Bunting opens up on “joke” with his son that created social media empire

STEPHEN BUNTING revealed his social media empire started as a “joke” with his son.

The World No9 has since built The Bunting Effect into a hugely successful YouTube channel with more than 165,000 subscribers.

Bunting, 41, also has over 490,000 followers on TikTok, where his videos have amassed more than 4.7million views.

The Bullet regularly posts clips using different filters and takes part in interactive games as he gives fans a glimpse of his personality away from the oche.

Bunting admitted he never initially took his online presence seriously until he created a monster that has since grown into a huge part of his profile.

He told Oche180: “I think the fact that nobody else had ever done it. I think TikTok was a bit of a joke between me and my lad.

“That’s how it started up. The views I started getting just got me hooked towards doing daft videos.

“The walk-ons and it was getting over a million views. That was one of the reasons for that.

“Youtube there was a company who approached me who wanted to start a channel doing [darts] tips.

“The start of that we wanted to get some celebrities involved and do some darts challenges which will still happen.

“To show the fans who I have a lot of respect for. Without the fans we are nobody. To be able to give them even a couple per cent of your life.

“To give back to the fans that you are not just a darts personality you are a laugh.”

Former Masters champ Bunting used his platform to build relationships with a host of celebrities and sports stars.

He added: “It’s amazing, it shows my personality. I am a very approachable person. We did the thing with [Borussia Dortmund]. I played with Maxi Bayer. That did really well on socials.

“I went to the Dortmund and [Bayern] Munich game which Dortmund won. They put a tweet out saying they have never lost a game when Stephen Bunting has been there.

“Just some daft stuff. I went to go and watch a festival and got speaking to Becky Hill. We exchanged numbers as well.

“Keeping in a celebrity circle having really good friends. Tom Grennan as well I am speaking to quite a bit.

“I don’t really look at myself as a celebrity. I look at myself as a dart player and a family fan.

“To get away from that side of it I enjoy doing the book, Youtube channel and playing darts.”

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Words: Aaron Nijjar

Image: Taylor Lanning