BUNTING HOPES PLUSHIE MAGIC FUELS WORLDS RUN

STEPHEN BUNTING is hoping a cuddly Christmas hit can sit alongside a serious World Darts Championship run.

‘The Bullet’ opens his Ally Pally campaign on Sunday night against Sebastian Bialecki, but away from the oche the world No4 has already scored big after launching a plush toy made in his own image.

The soft toy, complete with grey hair and trademark black-rimmed glasses, proved an instant hit after Bunting unveiled it during his walk-on at last month’s Grand Slam of Darts.

Fans rushed to buy the £35 plushie as a Christmas gift, causing chaos online and forcing the St Helens thrower to turn part of his home into a storage unit.

Bunting said: “I’ve got a cuddly teddy out now. The website crashed the other month — we had 250,000 hits.

“The guys from Custom Toys UK got in touch and said they’d like to do a teddy version of me. I’ve sold over 300 already.

“It took about six months to get them from first production to being shipped over. I don’t know where I’m going to put them all.

“I’ve put them in my garage for now. With the website crashing, the missus had been sending them out.

“She couldn’t even get on to see the orders, so we were panicking for two days.

“But, thankfully, it was soon back up and running.”

Bunting has enjoyed a brilliant 2025 season, becoming only the third player after Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen to win two Players Championships, two European Tour titles and two World Series events in the same year.

Former Masters champion Bunting has seen his popularity soar in recent years, fuelled by the launch of his YouTube channel ‘The Bunting Effect’ and the now-famous “Let’s go Bunting mental” chants ringing around arenas.

The 40-year-old admits lifting the Sid Waddell Trophy and banking the £1million top prize would be the perfect finishing touch.

He added: “It would be crazy.

“Absolutely crazy. I could see I’m a Celebrity … ringing me up and Strictly Come Dancing.

“It would be great to be the first millionaire winner, wouldn’t it?

“I think the hype around it with the press and the TV and everything that goes with that…

“It’ll be a sell-out again. The fans will play a big part in it as well. I really just can’t wait to get to Ally Pally and get started.

“The better you do, the more people want to pull you from pillar to post. I accept it. Like I say, I’m a people’s champion.

“I love the fame that comes with it. I’ve gotten more recognised over the last year. I can’t walk around town now without people recognising me. I’ve got one of them faces.

“I’m quite popular but if you’re winning the worlds, it takes you to another level. I’d love to be able to say in January I’m world champion.

“I can take some time off the tour and have a holiday and just enjoy life, to be honest.

“So, I’ll be turning every stone to make sure it happens.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.