‘Darts wants Luke Littler’ claims rival after quitting verdict in emotional interview

Luke Littler’s darts Luke Humphries has claimed the sport needs the Nuke more than he needs the sport after his emotional interview on Thursday

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Luke Littler’s darts rival Luke Humphries has claimed the sport needs the Nuke more than he needs the sport.

Littler, 19, was reduced to tears during an emotional interview on Thursday evening – after winning Premier League Darts for the second time in his short career – when he admitted he had wanted to walk away from the sport.

The Nuke had been central to negative reactions from some hostile crowds this campaign, but he silenced them at the O2 with a brilliant performance to claim the title. Speaking to Sky Sports, Littler said: “It was a rollercoaster first four weeks, bottom of the table, but then the fifth night I won my first night.

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“I had to pick myself up – some tough times. I think I had a 79 average in Brighton or something like that and it was tough. But I am here with the trophy.”

Littler then had to step away from the microphone to compose himself: “After Brighton and the incident in Manchester, I was sat at home saying to Faith [his partner] ‘I don’t want to do it any more, just the crowd every week’. I said to her ‘I’m down bad’.”

And speaking about Litter’s comments, Humphries added: “I know what he’s going through, but we all do want to see him play. I think the fans do want to see him play.”

“I think darts needs Luke Littler, Luke Littler doesn’t need darts. That’s the truth.”

He added: “It’s nice to see that he’s bounced back with the fans and he just needs to give them a little bit more like he’s doing. I think he’s doing some social media bits to just show that he’s just a normal person.

“I think everyone thinks he’s a robot. He’s not, he is a normal person, a good kid as well, I think that’s why he’s trying to show everyone that.”