ANALYSIS: Stephen Bunting: the rise of a cult hero

Last night, at long last, Stephen Bunting returned to the Premier League. No, he may not have got the win he wanted as he was defeated at the hands of Rob Cross, but last night, and the last year has been about more than just winning.

Bunting has never been one to take the easy road. A player whose journey has been a bumpy ride to say the least so far, the 39-year-old Liverpudlian is now enjoying one of the best periods of his career, proving that his persistence and dedication to his craft is starting to pay off.

While Luke Littler has dominated headlines as the youngest player to win a PDC World Championship, Bunting’s army of fans has not so quietly been gathering steam. Yes, Bunting was comprehensively beaten by Littler in the world’s semi -final, but that takes nothing away from how far he has come in the last 12 months. From nearly walking away from the sport entirely to rediscovering his best form, "The Bullet" is back, and he is making sure everyone knows it.

For many fans, Stephen Bunting is more than just a superb darts player, he is a cult hero. With his incredible walk on, infectious personality, and an underdog story that resonates with the wider sporting world, he has carved out a unique place in the sport.

Before Titanium, his original entrance song, "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen, was another hit, largely due to its association with Peter Griffin from Family Guy. Bunting embraced that comparison, even going as far as imitating the character in a viral video in 2014.

I fear for some time, Bunting was not seen as much more than a comedic character, never one to be taken too seriously. Part of that has to go down to his personality, and also due to the fact for some time his results weren’t good enough. But over the past 12 months, Bunting has found a way to make everyone take notice and show that he’s more than just a laugh and Mr Nice Guy.

He may not possess the raw natural talent or youth of Littler or Luke Humphries, but he is nevertheless still one of the very best in the sport.

Bunting first drew attention from fans 11 years ago, when he won the 2014 BDO World Championship. At the time, he was one of the most exciting players outside of the PDC, and his move to the more prestigious circuit was highly anticipated. The transition, however, was not as smooth as many expected.

Despite an impressive start to life in the PDC, consistency eluded him. He reached the semi-finals of the 2021 PDC World Championship, losing 6-4 to Gerwyn Price, which was a career best performance in the PDC. But the following year suffered a shock first-round exit to Ross Smith, and in 2023, he made it to the quarter-finals, only to be beaten by eventual champion Michael Smith. Then came 2024, where he endured a crushing 4-0 defeat to Michael van Gerwen, leading many to question whether he would ever be able to break through the sport’s upper echelon.

It was a difficult time for Bunting as despite being a major force in darts for over a decade, he still lacked the big titles to cement his place among the elite. The frustration mounted, and for the first time, he genuinely considered walking away from the sport.

"I did fall out of love with it when my form wasn’t good and things weren’t going right," Bunting admitted in a recent interview. "There is peaks and troughs in everyone's career. To pick myself up from where I was, in the doldrums and really thought about walking away from the sport, to where I am now (world number five) the way I'm playing with confidence, it's all positive!”

So, what was the turning point for Bunting?

Perhaps Bunting’s career revival began with his first-ever PDC major title at the Masters in early 2024. After years of near-misses, he finally lifted a big trophy, defeating Michael van Gerwen 11-7 in the final.

"This just shows my hard work is paying off, and it's a great start to the season. Hopefully I can push on from this,” Bunting said after his win. As he spoke those words, you could almost see the weight being lifted off his shoulders, as he proved to himself that he could be a winner.

That victory transformed his confidence. No longer was he a player known just for being a crowd favourite or an entertaining presence on the tour, he was now a major champion. He carried that momentum into the rest of the season, sharpening his game and developing the kind of mental strength that had previously eluded him.

After his Masters glory earlier last year, Bunting entered the 2025 PDC World Championship with renewed belief. For the first time in years, he was not just seen as an outsider, he was a legitimate contender. No, no one expected him to take the title, but everyone knew they had to take him very seriously.

His run to the semi-finals was a show to how much he had improved. He played some of the best darts of his career, beating world-class opponents and standing toe-to-toe with the best in the world. However, his journey was halted by the phenomenal Littler, who of course went on to win the title at the record breaking age of just 17 years old.

Littler is the King right now, and more than just darts fans are cheering on his journey. But, maybe the most eye-catching proof of Bunting’s popularity is that this was perhaps the only match during the world championships in which the crowd was not sure entirely sure who they wanted to win.

Despite the loss, Bunting’s run at the worlds was a show that he is here to stay. He had once again reached the final stages of the biggest tournament in the sport, proving that he can by all means mix it with the very best.

And with his trip to Alexandra Palace in the books, Bunting has wasted no time going from strength to strength in 2025 so far.

In the opening weeks of 2025, Bunting has been in sensational form, kicking off the season with a dominant victory at the Bahrain Darts Masters. In the final, he defeated Gerwyn Price 8-4, to claim his first ever world series win. No, the Bahrain Darts Masters is not exactly the pinnacle of the darts universe, but Bunting’s emotion following that win tells you all you need to know about how long he’d been waiting for that moment.

Just a week later, he continued his impressive start to the year by reaching the final of the Dutch Darts Masters, where he ultimately lost 8-5 to Rob Cross. His performances have made one thing clear; he is not a one-hit wonder. He has arrived, and he is here to compete for every major title available, including the competition that could no longer ignore him.

For years, one of the biggest criticisms levelled at Bunting was that he lacked the consistency needed to compete with the elite week in, week out. Now, after nearly a decade away, he is back in the Premier League of Darts for 2025.

His last appearance in the competition came all the way back in 2015, and the gap between then and now reflects just how much he has had to fight for his place at the top. The Premier League is one of the toughest competitions in darts, demanding consistency over months of weekly matches. For Bunting, it represents perhaps the biggest challenge yet in his journey to the top.

So as the Premier League circus rolls around the UK, you can guarantee that Bunting will now be one of the headline names that fans look out for. But given his current form, he will no longer be there just to entertain the crowds, he will be looking to win.

For years, Stephen Bunting’s legacy in darts was defined by his personality and fan-favourite status rather than his achievements on the oche. But this is 2025, and things have changed, and the Premier League is the perfect place for Bunting to prove that he has been reborn.

He may not have had the rise of the teenage sensation Luke Littler, or the commanding presence of Michael van Gerwen, but he has carved his own path in the sport. He has experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, and yet, through it all, he has found a way to keep going.

Some players break through immediately, while others take years to find their place at the top. Bunting falls into the latter category, but that does not make his rise any less impressive, and I can’t wait to see what this next year has in store for him

With a PDC major title under his belt, a Premier League return secured, and a red-hot start to 2025, Bunting has finally stepped into the spotlight he has worked so hard to earn. Now, the question is: how far can he go?