Comedian, actor and Bowls fan Johnny Vegas has stoked the huge anticipation around the Glasgow 2026 Bowls and Para Bowls competition by giving a lyrical description of why he plays and loves the sport.
Raw, loud, surreal and honest are some of the personas adopted by Vegas during his career including a star role in the ITV sitcom Benidorm.
But his rebel creativity is also renowned. Who else but Vegas could give a vivid, colourful description of Bowls, while talking to Glasgow 2026, about one of the Commonwealth’s fastest growing sports.
And who better to help Glasgow 2026 announce Bowls and Para Bowls tickets for as little as £10.
Conjuring images that whet the appetite for the seven gold medal battles at Glasgow 2026, Vegas summed up Bowls and Para Bowls like this: “A black beacon of hope leaves the palm and sets off on its course towards destiny. It comes in like a friendly neighbour just gently nudging people out of the way for a better view. It’s a coronation of brilliance, of genius, of why we left the caves in the first place. Exhilarating, at a gentle pace.”
Bowls and Para Bowls will take centre stage at the SEC in a new format injecting fun and an upbeat atmosphere into the event, with four rinks to watch and music.
Join in the sporting celebration with a back seat bowls tickets, on sale for £10 from 10am on Monday 13 July.
Vegas, who first made his name on the stand-up comedy circuit in the 1990s, is one of the most recognisable faces across British stage and screen. His role in the 2003 film Blackball, about a rebellious bowls player, brought his long-standing passion for Bowls into his work.
He bowls at his local club on Merseyside and added: “It’s something I’ve played all my life. It has this magical take on you that you just go “pfft, the other stuff can wait. (At Glasgow 2026) you can watch it, be inspired by it and it won’t cost you a fortune to play it the next day yourself – you just need a couple of bits of wood that are round.
“It’s the only safe sense of intoxication. We sit back in awe and majesty at those masters of the wood, of the bowl, of the length, of the distance. How is it that they get an audience with the gods while we just look on? It’s a rolling sense of magnificence. Don’t be consumed by envy, enjoy the majesty of it!
“You’ll watch the best of the best, but at every level there’s someone out there that wants to roll some woods with you. When that bowl rolls, we continue to exist, we move forward as a species. We evolve into something beautiful.”
The British actor and comedian well-known for his surreal humour and unpredictable outbursts has been a keen bowler for all his life. Now, he’s swapping the screen for the green as he urges fans to get involved in the Bowls and Para Bowls.
Taking place indoors for the first time in Games’ history, the atmosphere is set to be electric bringing fans closer to the action in a spectacle of drama, unpredictability and guaranteed entertainment.
In an era where accessibility is a growing priority, the 55-year-old Lancastrian was also keen to highlight the inclusivity Bowls has long offered. Open to all ages and abilities, it is a sport where people from entirely different walks of life can find common ground.
Glasgow 2026 is the largest sporting event in the UK this year, taking place from 23 July to 2 August with 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories set to compete in a world-class programme of 10 sports and six Para sports in four iconic venues across the city.
To get your Bowls and Para Bowls ticket for as little as £10, visit glasgow2026.com
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