Sky Sports Darts analyst Mark Webster is confident that Luke "The Nuke" Littler will not abandon his darts career simply because of the way he has been treated by spectators, even though the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is actively trying to eliminate whistling from venues while acknowledging that boos are likely to remain a fixture of the sport. Littler entered the 2026 season with an ambitious goal: to capture every major PDC title in a single year. That dream was shattered on Sunday at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam when he suffered a heavy 10-4 loss to Jonny Clayton in the quarter‑finals. While the defeat itself dominated headlines, the conversation quickly shifted to Littler’s ongoing, sometimes turbulent, relationship with the crowds that line the oche.
Earlier in the tournament, after beating Nathan Aspinall, Littler was met with a chorus of whistles and boos. The reaction was so intense that he publicly threatened to boycott future events in the Netherlands, saying he would no longer travel there if the hostile atmosphere persisted. The tension escalated on Friday when he faced Dutch favourite Danny Noppert.
The home crowd made their displeasure unmistakably clear, and on Saturday the situation reached a boiling point when referee Charlie Corstorphine had to step in during Littler’s last‑16 victory over Aspinall to restore order. Littler is not new to confronting volatile audiences. He previously opted out of several European Tour stops in Germany after experiencing similar treatment from fans. Nevertheless, Webster believes that these incidents, while upsetting, will not drive the 19‑year‑old away from the sport he loves.
"No, I don't think he's going to walk away from the sport over this," Webster told Sky Sports. "He was obviously very upset about how he was treated in the Netherlands at the weekend, but some of the opponents he played – a home favourite in Danny Noppert – he was going to get some rough treatment there." Webster acknowledged that the PDC is making a concerted effort to curb whistling, which many players find distracting, especially when it occurs at the moment they are releasing the dart. "I'm not saying it's right, and the whistling, I know they're trying to take it out of the game.
The booing, they won't be able to stop, but the whistling is something that's a bugbear to a lot of players at the minute. The PDC are trying to get rid of it," he explained. He added that security personnel are experimenting with new crowd‑control measures, but the problem still landed squarely on Littler’s shoulders during the Dutch weekend. "He was saying after games he wasn't happy with the treatment he got.
I don't like saying it, but a lot of the booing is part of the game now. He kind of has drawn attention to it by speaking about it," Webster said.
According to Webster, while whistling can be especially irritating because it interrupts a player's concentration at the exact moment of the throw, constant booing is something most professionals learn to tolerate. "The whistling is annoying, and I think it's a bit sharper when the players are throwing and it puts them off. A constant boo, I think players can deal with. Luke has dealt with it in the past, and I'm sure he'll be okay," he asserted.
If Littler decides to skip events in the Netherlands, Webster believes he can still craft a successful calendar. The Dutch leg of the European Tour comprises 15 events throughout the year, but there are other high‑profile tournaments such as the Premier League night that he may still attend.
"He can cherry‑pick his schedule. If he does decide to boycott, he can still plan out his year, really," Webster noted. Looking ahead, Webster is optimistic about Littler’s longevity.
"He's got a long time left in the sport. I don't think he'll leave the sport as early as people make out. He loves playing darts and he's brilliant at it, so I think he'll just bounce back," he said. Webster also highlighted Littler’s status as the sport’s marquee attraction.
The teenager’s meteoric rise – a debut World Championship final appearance followed by back‑to‑back World Championship victories – has turned him into a ticket‑selling draw. "We're still in this boom on the back of what he did," Webster said. "There are other players, but he is the main draw. After that run to the World Championships final on debut, and he's backed up by winning back‑to‑back World Championships.
People buy a ticket to watch him. They may boo him, they may whistle when he throws." He pointed out that the culture of darts often involves a degree of rough treatment for the sport’s biggest stars.
"He's the best player in the world, and we've got this sort of culture in our country where the best players receive a bit of rough treatment. They want them knocked off their perch," Webster explained. "He gets fired up himself, and I'm sure he'll bounce back in the right way at the Grand Prix in Leicester." Webster reminded listeners that despite his youth, Littler has been competing at the highest level since he was 16, accumulating a remarkable résumé in just three years.
"It's easy to forget he's 19 because he's been around since he was 16, and he's done a lot in those three years. We're already talking about sort of holding every major.
As good as he is, that's always going to be difficult," Webster said. He urged Littler not to be overly self‑critical after the loss to Clayton.
"He was beaten by the better man in Jonny. He acknowledged that. He was just a bit disappointed with the crowd.
I fully expect him to win a few of the majors remaining. I think the European Championships will be a massive priority for him, because then he's ticked every box," Webster added. Looking further ahead, Webster believes Littler still has a realistic chance of sweeping the remaining ranking events in 2026.
While the World Series Finals, World Cup and Premier League are non‑ranking, winning the four remaining majors – the Grand Prix in Leicester, the German Darts Championship in Dortmund, the Players Championship in Wolverhampton, and the Masters in Minehead – would cement his dominance. Littler has already withdrawn from two Players Championship events in the Netherlands less than 24 hours after his clean‑sweep bid was ended.
The teenager is currently £16,750 short of the final qualification spot for the Players Championship Finals and has hinted that he may forgo that tournament if his major‑sweep hopes remain dashed. Webster concluded on an optimistic note, emphasizing that the PDC’s calendar remains packed with high‑profile events that will keep Littler in the spotlight. Sky Sports will continue to broadcast the World Grand Prix (28 September‑4 October), the Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January) live, with additional streaming options available via NOW without a contract. In summary, while the crowd’s whistling and booing have caused genuine frustration for Luke Littler, both the player himself and veteran commentator Mark Webster believe the young champion will adapt, choose his events wisely, and continue to chase major titles for years to come.