Sky Sports Darts analyst Mark Webster is confident that Luke "The Nuke" Littler will not quit the sport because of how some spectators treat him, even though the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is working hard to eliminate whistling from venues while acknowledging that boos are likely to remain a permanent feature of the atmosphere. Littler entered the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam with a dream of capturing every major PDC title on offer in the 2026 calendar.
That ambition was shattered on Sunday when he suffered a heavy 10-4 loss to Jonny Clayton in the quarter‑finals. While the defeat itself dominated the headlines, the conversation quickly shifted to Littler’s ongoing, sometimes volatile, relationship with darts fans.
Earlier in the tournament the 19‑year‑old had threatened to boycott future Dutch events after being subjected to a chorus of boos and whistling during his victory over Nathan Aspinall. The incident was not isolated; during his Friday win against home‑favorite Danny Noppert he again faced a hostile crowd, and on Saturday referee Charlie Corstorphine had to step in to restore order during the last‑16 clash with Aspinall.
Littler has previously taken a stand against unruly audiences. He once refused to travel to the German leg of the European Tour after experiencing similar treatment from fans there. Despite those past actions, Webster does not think Littler will abandon darts altogether.
"No, I don’t think he’s going to walk away from the sport over this," Webster told Sky Sports. "He was clearly upset by what happened in the Netherlands over the weekend, and the crowd in the Danny Noppert match was also tough on him." Webster acknowledged that while the PDC is actively trying to eradicate whistling – a sound that many players find distracting when they are in the throwing rhythm – booing is entrenched in the culture of darts and is unlikely to disappear. "I’m not saying the booing is right, but it’s part of the game now," he said.
"The whistling is a real bugbear for a lot of players at the moment, and the PDC are experimenting with security measures to curb it. Unfortunately, it landed on Luke this weekend." He added that Littler has learned to cope with vocal criticism over the years.
"A constant boo you can learn to live with. Luke has dealt with it before and I’m sure he’ll be fine," Webster noted. "The whistling is more irritating because it can break a player’s concentration when they’re about to throw." Regarding potential boycotts, Webster pointed out that Littler can be selective about his schedule.
"If he chooses to skip events in the Netherlands, that’s his prerogative. There are fifteen European Tour stops a year, but he doesn’t have to play every one of them. He can cherry‑pick the ones that suit him," he explained.
"There’s even a Premier League night in the Netherlands, and I expect he’ll turn up for that, but he can still plan a full season without the Dutch stops." Webster believes Littler still has a long career ahead and that his love for the game will keep him competing. "He’s a brilliant player and he loves darts. He’ll bounce back, face more rough treatment and deal with it the way he always has – by winning matches and titles," Webster said.
"He was a little hurt by the weekend, but that’s temporary." Beyond the immediate controversy, Webster emphasized Littler’s importance to the sport’s current popularity surge. "We’re still riding the wave that Luke created.
He’s become the main draw for many fans. After his debut run to the World Championship final and back‑to‑back world titles, people buy tickets to see him, even if they boo or whistle," Webster explained.
"He’s the best player in the world, and there’s a tradition in darts of giving the top guys a bit of rough treatment – fans love to try to knock them off their perch." He expects Littler to recover quickly and perform well at upcoming events, particularly the Grand Prix in Leicester. "He’ll be fired up again, and I think he’ll bounce back in the right way at the Grand Prix," Webster said. "It’s easy to forget he’s only 19 because he’s been on the circuit since he was 16, and he’s accomplished a lot in three years.
People are already talking about him holding every major, which is a massive challenge, but he’s up for it." Webster also urged Littler not to be too hard on himself after the loss to Clayton. "He lost to a better player on the day and he knows that. He was just disappointed with the crowd, but that’s separate from his performance," he remarked.
"I fully expect him to win a few of the remaining majors. The European Championships will be a huge priority for him – if he wins that, he’ll have checked every box." Looking ahead, Webster sees a bright future for Littler in the remaining 2026 majors. "If he can capture the titles in Leicester, Dortmund, Wolverhampton and Minehead, he could still sweep the ranking events for the year," he said. "The World Series Finals, World Cup and Premier League are non‑ranking, so a clean‑sweep of majors is still possible." Littler has already withdrawn from two Players Championship events in the Netherlands, less than a day after his clean‑sweep hopes were dashed.
The teenager, who sits about £16,750 short of the final qualification spot for the Players Championship Finals, hinted he might not attempt to qualify if his major‑sweep dream ends in the Netherlands. Despite the turbulence, Sky Sports will continue to be the primary broadcaster for darts, covering the World Grand Prix (28 September‑4 October), Grand Slam of Darts (14‑22 November) and the World Darts Championship (10 December‑3 January). Fans can stream all the action via NOW without a contract, ensuring the sport remains accessible even as players like Littler navigate the challenges of a passionate, sometimes unforgiving, fan base.