Sky Sports Darts analyst Mark Webster is confident that Luke "The Nuke" Littler will not abandon his darts career simply because of the way crowds have treated him, even though the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is working hard to eradicate whistling from venues. Webster acknowledges that boos are likely to remain a permanent feature of the sport, but he believes Littler’s passion for the game will keep him in the circuit. Littler entered the 2026 season with an ambitious goal: to claim 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 defeat to Jonny Clayton in the quarter‑finals. While the loss itself was a major talking point, the surrounding controversy over Littler’s fraught relationship with spectators stole the headlines. Earlier in the tournament, after beating Nathan Aspinall, Littler was met with a chorus of boos and a wave of whistling from the Dutch crowd. The young star publicly threatened to boycott future events in the Netherlands if the hostile atmosphere continued.
The tension escalated when he faced home‑favorite Danny Noppert on Friday; the arena turned increasingly hostile, and on Saturday the situation boiled over during his last‑16 clash with Aspinall, prompting referee Charlie Corstorphine to step in and restore order. Littler is not new to confronting volatile audiences. He previously refused to travel to European Tour stops in Germany after experiencing similar treatment from fans there. Despite these past incidents, Webster insists that Littler is unlikely to walk away from darts altogether.
"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 went on to explain that while the PDC is actively trying to eliminate whistling – a practice that many players find distracting and irritating – booing is entrenched in the culture of darts and is unlikely to disappear completely. "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 added. He noted that security teams are experimenting with new crowd‑control measures, but the pressure still landed squarely on Littler 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 explained. According to Webster, the whistling is more than a nuisance; it can actually affect a player’s rhythm. "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 skip future Dutch events, Webster said it would be a personal choice. "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 15 events during the year. He doesn’t really need to go to the Netherlands, so he can cherry‑pick there.
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 that the 19‑year‑old’s love for darts is unlikely to wane. "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. "We’re still in this boom on the back of what he did," he 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 darts often includes a certain level of rough treatment toward top players, a tradition that can be both a motivator and a source of stress.
"He gets fired up himself, and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in the right way at the Grand Prix in Leicester. 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." He urged Littler not to be too hard on himself after the loss to Clayton, emphasizing that the defeat was at the hands of a better player on the day. "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." Looking ahead, Webster believes Littler will target the remaining major tournaments – the European Championships, the World Grand Prix, the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Championship – to complete a historic sweep. "If he wins the remaining four majors in Leicester, Dortmund, Wolverhampton and Minehead this autumn, he can still sweep the ranking events in 2026. The World Series Finals, like the World Cup and Premier League, are non‑ranked, so the opportunity is still there," Webster explained.
The teenager has already withdrawn from two Players Championship events in the Netherlands less than 24 hours after his clean‑sweep bid was broken. He is currently £16,750 short of the final qualification spot for the Players Championship Finals and hinted he might forgo that event if his major‑sweep hopes are dashed. Despite the drama, Sky Sports will continue to broadcast the sport’s biggest stages: 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).
Fans can stream all the action via NOW without a contract, ensuring the sport remains accessible even as it navigates the challenges posed by passionate, sometimes hostile, crowds. In summary, while the whistling and booing that Littler has endured are real concerns, Webster believes the young champion’s talent, determination, and love for darts will see him persevere. He may choose to skip certain Dutch events, but the broader calendar offers ample opportunity for him to chase more titles, cement his world‑number‑one status, and continue to be the sport’s shining star.