ITV compelled to apologise over followers’ expletive Keir Starmer chant as Luke Littler beats James Wade to retain UK Open title
Darts fans continued to take aim at Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the UK Open of darts over the weekend, causing ITV to step in and apologise.
Starmer is under the spotlight in recent days after drawing criticism from the likes of Donald Trump over his reluctance to take action against Iran amid its drone attacks in the Middle East.
President Trump described Sir Keir as ‘not Winston Churchill’ for initially denying him permission to launch strikes on Iran from UK territory, including the joint-US base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands.
After Sir Keir relented, saying he would allow the US to fly missions for ‘specific and limited defensive purposes’, Trump said that he had been ‘very disappointed’ by his British counterpart.
Darts fans have taken aim at Starmer for a number of tournaments now, including at the World Championship at Alexandra Palace over the Christmas period.
They were often heard chanting: ‘Keir Starmer’s a w****r’ in the crowd, and the same happened at Butlin’s Minehead during the UK Open – forcing ITV to issue an apology to viewers.
ITV were forced to apologise after audible chants calling Keir Starmer a ‘w****e’ were audible during the UK Open
The chants came as teenage star Luke Littler beat James Wade in the final at Butlin’s
Littler retained his title with a comfortable 11-7 victory over Wade at the holiday resort in a repeat of last year’s final, which the teenager won 11-2.
He had come through matches against the likes of Danny Noppert and Josh Rock to reach the final before getting the better of Wade.
The world No1 and two-time world champion is starting to find his form again after a slow start to the year that saw him languishing outside the play-off spots in the Premier League.
But he won the night in Cardiff on Thursday, and claimed victory again here this weekend as he starts to hit form again.
On Sunday, meanwhile, Iranian protesters marched through the heart of London chanting for Trump and took aim at Starmer.
One protestor, who preferred not to be named, branded Sir Keir Starmer a ‘coward’ for refusing to join the war effort.
He said: ‘Joining the war benefits everyone. Sir Keir Starmer is a coward. I want to ask him, “Why are you not helping the people of Iran achieve freedom?”‘
