BDO world champion Wayne Warren to avoid PDC Q-School

In light of the BDO's current plight, with a startlingly low World Darts Championship prize fund now confirmed, around 80 per cent of male participants at the Indigo booked their place at Q-School. Warren had been set to join the 500-plus PDC hopefuls in Wigan. But after his winners' cheque was revealed to be settled at just £23,000, £77,000 less than Glen Durrant picked up last year, the Welshman opted to pull out.

In an interview with BBC Wales Today, it was revealed that Warren - so soon after the ultimate high of becoming world champion - wouldn't be able to make the next step in his darting career.

"There's no way he could go up and play," said partner Nicola O'Donovan.

"He's going to be in the spotlight, everybody's going to want a piece of him. Which would've been fantastic, but then you've got all this drama."

Instead of fighting for a spot on the PDC Pro Tour, Warren will go back to his day job as a roofer. The 57-year-old was forthright about the prize money news, and about the BDO's future - or lack thereof.

"I'm gutted...it's giving with one hand and taking from the other," Warren said.

"I've got the cup in my house - I've got it for 12 months.

"I personally think I'll have it for the rest of my life, because I now think the BDO is finished."

World champion Warren is not alone in outspoken criticism of the BDO. Beaten finalist Jim Williams also bemoaned the £10,000 prize, while Martijn Kleermaker and Andy Hamilton have also made their feelings known.

Such BDO stalwarts as Williams, Scott Mitchell, Wesley Harms and Richard Veenstra will head to Q-School to attempt a switch into PDC darts.

It leaves Warren among the few guaranteed to remain. While the Welshman is therefore eligible to defend his title, it remains unclear as to whether there'll be a title to retain come 2021.