NEW Bullseye presenter Dave Spikey says he is happy the quiz is not on mainstream television because it means he can avoid the "Davina McCall" effect.

The new series of the darts quiz show starts on Monday on Challenge TV at 10pm, having previously been presented for 14 years by Jim Bowen on ITV.

Spikey referred to the criticism poured on McCall's Wednesday night BBC chat show and said he was glad he would not be placed under the same spotlight.

"Just look at Davina McCall and her chat show. It's a shame for her. But with Challenge I can make mistakes and not everyone's on my back," he told Scotland's Daily Record.

The 55-year-old said he had a catchphrase to rival Jim's "Super, Smashing, Great".

"At the end, when the contestants have gambled, I've been saying: You risked it but you missed it' and it's raised some smiles, so maybe that's a catchphrase.

"Jim used to say if the contestants lost: Now you've won nothing, but here's your BFH Bus Fare Home', which I don't want to use, but I might do Here's your SFA and I'm not talking Super Furry Animals' and change the meaning of SFA each week."