Mark Webster of Sky Sports Darts is confident that Luke Littler will not abandon his darts career because of the way he has been treated by spectators, even though the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is actively trying to eliminate whistling from the venues while acknowledging that boos are likely to remain a permanent feature of the sport. Littler entered the 2026 season with the ambition of clinching 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 decisive 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 volatile, relationship with darts fans. Earlier in the tournament, after a hard‑fought victory over Nathan Aspinall, Littler publicly threatened to boycott future events in the Netherlands because he had been subjected to both booing and whistling from the crowd.
The situation escalated on Friday when he faced Dutch favourite Danny Noppert on his home soil, enduring a hostile atmosphere that seemed to intensify with each throw. By Saturday night, referee Charlie Corstorphine had to step in during Littler’s last‑16 win over Aspinall to calm the situation. This is not the first time Littler has taken a stand against what he perceives as volatile audience behaviour. He previously refused to travel to European Tour stops in Germany after experiencing similar treatment there.
Despite those incidents, Webster believes Littler will not walk away from darts entirely. "No, I don’t think he’s going to walk away from the sport over this," Webster said. "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 while the PDC is making a concerted effort to eradicate whistling – which many players find distracting and irritating – booing is a more entrenched part of the darts culture. "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 noted.
According to Webster, the constant whistling can be especially disruptive because it often occurs at the precise moment a player is releasing the dart, potentially affecting concentration. "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 said.
When asked whether Littler might start skipping Dutch events, Webster said the choice is entirely up to the young star. "If he chooses to miss events in the Netherlands, that’s his prerogative. There is a Premier League night there, which I think he’ll play, but the European Tour has fifteen events throughout the year.
He doesn’t really need to go to the Netherlands, so he can cherry‑pick," Webster explained. "So if he does decide to boycott, he can still plan out his year, really." Webster stressed that Littler still has a long career ahead of him and is unlikely to retire early because of crowd hostility. "He loves playing darts and he’s brilliant at it, so I think he’ll just bounce back. He’ll get some more rough treatment and he’ll try and deal with it the way he has done the majority of the time, and just win games and win tournaments.
He was a little bit hurt at the weekend," Webster concluded. Beyond the immediate controversy, Webster highlighted Littler’s status as the sport’s marquee attraction. The 19‑year‑old has already amassed an impressive résumé, including a debut final at the World Championship and back‑to‑back World Championship titles.
"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." Webster also pointed out that the culture of rough treatment for top players is deeply embedded in darts. "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. He gets fired up himself, and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in the right way at the Grand Prix in Leicester," he said.
He reminded listeners that Littler, though only 19, has been competing at the highest level since he was 16 and has already achieved feats that many veterans spend entire careers chasing. "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 him holding every major. As good as he is, that’s always going to be difficult," Webster observed. Regarding the recent loss to Jonny Clayton, Webster urged Littler not to be overly hard on himself.
"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," he said.
Looking ahead, Webster believes Littler’s path to cementing his world‑number‑one status includes winning the remaining major tournaments – the Grand Prix in Leicester, the event in Dortmund, the tournament in Wolverhampton, and the one in Minehead – as well as the European Championships. Success in those events would give him a chance to retain his World Championship title at Alexandra Palace and further solidify his legacy.
Even though Littler has already withdrawn from two Players Championship events in the Netherlands following his setback, Webster sees this as a tactical decision rather than a sign of quitting. "He can still sweep the ranking events in 2026 – the World Series Finals, like the World Cup and Premier League, are non‑ranked – if he wins the remaining four majors this autumn," Webster explained. In summary, while the crowd’s whistling and booing remain contentious issues, Webster is convinced that Luke Littler’s passion for darts, his proven resilience, and his hunger for titles will keep him firmly on the circuit.
The PDC’s ongoing efforts to curb whistling may improve the atmosphere, but the occasional boo is likely to stay as part of the sport’s unique character. Littler’s talent, youth, and determination suggest that any temporary setbacks will only fuel his drive to add more major crowns to his already impressive collection.