British Professional Championship

The Unipart British Professional Championship ^[1] was a darts tournament organised by the British Darts Organisation and televised by the BBC between 1981 and 1988. After the 1988 championships, the BBC withdrew their coverage of the event and it left UK terrestrial television with only one televised tournament – the World Championships. The game was at an all-time low and players eventually went on to set up the World Darts Council in an attempt to bring back sponsors and television.

British Professional Championship
Tournament information
Venue	Fiesta Club Stockton-on-Tees (1981), Gaskins Plus One club Middlesbrough (1982), Coatham Bowl Redcar (1983–88)
Country	Great Britain
Established	1981
Organisation(s)	BDO Major (8 editions)
Format	Sets
Final Year	1988
Final champion(s)
Jocky Wilson

Jocky Wilson won the title a record four times – John Lowe also reached four finals but lost them all.

British Professional Championship finals

Year	Champion (average in final)	Score	Runner-up (average in final)	Prize money			Sponsor	Venue
				Total	Champion	Runner-up
1981[2]	Jocky Wilson	6–5	John Lowe	£12,000	£6,000	£3,000		Fiesta Club Stockton-on-Tees
1982[3]	Eric Bristow	7–3	John Lowe	£26,000	£7,000	£3,500		Gaskins club Middlesbrough
1983[4]	Jocky Wilson	7–2	Dave Whitcombe	£8,000	?	?		Coatham Bowl Redcar
1984[5]	Mike Gregory	7–5	John Lowe	£29,600	£4,000	£2,000
1985[6]	Eric Bristow	7–4	John Lowe	£34,000	£9,000	£4,500
1986[7]	Jocky Wilson	7–6	Dave Whitcombe	£35,800	£10,000	£4,500
1987[8]	Keith Deller	7–5	Leighton Rees	£38,200	£10,000	£5,000
1988[9]	Jocky Wilson	7–2	Ray Battye	£39,700	£11,000	£5,500