Received a 'Message' from Beckham, Ate Kebab and Got 'Free for Life'... 16-Year-Old UK Dart Star Who Drew 3.68 Million Viewers to TV

World Championship Final Sets New Viewership Record with 3.86 Million
From 164th to 2nd Place Comeback...Celebrity Congratulations Messages

Luke Littler, ranked 164th in the world of darts, faced off against the world number one for the world darts championship title. The story, like something out of a comic, thrilled the British public.

On the 3rd (local time), the final broadcast on Sky Sports TV reached a peak viewership of 3.68 million, setting an all-time record for non-football sports. This was unprecedented for a niche sport like darts.

English darts player Luke Littler is posing for a photo on the 3rd (local time) at the PDC World Darts Championship final.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The star of the ratings was 16-year-old rookie Luke Littler. Ranked 164th in the world, Littler made consecutive wins at the PDC World Darts Championship, becoming the youngest finalist in history and facing the world number one.

The British public was ecstatic about this comic-like story. Littler fell short against the world number one, 28-year-old Luke Humphries, at the final hurdle and finished as runner-up, but the interest in the 16-year-old boy continues.

Famous star David Beckham sent a congratulatory message, and James Maddison, midfielder of the English Premier League (EPL) club Tottenham Hotspur, invited Littler to a match and took commemorative photos with him.

After a photo of Littler celebrating his first win while eating kebab spread on social media (SNS), a company promised to provide him with free kebabs for life.

Littler’s Instagram followers increased from 4,000 before the tournament to 900,000 currently.

Starting practice at 18 months old under parents who love darts, and continuing to participate in matches via webcam during the COVID-19 lockdown, Littler’s darts-related stories, his romance with his girlfriend, and even his school grades are all being reported. Littler is from the area near Manchester in northern England.

On the 5th, the Financial Times (FT) published an article titled "Why the Nation Has Fallen for Luke Littler," stating, "The success of an unpolished young star like Littler reminds us that any one of us can succeed and shows why we love sports. When you strip away celebrities and huge salaries from sports, there is democracy. The greatest advantage of competitive sports is that with talent and effort, outstanding achievements can be made regardless of background."