WOODS: BRISTOW OFFERED TO BREAK MY EX’S LEGS

LAURA WOODS has revealed darts icon Eric Bristow once offered to break her ex-boyfriend’s LEGS after the pair split up.

The popular broadcaster presented darts coverage for Sky Sports from 2010 until 2022 before being replaced by Emma Paton. 

In 2021, Woods made history by becoming the first female presenter to front the PDC World Championship final.

Speaking about her time around the sport, Woods admitted she still misses Bristow, who sadly died in 2018. 

Bristow won a staggering five world titles during the 1980s, dominating the oche with his trademark swagger, confidence and immense talent before later moving into punditry. 

Woods recalled a bizarre exchange with the ‘The Crafty Cockney’ outside a hotel near Alexandra Palace. 

She told the Double Tops Podcast: “When I was doing darts, it was always the old boys that were doing well. 

“You know, like Bristow wasn’t playing when I knew Bristow, but God, I love Eric Bristow. Can I add him to the list of things that I miss? 

“We were having a cigarette outside that awful hotel next to Ally Pally. 

“And he was like, ‘You’re alright, love?’ 

“And I was like, ‘Yeah, fine.’ 

“He was like, ‘Broken up with your fella, haven’t you?’ 

“And I was like, ‘Yeah, I have actually.’ 

“He was like, ‘Do you want me to break his legs?’ 

“And I was like, ‘He’s actually a really nice guy, so don’t worry about it.’” 

Woods also expressed her amazement at how Luke Littler has dominated the sport at just 19, while echoing concerns that he may need protecting amid recent booing directed at him in arenas. 

She added: “But anyway, it was like, Phil Taylor was, you know, the man, the don and everything.  

“Michael van Gerwen was like the kind of young upstart that was coming through. Kirk Shepherd didn’t kind of make it. 

“So, there’s been those players that have come through and haven’t made it.  

“Michael van Gerwen’s that have but they’ve grown into it. And then this kid that’s just hit the ground running is quite incredible. 

“He kind of went away and came back a little bit, Michael, where he morphed into what you know him as now, which is bald and just like, you know what I mean?  

“But if you look at what he used to be, he was this little waif, wasn’t he? He was like this little waif with spiky hair. 

“But I look at Luke and I think that is so raw. 

“Like whatever he’s got is so raw. And I think Gary’s [Anderson] is right, he does need to be protected.  

“But at the moment, I don’t see anything that can kind of infiltrate what he’s got going on.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.