How Luke Littler made Brits ‘fall back in love with darts’ – and drew bigger TV audiences than Ashes and Ryder Cup
PHIL TAYLOR reckons Luke Littler has made the British public “fall back in love with darts” and brought a “whole new audience” to tungsten tossing.
Watching from his sofa in Stoke, The Power, 63, has been left awestruck by the performances of debutant Littler over this past fortnight against the Big Boys.
Taylor’s record of sixteen world championships, 14 of which were won on the PDC, has long been considered an impossible milestone to match by any of the current generations.
But Littler, who turns 17 this month, could easily target that tally if he continues to play like he has done this Festive period for the next four decades.
More importantly, his underdog exploits have captured the imagination of the entire sporting landscape, elevating the sport to a popularity not seen since its heyday with Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson and John Lowe.
Taylor said: “I’ve been so impressed by the way he’s handled everything at Ally Pally.
“He’s been a breath of fresh air and he’s put darts back on the map.
“One or two people have told me: ‘I haven’t really followed the darts since you finished.’
“But this kid is not just making the public fall back in love with darts, he is bringing a whole new audience to the game.”
A peak viewership of 2.32milllion people watched Littler’s 6-2 semi-final win over former world champion Rob Cross on Tuesday evening.
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These are larger numbers than the Ashes and Ryder Cup enjoyed on Sky Sports.
It eclipses the record for darts of 1.65million for Taylor versus Gary Anderson in the 2015 final.
For the first time since Taylor, the Greatest Of All Time, retired from the pro circuit in 2018, fans are flocking back to the arrows.
Taylor said: “All over the country there will be people who have never picked up a dart before but are now going to have a throw down the pub, in their garage, in their bedroom, wherever.
“What do I like most about him? He’s got a lovely, natural throw.
“There is nothing mechanical or forced about it. Lovely, fluid action, lovely straight follow-through.
“Luke has the style of John Lowe and the mentality of Eric Bristow – put those two together and you’ve got one hell of a player.
“I have loved the way he doesn’t panic if he loses a couple of legs.
“He has the composure, and the mental toughness, to come back and win the next three, and you can’t coach that sort of mentality in a 16-year-old.
“He makes the game exciting, he makes you turn over and watch the darts even if your favourite soap opera or bake-off programme is on the other channel.”
Littler, who was born and bred in Warrington, grew up idolising Taylor and has loved hearing the words of advice and encouragement from his hero at various points during this fairy tale run.
Six months after leaving school, he has become the most famous teenager in the world.
Luke The Nuke is set to be a wealthy young man if he stays on the straight and narrow throughout the rest of his teen years.
That is highly likely given that he is a grounded kid, who likes nothing more than throwing darts at home and playing on his Xbox.
His life has changed forever but Taylor, whose first world title came at Lakeside aged 29 in 1990, says it is important that the Boy Wonder is protected at all costs.
Taylor said: “Apart from being a fantastic darts player, he is a smashing lad. No airs or graces about him, feet on the ground.
“Don’t just look at the way he has played darts at the World Championship – look how well he has dealt with all the attention.
“He’s a lovely kid, a great credit to his parents, and he has the right people around him.
“His life is going to change from now on because he won’t just be able to stay at home for a few days with nobody knowing who he is.
“Everyone is going to want a piece of him now and his management will have to protect him from the people who consider him public property.
“I always said ‘yes’ to Barry Hearn when he wanted me to jump on a plane to South Africa, China or wherever.
“These places were 12 hours away by air, not just round the corner – although it sounds great, sometimes it left me shattered afterwards.
“But for now, Luke is lucky because he’s so young and he will enjoy all the adventures in front of him.”