Russ Bray is an English ex-darts referee, currently serves as an ambassador for the Professional Darts Corporation. Recognized as “The Voice,” Bray earned this moniker owing to his distinctive calling style and powerful voice. Prior to his involvement in darts, Russ had a career as a police traffic officer.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 66 years
Height-5feet 7 inches
Weight-79kg
Born- 22 June 1957
Birthplace-South Ockendon, United Kingdom
Spouse-Sue Bray
Profession-Refereeing Professional Darts Corporation events
Nationality- British
Parents
Details about Russ Bray’s parents are not available.
Wife
He is married to Sue Bray, and presently, they reside in Soham, Cambridgeshire, with his wife and children.
Career
According to Bray himself, his journey into calling darts began when the scheduled caller failed to appear for a county match. In 1996, Bray was enlisted as the caller for the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and made his debut at the World Matchplay in Blackpool. Notably, he was on the microphone when Phil Taylor achieved the PDC’s inaugural televised nine-darter in 2002 during the same event. Since then, Bray has announced seven more nine-darters live on TV, including Mervyn King’s historic achievement of the first televised nine-darter outside of Europe in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Bray, a former county player for Hertfordshire and a participant on the professional circuit, teamed up with Eric Bristow to secure victories in the pairs competitions in Norway and Finland.
In a display of precision, Bray hit the bullseye on a standard dartboard from 10 feet outdoors on Blackpool’s North Pier, setting a Guinness World Record. This accomplishment surpassed the previous record of 9′ 6″, held by fellow PDC official Scott Gibling.
On November 21, 2023, Bray announced his impending retirement, revealing that he would be stepping down at the conclusion of the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship. Despite retiring from active refereeing, he expressed his intention to continue collaborating with the PDC in the capacity of an ambassador.
Bray has leveraged his distinctive raspy voice across different media platforms. Notably, he served as the referee in the PDC’s inaugural video game, PDC World Championship Darts. Beyond darts, he became the recognizable voice of Feasters, a microwave food chain. His vocal talents extend to various advertising endeavors, including Coral, Ladbrokes, Cash Converters, and McCoy’s Crisps. Additionally, Bray has contributed his voice and name to Russ Bray Darts, a mobile app. Expanding beyond the world of darts, he made an appearance in boxing as the voice on Sky Sports Fight Night in October.
Latest News about Russ Bray
Russ Bray: Final Call at PDC World Darts Championship
Longtime West Ham United enthusiast Russ ‘The Voice’ Bray is set to officiate his final and perhaps most eagerly anticipated PDC World Darts Championship final on Wednesday evening.
The referee, originally from South Ockendon, has evolved into one of the sport’s most iconic figures, renowned for his distinctive voice and the famous ‘Onnnnne hundred and eighty!’ call recognized globally.
Now at the age of 66, Bray is bidding farewell to the oche after uttering ‘Game, Shot, and the Match’ in the showdown between either the new World No1 Humphries or the teenage sensation Littler at London’s Alexandra Palace. Following this momentous event, he plans to embark on a well-deserved holiday to give his vocal cords a rest and then, in February, attend London Stadium to passionately support his beloved Hammers.
“It is a lovely feeling that people put a tag on you like the ‘voice of darts’,” he explained, speaking ahead of his final final. “I have been very, very lucky because my voice has been so different so it makes it obvious.
“People walk down the street and shout ‘game on’ or ‘180’ and it’s lovely. It’s good, for someone to do that means they are recognising what you do and I take it as a compliment. ‘My calls are part of the game. Every referee says ‘Game on’ and every referee says ‘180’. It’s just that mine has been recognised by everyone.
“You try to make a game as exciting as you can. My calls are all natural, nobody told me to do it like that, I just wanted to be different. It is a spectacle and to be part of that is very important.
“I am going to finish at the very top, there is nothing bigger than calling the final of the World Championship on the Ally Pally stage, to finish there will be pretty nice.”
Upon making the final call for the game, Bray will gracefully set aside his microphone. While continuing his role as an ambassador for the PDC, he looks forward to having his weekends free once more. This will allow him to relish the opportunity of watching West Ham in action, harking back to six decades ago when he first embarked on the journey from South Ockendon to Upton Park, catching his initial Green Line bus as a young boy.
“My favourite player as a boy was Bobby Moore,” he confirmed. “Well, there were actually quite a few… I’m from the Bobby Moore era but I like Billy Bonds, Frankie Lampard Senior, Harry Redknapp, Hurst and Peters obviously, but my real true favourite was Bobby.
“He epitomised what the game was, he was a gentleman, he was a brilliant footballer, his timing was impeccable and his delivery was absolutely second to none. If he’d have been Brazilian, they’d have praised him even higher. That’s the truth, isn’t it? I never actually got to meet Bobby Moore. I met Martin Peters, and I’ve met Geoff Hurst at golf events over the years, but I never actually physically met Bobby, and he’s one person I’d love to have done so.”
Net Worth 2024
Russ Bray, the seasoned referee, boasts a net worth of $3 million. A referee with extensive experience in the field can potentially earn up to $200,000 annually.
