Luke Littler has transformed the face of darts during his two years on the PDC circuit and received a wealth of support, including personal messages from football legend Sir David Beckham
Sir David Beckham was just one of the celebrity well-wishers who reached out to Luke Littler after his World Darts Championship triumph. And the messages revealed the former Manchester United legend’s compassionate nature beyond the public eye.
Still just 18, Littler has revolutionised darts over the course of his two-year stint on the PDC Tour. He recognised the significance of his influence when a footballing icon like Beckham took the time to congratulate him on securing his first world championship nearly one year ago.
The moment must have felt particularly extraordinary for Littler given his allegiance to United and admiration for Beckham’s achievements. While Becks wasn’t the only celebrity to send ‘The Nuke’ congratulations after his Alexandra Palace victory, his message likely ranked amongst the most significant.
Reflecting on the surprise exchange during an interview with Sky Sports, Littler recalled: “He said; ‘Wow, well done’, and I said thank you!”
The youngster added: “It goes to show what I have done for the sport, not only for myself but for the other hundreds of professionals out there. Just to see the likes of David Beckham watching it feels crazy.”
Littler also disclosed that Beckham had messaged him ahead of his inaugural final in January 2024 as he shared: “Before the final he sent me a message saying, ‘Good luck, Luke – once a Red, always a Red.’ That was class.”
During his journey to the 2024 World Darts Championship final, Littler sparked a frenzy across the UK. His defeat to Luke Humphries in the final attracted a peak TV audience of 3.71million viewers, marking it as Sky Sports’ most viewed non-football event ever.
When including NOW TV viewers and others streaming the event, that figure soared to 4.8m. That represents a staggering 143 per cent increase from the previous year, highlighting the impact Littler has had on the sport.
It’s no surprise the PDC has since decided to boost the prize money at Alexandra Palace. This year saw the total prize fund double to £5m, with the champion receiving £1m, a significant increase from the previous £500,000 reward.
Littler isn’t the only one reaping the benefits of the increased attention he brings to darts. In fact, every player who secures a spot in the World Championship is already a winner before even stepping up to the oche.
Littler has breezed into the third round of this year’s tournament with relative ease. He defeated Darius Labanauskas in the first round and then ousted David Davies despite some tense moments against the latter.
Davies had an opportunity to clinch the first set but faltered at the crucial moment. Littler capitalised on this, winning 3-0 again, and will now face Mensur Suljovic in the next round on Saturday.
The Nuke now carries an aura of expectation, meaning a consecutive World Championship win wouldn’t be as surprising. Still, he might be eager to see which celebrities extend their congratulations should he successfully retain his title.
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