day, I got something like £180 a day! That was a massive jump. 

I ended up on Family Affairs, and the main guy on that show was a guy called Dave Easter. He was a lovely guy - in fact there were loads of older names who were on that show, who had been on other big shows, like Gary Webster, from Minder, Gareth Hale was on it... there were so many people involved. But Dave was the main lead, and I remember going on set, and Dave used to love the darts, and so because he knew I was on set, he'd often get me to come down and have a cigarette with him, and have a chat, and he'd always get me a walk-on! He used to do that for me nearly every time I was on there, so my wage was tripling every time because of him!

Then there's Not Going Out... that's where I first met Tim Vine. I was stood there with a hat on, and overalls, in this garage, playing a mechanic. There were about five of us in there, and Tim's in there with Lee Mack. Tim's looked across, a couple of times, then he's come over to me and said "do you do the darts?!"

He then went on to tell me how much of a fan he was, and we got chatting from there. I told him I'd sort him out if he ever wanted to come along, he gave me his phone number and we've been great buddies ever since. Him and Lee would come to Ally Pally as my guests on New Year's Day, for the final - Tim still comes for it, and that's all through me being an extra on Not Going Out!

2019 was my busiest year... I was home, indoors, for 61 days. That gives you some idea of what my calendar looks like. This is my first year since 'retiring', and don't forget, I don't do the World Championships, I don't do the Grand Prix, I don't do the Matchplay or the Premier League, or any of that, but this year, by the end of the year, I will have spent 82 days at home. That gives you an idea of how busy I am. I'm still all over the place, literally!

I do a lot of exhibition stuff, and appearances on various bits and pieces. The thing I love doing most, though, is the Asian Tour. Without a doubt. I love Asia, and I get to go out to all of the countries out there through darts, even places like India and Mongolia - if I could only do one job for the next 10 years, it would be the Asian Tour. 

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