TAYLOR FEARS LITTLER COULD WALK AWAY FROM DARTS
04/06/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
PHIL TAYLOR fears Luke Littler could quit darts if the teenage superstar continues to be targeted by crowd abuse.
The 16-time world champion has thrown his support behind the world No.1 after Littler revealed he came close to walking away from the sport following months of boos and jeers.
Littler broke down in tears after regaining his Premier League crown before admitting the hostile receptions he received across Europe had left him questioning his future in the game.
Taylor believes the Warrington ace now faces a stark choice.
He told talkSPORT: “I felt for him, felt sorry for him. It’s not nice.
“When you’re up there and people are calling you all the names under the sun, which they do, it is abuse, it’s not right.
“We’re there to entertain.”
The Power won a record 87 major PDC titles in his glittering 31-year professional career before retiring in 2018.
Taylor says abuse from spectators was one of the reasons he was happy to call time on his career.
He added: “I was glad to get away from darts in the end. I was 58-years-old and I’d had enough.
“Barry (Hearn) said, ‘Do you want to have a couple of years?’
“I said, ‘No, I’ve had enough now, I want to have a peaceful life.’
“I think it’s great now because it’s nice and peaceful.
“I love my life now but when you’re up there week in and week out it is hard to shake off people calling you obscenities week in and week out.
“I know you’re getting well paid for it but it still does affect you.”
Taylor warned that fame and fortune do not protect players from the mental toll of being heckled on stage.
He continued: “At the same time, be careful what you wish for because every silver cloud is always a little bit of grey lining with it.
“So you have to be careful and it’s just something now that he’s got to get used to.
“He’ll either get used to it or he’ll walk away from it.
“When you’re up there and people are calling you all the names under the sun, it is abuse.
“It’s not right.”
Littler returns to action this Friday at the Nordic Darts Masters and will face Norway’s Cor Dekker.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
