Stephen Bunting Makes Damning Claim About Luke Littler After Michael van Gerwen’s Furious Outburst
Luke Littler has become one of the biggest names in darts, but even extraordinary talent does not mean a player can escape criticism. When the teenage sensation arrived late for a Premier League promotional photoshoot in February 2025, he found himself at the centre of an uncomfortable confrontation involving one of the sport’s biggest stars, Michael van Gerwen.
Van Gerwen was furious that the other players had been left waiting, and his comments raised questions about professionalism, responsibility and whether Littler was being given special treatment. Stephen Bunting, a friend of Littler’s, also revealed how the situation affected the players who were left waiting.
Stephen Bunting Makes Damning Claim About Luke Littler After Michael van Gerwen’s Furious Outburst
Luke Littler has taken darts by storm, but his incredible success has also brought intense scrutiny, and one incident involving Michael van Gerwen showed just how quickly the spotlight can turn uncomfortable.
In February 2025, the teenage sensation found himself at the centre of a row after arriving late for a promotional photoshoot ahead of the Premier League Darts season. Van Gerwen was far from impressed, and Stephen Bunting, who shares a friendly relationship with Littler, made an admission that offered an interesting glimpse into what happened behind the scenes.
The incident raised an important question for darts fans: should the sport’s biggest young star receive special treatment, or should he be held to exactly the same standards as everyone else?
Van Gerwen Was Not Happy With Littler
The disagreement happened before the opening night of the 2025 Premier League Darts campaign in Belfast, when the eight competing players attended a promotional photoshoot outside the Titanic museum.
Littler arrived late, leaving the other seven players waiting. According to SPORTbible’s report published on February 6, Van Gerwen said the delay was around 45 minutes, although Littler later claimed he had been 25 minutes late.
For the Dutch superstar, the issue was not simply about a player missing an appointment. It was about professionalism and respecting the time of colleagues who had also made arrangements to attend.
Van Gerwen made his feelings clear when he called on the Professional Darts Corporation to stop treating Littler like a child.
“They need to stop treating him as a baby. He’s not a baby anymore, he’s 18-years-old,” Van Gerwen said.
He continued: “It happens. He has to learn. You have to learn the hard way.”
The three-time world champion also stressed the importance of responsibility, adding: “It’s a professional sport so you have to be responsible for your actions, simple as that.”
Those comments were particularly notable because Littler was already one of the biggest attractions in darts. His extraordinary performances had made him a household name, but Van Gerwen’s argument was that sporting ability should not exempt anybody from professional expectations.
Bunting Reveals How the Other Players Felt
Bunting’s contribution made the story even more interesting because he was not simply another rival criticising Littler.
The two Englishmen have a friendly relationship, and Bunting has repeatedly praised Littler’s ability and influence on the sport. However, that friendship did not stop him from acknowledging the awkward situation created by the delayed photoshoot.
According to SPORTbible, Bunting said the other players were left “frozen” while waiting for Littler to arrive.
That admission helped explain why Van Gerwen was frustrated. When an entire group of elite professionals is waiting for one person, the situation can become uncomfortable regardless of how talented or popular that individual might be.
It also showed that the disagreement was not necessarily about whether Littler deserved his success. Instead, it concerned the expectations that come with being a professional athlete.
There is a difference between criticising a player’s behaviour on one occasion and questioning his character altogether. Bunting’s comments provided context about the inconvenience, while Van Gerwen made the stronger argument about responsibility.
Neither point automatically means Littler was deliberately disrespectful.
Littler Explained Why He Was Late
Littler did not deny missing the scheduled photoshoot. Instead, he offered a straightforward explanation for what had happened.
“I fell asleep,” he said.
He also explained the disagreement over the length of the delay, saying: “I was in the city. I was upstairs. Oh, I was 25 minutes late. Michael called me lazy. I was just laughing at him.”
Littler’s response suggested he did not view the incident as a major controversy, while Van Gerwen clearly believed it deserved a more serious reaction.
That difference in attitude probably explains why the story attracted so much attention. What might have been a relatively minor scheduling problem became a talking point because the people involved were two of the most recognisable figures in darts.
Still, it would be unfair to treat one late arrival as proof of a wider problem with Littler’s professionalism. The incident offered a snapshot of a particular moment, rather than a complete assessment of his character.
At the same time, Van Gerwen’s frustration was understandable. Professional sport requires players to balance individual commitments with responsibilities to teammates, opponents, organisers and sponsors.
Littler was still only 18 at the time, but he was competing at the highest level and carrying expectations that few players experience so early in their careers.
A Rivalry That Had Already Reached Fever Pitch
The timing of the disagreement added another layer of intrigue because Littler and Van Gerwen were scheduled to meet during the opening night of the Premier League campaign.
Their rivalry had already delivered one of the biggest moments in modern darts when Littler defeated Van Gerwen 7-3 in the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship final at Alexandra Palace.
That victory made Littler the youngest world champion in the tournament’s history, while Van Gerwen was left to watch another major title slip away against a player who appeared capable of dominating the sport for years.
The contrast between them was fascinating. Van Gerwen had spent years establishing himself among darts’ greatest champions, while Littler was the young phenomenon threatening to take over his position.
Consequently, even a disagreement about a photoshoot could attract attention. Every interaction between the pair carried the possibility of another chapter in their developing rivalry.
However, it is important not to confuse professional tension with personal hatred. Van Gerwen’s comments were critical, but they were directed at Littler’s lateness and the treatment he believed the youngster was receiving.
Their competitive relationship could remain intense without requiring either player to dislike the other personally.
Littler’s Talent Comes With Greater Expectations
One reason this story remains interesting is that Littler’s rapid rise has changed the way people view darts.
His achievements have attracted younger audiences and brought unprecedented attention to a sport traditionally dominated by established veterans. His popularity has also placed him under a level of scrutiny that most players never experience.
That attention can be a double-edged sword. Supporters celebrate his spectacular scoring and composure under pressure, while critics scrutinise his reactions, decisions and behaviour away from the board.
Bunting has consistently recognised Littler’s extraordinary potential. In September 2026, he told Sky Sports that Littler could eventually become the greatest darts player ever, while predicting that he might not surpass Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles.
Bunting also praised Littler’s wider impact, saying: “But [Littler] is someone who has changed our sport. He’s brought the [age] demographic of the sport down.”
That later assessment demonstrates why the February 2025 controversy should not define Littler’s reputation. Bunting can acknowledge an uncomfortable incident while still recognising the teenager’s enormous contribution to darts.
Equally, Littler’s achievements do not make criticism automatically unfair. The biggest stars should be able to handle reasonable scrutiny, just as their less famous colleagues must.
The challenge is to distinguish between constructive criticism and attacks that go beyond what the evidence supports.
Final Thoughts
The disagreement involving Stephen Bunting, Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen was about more than a delayed photoshoot. It exposed the tension between protecting a young superstar and expecting him to meet the same professional standards as everybody else.
Van Gerwen believed Littler needed to take greater responsibility, while Bunting’s admission showed that the delay had left the other players in an awkward position. Littler, meanwhile, explained that he had fallen asleep and disputed how late he was.
Ultimately, one incident should not overshadow what Littler has achieved or what he could accomplish in the future. But it does serve as a reminder that talent and professionalism must go hand in hand.
So, what do you think? Was Van Gerwen right to call out Littler, or should the Dutchman have handled the situation differently? And did Bunting’s admission change how you viewed the controversy?