If further proof was needed about the burgeoning popularity of Luke Littler and darts, it came with early viewing figures from Barb that showed the 18-year-old’s second world title victory on Saturday night was watched by a peak audience of 2.5m on Sky.
They are huge numbers in a sport that, not so long ago, would have been delighted with anything over a million. That is the Littler effect in action. But after thrashing the Dutch player Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final, he promised that his latest success – and the £1m first prize, a record for his sport – would not change him.
