JAMES REVEALS JOURNEY FROM FAN TO TOP DARTS REPORTER

By Phil Lanning

OCHE rock chick Polly James once had her knickers signed by Tom Jones and went to the darts dressed as Homer Simpson.

But now the Welsh Radio X DJ will be the first person to interview the first-ever new £1million PDC World Darts Championship live on stage at the Ally Pally tonight.

James, 39, has become the No1 reporter for the Sky Sports coverage and loves her darts fix alongside her full-time gig as radio host.

The hugely-popular star has even been working gruelling 16 hour days to combine covering the Chris Moyles breakfast show on X with then dashing to cover the darts until midnight.

She has gone from fan to doing her dream job in a decade and revealed: “It’s going to be an epic final between Luke Littler and Gian van Veen. It will be the best atmosphere you can get in any sport.

“I live for the noise the Ally Pally crowd brings, I feed off it- does make it difficult to hear the players though.

“Darts is the perfect fit for me. It’s like sport and rock mixed together. The banging music, mosh pit crowd behaviour, it’s organised chaos and I love every second of it. Hearing Ryan Searle’s walk on Ozzy’s Crazy Train has been wonderful.

“I always loved darts as a fan and it’s a dream to now work on it all year round.

“I’m a fan first and foremost. I’ve dressed up as Homer Simpson before to go to the darts with a group of friends.

“I’m not a traditional sports reporter. I’m a radio DJ and I’m lucky enough to do my dream job on the side.

“But I can relate to the fans, I know what they are up to and why the sport is so great to watch.

“I had always wanted to go because I watched it every Christmas. I think in about 2010 my other half surprised me with tickets on my birthday.

“That was it, I had the darts bug then. I’m sure my first match was Gary Anderson then the following year I actually met Michael van Gerwen.

“I had a sign which said ‘it’s my birthday buy me a drink’ and he actually signed it.

“It was something that I actually adored watching. When I was asked to work on it, I had to decide to mix business and pleasure.

“I’m in a privileged position to speak to the players immediately after they win or lose. But I will never lose sight of the fans who pay their money to have a good time.”

James has been a DJ with Capital, Absolute Radio and currently on Radio X and admits her favourite radio guests were legendary singer Tom Jones and Gerwyn Price.

She added: “When you go to Tom Jones you are supposed to throw your knickers at him.

“I had the opportunity to interview him a few years ago and I thought I better not give him the knickers I’ve got on.

“So I had to buy a pair quickly before I went on air and interviewed him. He signed the clean ones. I was never going to put them in the wash so I got them framed instead!

“I’ve been covering for Moylesy over the festive time and I’m loving the breakfast show. It’s been long days to then travel and work on the darts. But I love it. I feel lucky to do both jobs.”

James does get some stick on social media and does bite back now and again.

She added: “I think people like to have a go sometimes because I’m a woman in a male dominated sport. It’s usually my tattoos that get the attention, hopefully not my ability as a reporter.

“But darts has changed dramatically over the past few years with Fallon Sherrock, Lisa Ashton and now Beau Greaves winning big games.

“Sky Sports have transformed their coverage with the brilliant Emma Paton as presenter, Anna Woolhouse, Laura Turner, Abi Davies and the likes of new generation reporters Meg Wellens and Ali Hampson.

“You have to be a perfectionist and as a woman you just can’t make mistakes. But I have the best jobs in the world and I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.