Luke Littler, the youngest ever PDC World Championship finalist, has seen his profile skyrocket in recent months. Since winning over £350,000 in prize money over the past three months, the 17-year-old has been sharing stages and sofas with entertainment legends such as Sir Lenny Henry and Matt Lucas. Littler’s manager, Martin Foulds, states that this rapid ascent is unparalleled, with his 20 to 40 daily media-related inquiries being a testament to his exceptional talent and performance.
However, despite the media frenzy, Littler has not lost his humility. Foulds remarks that, when Littler is off-screen, he is quite shy and spends most of his time on his phone like any other teenager. However, on-stage, it’s a whole different story, with the phrase “generational talent” surfacing quite a bit, and the PDC’s chief executive, Matt Porter, crediting Littler with opening up some doors to a new audience for them.
The rapid rise has not been without its challenges. Littler has had to put his driving lessons on hold, as the number of inquiries he receives per day has made it extremely difficult to find time for anything else. Foulds has also had to manage Littler’s schedule carefully to avoid burnout. Littler took his manager’s advice and withdrew from a recent tournament in Germany to avoid overexertion, as he is still only 17 years old, and is conscious that he still needs to be looked after.
Despite rubbing some players the wrong way with his showmanship moves on-stage, Littler’s ascent has left everyone in the industry in awe. It is a testament to his dedication and talent that he has beaten almost all the top players just a few months after becoming a professional. His former junior coach, Karl Holden, describes him as having something special and says he always surpasses their expectations
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