In the high-stakes world of professional darts, where precision and timing are everything, an unexpected delay by teenage sensation Luke Littler has sparked tension among the sport’s elite. The 18-year-old prodigy, known as “The Nuke,” found himself at the center of controversy before the 2025 Premier League Darts kicked off in Belfast, inadvertently angering three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen. Stephen Bunting, a close friend and fellow competitor, offered a candid perspective on the incident, highlighting the physical toll it took on the players left waiting.
The drama unfolded during a promotional photoshoot at the slipway outside Belfast’s Titanic Museum, a picturesque backdrop for the eight Premier League stars. Littler, fresh off his historic 2025 PDC World Championship victory over van Gerwen, was notably absent as the others gathered. The shoot, meant to capture the intensity and camaraderie of the upcoming season, was delayed by what Littler later claimed was a 25-minute nap gone awry at his Hilton hotel room. Van Gerwen, however, insisted the delay was closer to 45 minutes, a discrepancy that fueled his frustration. With temperatures dipping and seven players—van Gerwen, Bunting, Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall, Michael Smith, and Chris Dobey—standing in the cold, the wait tested their patience.
Bunting, nicknamed “The Bullet,” didn’t mince words when reflecting on the ordeal. “The rest of the pack were left frozen as they waited for Littler to turn up,” he told reporters, his tone blending exasperation with a touch of amusement. A seasoned campaigner and the 2024 Cazoo Masters champion, Bunting emphasized the physical discomfort of standing in the chilly Belfast air, a sentiment echoed by others who braved the elements. Despite his friendship with Littler, forged through their shared roots in northwest England, Bunting’s comment underscored the professionalism expected at such high-profile events.
Van Gerwen, never one to shy away from bluntness, seized the moment to call out the young star. “They need to stop treating him as a baby. He’s not a baby anymore, he’s 18 years old,” the Dutchman fumed to the media. His remarks carried the weight of a veteran who has seen the sport evolve, urging the PDC to hold Littler to the same standards as his peers. “It happens. He has to learn. You have to learn the hard way,” van Gerwen added, hinting at the steep learning curve Littler faces as darts’ brightest new star. The incident set the stage for a charged quarter-final clash between the two on the Premier League’s opening night, a rematch of their thrilling World Championship final where Littler triumphed 7-3.
Littler, unfazed by the criticism, offered a lighthearted defense. “I was 25 minutes late. Michael called me lazy. I was just laughing at him,” he said with a grin, downplaying the incident as an honest mistake. He explained that he’d been in the city, upstairs in his hotel, and accidentally overslept. The teenager’s confidence was unshaken, buoyed by his remarkable 2024 season, which saw him claim the Premier League, Grand Slam of Darts, and World Series of Darts, alongside his world title. His rise has transformed darts, drawing new fans and elevating the sport’s global profile, but it has also placed him under intense scrutiny.
The photoshoot saga adds a layer of intrigue to Littler’s rivalry with van Gerwen, a dynamic already crackling with competitive fire. The two have faced off 12 times, splitting their encounters evenly, with Littler’s World Championship victory marking a turning point. Van Gerwen, hungry for redemption, promised to be “up for it” in Belfast, a sentiment Littler welcomed as he prepared to defend his Premier League crown. “If we both turn up like we did at Ally Pally, it’s going to be really good,” Littler told reporters, his focus firmly on the oche.
For Bunting, the incident was a moment to reflect on the pressures of the sport’s spotlight. A fan favorite known for his walk-on anthem “Titanium” and infectious energy, he’s no stranger to the demands of professional darts. His “frozen” comment, while pointed, carried an undercurrent of respect for Littler’s talent. “Luke is a lad who has the world at his feet,” Bunting has said in the past, acknowledging the teenager’s role in boosting darts’ popularity and prize money. Yet, in Belfast, the wait in the cold was a reminder that even stars must respect the collective effort of such events.
As the Premier League unfolds, the darts world watches eagerly to see how Littler navigates these growing pains. His talent is undeniable—averaging 105.48 in his World Championship semi-final demolition of Bunting and throwing 13 180s—but incidents like this highlight the off-stage challenges of stardom. For van Gerwen, it’s a chance to reassert his dominance; for Bunting, it’s about balancing friendship with competition. For fans, it’s another chapter in the saga of “The Nuke,” whose every move, on and off the oche, continues to captivate.