‘It gets too much and I just want to go home’ says Luke Littler just three months after bursting onto darts scene
LUKE LITTLER admits his new life as a darts superstar sometimes “gets too much, and I just want to go home.”
The teen ace burst onto the scene three months ago as he reached the final of the World Darts Championship on his debut.
But Littler revealed that his newfound fame and fortune can occasionally become overwhelming.
He said: “If I’m out, I don’t mind doing a few (photos) but when it gets too much, I just want to go home then.
“I went to a (rugby league) testimonial game for one of the boys who have been at the club for 10 years. That was just mayhem. That wasn’t even a full stadium.
“But I’ve to get out there and live my life. I don’t mind taking a few (pictures) but it does get over the top.
“I can’t even go out without someone noticing me. As soon as I step on my doorstep.”
Meanwhile, ambitious Littler has revealed he wants to overtake Phil Taylor’s legendary mark of sixteen world darts crowns.
The Power’s tally – 14 on the PDC circuit and two on the now-defunct BDO – is one of the great records in world sport and has long been considered unreachable.
Yet Littler is so young and so prodigious than many believe he could one day eclipse the feats of the iconic Stoke thrower.
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The 17-year-old lost to Luke Humphries in the 2024 world final at Ally Pally but was three sets away from claiming a maiden Sid Waddell Trophy.
Asked what he would like to achieve in his career come his 75th birthday, Littler responded: “I would love to beat Phil Taylor’s record of 16. So, I’d say 18. Make sure…”
Littler was talking on the JaackMaate’s Happy Hour podcast in which one of the foul-mouthed host forgot they were talking to someone under 18 and dropped about 15 F-bombs during the hour-long chat.
The Warrington teen never swore himself and acted very maturely – despite the childish nature of the two presenters – but did talk about his “crazy” life since turning professional.
Littler was a keen footballer growing up, sometimes playing in goal or defence for seven-a-side matches, and he would love to play in the Soccer Aid charity match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday June 9.
Not everybody is happy for Littler – his idol Raymond van Barneveld moaned that the young man did not respond to his text messages.
And angry Ricardo Pietreczko clashed at the Belgian Darts Open, accusing the English teen of “arrogance” because he went for an exhibition-style 147 checkout.
Littler said: “He was chatting in German and then said: ‘Don’t do it again.’ I said: ‘What?’
“I knew it was the 147 checkout. I went treble 19, double tops, and then Bull. But I missed the tops. Then I hit the 25.
“The next leg, he gave the finger-wagging to the crowd. I started laughing. I won the next four legs and the game and then he wasn’t happy about it. Get out.”
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