Who remembers Starshot?

Before we get into the return of this classic piece of TV, lets’ take a walk down memory lane.

If you spent any time watching Grandstand or flicking through shooting magazines in the late 80s and early 90s, the name StarShot probably sparks a very specific memory. It was the half-circle of glory – that massive, 30-foot-high scoring grid – that turned traditional clay shooting into a high-stakes, televised arena sport.

Who can forget the pro-celebrity matches, the tension of the 12 scoring zones and the sheer spectacle of seeing top-tier marksmen go head-to-head against the clock.

It wasn’t just about breaking a clay; it was about where you broke it. That iconic semi-circular grid turned our sport into a high-stakes, televised arena spectacle. We watched the pros and the celebs go head-to-head under the floodlights, and we all thought the same thing: “I could do that.”

The whole point of StarShot was to take clay shooting out of the muddy fields we all adore and put it into a high-octane, televised arena. It was designed to be fast, loud and incredibly easy for a TV audience to follow. Unlike a 100-bird sporting course where you’re trekking through the woods, StarShot was contained. Shooters stood at the mark and when the lights came up, they had nowhere to hide.

The heart of the game was the Star – a massive, 30-foot semi-circular structure divided into 12 scoring segments known as The Grid.

The scoring is where it got technical. It wasn’t just “hit or miss.” Your score depended entirely on where in the grid the clay was broken.

Targets were released on command (the classic “Pull!”)

The zones were weighted – breaking a clay in the higher or wider outer zones banked more points than bagging a gimme in the middle.

A scratch hit (barely inside a low-value zone) would leave you trailing, while a pure break in a high-value segment could swing the match.

But shooters weren’t just fighting the clay; they were fighting the timer. The rapid-fire nature of the rounds meant they had to mount, track and shatter the target in seconds.

The show really found its feet in 1987 when the BBC picked it up. It usually ran as a Pro-Celebrity format. We’d see world-class shooters paired with a household name – think Bo Hopkins or Martin Kove (the “Cobra Kai” sensei himself!) – going head-to-head.

It was prime-time viewing for a few years, but by the early 90s the arena shooting craze began to lose its appeal a little.

There wasn’t one single reason, but a mix of factors led to the show being canned:

The shift in TV trends: In the early 90s, the BBC and other major channels began moving away from niche sporting spectacles (like Superstars or StarShot) in favour of high-volume reality TV and traditional panel shows.

Sensitivity & timing: The first series aired in late 1987, just weeks after the Hungerford tragedy. While the show was popular, the national mood regarding “shooting as entertainment” became much more complicated, leading broadcasters to be more cautious with the genre.

Production costs: Moving that 30-foot steel Star around was a logistical nightmare. It required massive floodlights, multiple camera angles and a huge crew. Without a lucrative sponsor, it became too expensive to maintain the travelling circus.

We were thrilled when we heard that StarShot is being brought back to life.

The legend returns to the field at Long Acre Shooting School in Cambridge. But the revival doesn’t stop there. This iconic setup will also be hitting the road, appearing at Game Fairs across England throughout 2026.

And we’re here for it.

StarShot was ahead of its time, bridging the gap between serious clay shooting and pure entertainment. Its return means:

• A nostalgia trip: For the generation that grew up watching it, this is a chance to finally step up to the mark ourselves.
• New challenges: Unlike standard sporting clays, StarShot tests shooters’ nerves and precision within its unique segmented scoring system.
• A spectacle for all: It remains one of the most viewer-friendly ways to enjoy shooting, making it a perfect centrepiece for the 2026 show season.

The lights are back on. The traps are loaded. Are you ready to take the shot?