LITTLER HAS BEEN “BANANAS” SAYS CHISNALL
18/01/2026 By Phil Lanning
DAVE CHISNALL says it’s “BANANAS” what Luke Littler has done to the modern game.
The World No22 is preparing to return to the big stage at the World Masters next week.
Chizzy, 45, crashed out of the World Championship to Ricardo Pietreczko in the second round. But he has paid tribute to the ‘Littler effect’ on the sport.
He said: “The hoopla and headlines surrounding Luke Littler aren’t going away anytime soon, and it’s still bananas what he has done to the modern game.
“I’m lucky to have been around 10-15 years prior when Phil (Taylor) took the game to another level and Luke is doing similar for the digital age.
“Being just a teenager himself, he seems in tune to a whole new generation of darts players, and the kids coming through have such an advantage with all the modern technology and playing online and the improvements in equipment etc.
“That’s not an ‘old man yells at cloud’ moment – just saying it’s obviously easier to get into the sport and stay in it if you’ve got some good kit to play with.”
Chisnall had a poor 2025 but is aiming to get himself back on form at the first major event of the year in Milton Keynes. He’s also on a New Year health kick.
He added: “There’s two weeks until The Masters in Milton Keynes but the Premier League players are out on their travels in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia on back-to-back weeks.
“As much as I’d like to be out there chucking with the best in the world, I’d much rather stick to Morecambe and doing some exhibitions.
“Normally, I aren’t one for New Year’s Resolutions but I’m trying to be a bit healthier and look after my diet better and I’m stuck to it thus far. Touchwood! The snatch could do with some work, but I think that’s not changing anytime soon, so hopefully it behaves this season.
“I’m already eyeing up the Players Championship dates in February – two in Leicester, two in Wigan and Hildesheim. In an ideal world I’ll be winning one of those home. Fingers crossed for a change of fortune in 2026!”
Image by TAYLOR LANNING.
