Luke Littler reacts to hostile reception as Premier League Darts crowd boo world champion
Luke Littler lost on his return to the oche on Thursday to Stephen Bunting, a week after his spat with Gian van Veen
Luke Littler cupped his ears after a hostile reception on night 10 at the Premier League Darts.(Image: https://x.com/SkySportsDarts)
Luke Littler shrugged off and cupped his ears to a hostile Brighton crowd in his first Premier League Darts appearance since his spat with Gian van Veen. However, the 19-year-old couldn’t overcome the jeers as he fell at the first hurdle losing 6-4 to Stephen Bunting.
All eyes were on the Warrington-born darts sensation as he returned to the oche for night 10 of the competition, his first match since the exit to the Dutchman seven days ago. The pair were embroiled in a bitter spat after Littler appeared to celebrate Van Veen missing a dart at the double in Manchester.
The 23-year-old went on to progress to the final, ultimately losing to Gerwyn Price, but the incident overshadowed the night and spilt over onto social media, dragging one for a week with the Premier League Darts roadshow stopping on the south coast.
Littler was widely jeered as he waited to make his way to the stage and it continued as he prepared to face Bunting. Sky Sports cameras showed the 19-year-old cupping his ears and shrugging the Brighton crowd.
Ahead of his semi-final, Littler said: “Everyone’s looking towards the semi-finals, me and Gian, could meet. I’ve got to focus on Stephen, it’s his birthday, he’ll be wanting a birthday win but if we do meet, whatever happens, happens. I’ve got to get two points on the board first.”
However, it wasn’t to be for Littler as he bowed out in the quarter-finals to the Liverpudlian – failing to build on his lead at the top of the Premier League.
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Averaging 83.94, Littler produced his lowest average in a televised match, failing to book his place in the semi-final where he could have faced Van Veen. However, the Dutchman lost to his fellow countryman Michael van Gerwen.
The 23-year-old revealed that he hadn’t spoken to Littler after the incident but insisted there was no ill-feeling. He said: “I haven’t spoken to him, I won’t keep any distance from him.
“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, there’s no hard feelings from my side, I don’t know about his side but we’ll see.”
Bunting, however, failed to be drawn on the matter but felt that Littler wouldn’t show such malice on the oche. He said: “I seen what happened, I’ll stay out of all that.
“If he celebrates me missing doubles, I know Luke pretty well he wouldn’t do it to me. I don’t think he did with any malice.”
After the match, he added: “It’s tough because the crowd was giving him some stick. I like Luke because he’s a fantastic lad and I don’t like to see that.”
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