"Blimey, I’m going to be on the big stage now, in front of the TV cameras" - Rapid rise for Joe Hunt set to continue as Ally Pally debut awaits

2026 has been some introduction to the big time for Joe Hunt, and this is seemingly only the beginning. His success on the Challenge Tour has offered him the chance to make a first impression on the PDC ProTour, and he has stepped up to the task brilliantly with the rewards set to be coming his way very soon in the form of big TV appearances.

Outside of darts, he has a lot on his plate as he gave some insight on his background. “I’m on the Isle of Wight. I’m not married, but I have a partner and we’ve got four kids," he told Bang on Target. "Outside of darts, one of my main hobbies is football and I’m a Crystal Palace fan. I used to play, but now it’s more about watching it because I can’t run around anymore!

“I also like playing a bit of golf sometime. When I’m not on the oche, I’m very much a family guy. I love being at home, spending time with the kids and enjoying family days together.”

Any professional in any sport has a starting point, and for Hunt it was purely to abolish his sense of boredom at his mum's pub.

“It’s where I started throwing darts when I was younger, really just out of boredom," he said. "I’d be down in the bar throwing and I always felt like I could play."

The talent was there from a very early age. Not even a teenager yet and he was the best one there among a more senior and mature group. “I think I started playing against the pub team when I was about 12 years old. I couldn’t actually play in the league until I was 13, but by then I was already beating them all!”

The age gap did not stop him and he was soon charging up the ranks with the ultimate dream of one day becoming a professional darter competing among the best players in the world.

He has most certainly proved his worth on the PDC ProTour so far in 2026. Currently second in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit, this has opened the door for him to compete in a hefty number of Players Championship events, and he has capitalised on this and then some.

29th in the race to Minehead with a debut at Ally Pally at the end of the year looking very likely thanks to these performances, the 33-year-old has been delighted with his progress in 2026, also picking up three Challenge Tour titles.

Whether surprised at these results, not so. “Yes and no. I felt like my main aim was just to get a few more ProTour call-ups and, if I didn’t get a Tour Card, to gain as much experience as possible. But obviously, being in the position I’m in now and having started the year really strongly has been a bit of a surprise."

With some big TV tournaments on the horizon, there are reasons for Hunt to be excited. “I think the biggest shock has been qualifying for the TV majors. The Players Championship Finals is confirmed and so are the Worlds. So yeah, you could definitely say the TV events have been a surprise.”

This was a big step up for Hunt. Now competing alongside the likes of Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen among other Premier League Darts stars on a regular basis. He admitted that it did take him tome to find his groove on tour, but now has overcoming the ominous appearance it casts as a newbie.

"I feel much more comfortable on the ProTour now," he confirmed. "At first, it was a bit daunting. The first few games on stream were quite difficult because I wasn’t really concentrating on the darts as much as I should have been."

Practice makes perfect and in time he was ignoring any cameras or distractions and solely focusing on his game. “I was more conscious of the cameras and thinking about my actions and what I was doing. It all takes a bit of time to get used to, but I definitely feel much more comfortable now.”

Hunt's next main ambition is to get a Tour Card. With him all-but certain to appear at the Players Championship Finals and PDC World Darts Championship, the Englishman is 82nd in the race for a Tour Card. He will need to pick up a few wins on the big stage and possibly may be aided by a couple more deep runs on the floor if he is going to get a Tour Card that route.

He may not need to. Thanks to his heroics on the Challenge Tour, he is almost £4,000 clear of Tommy Lishman in third. The top two earn Tour Cards, and Hunt is looking good to sealing that.

If this does not come off, then it is back to Q-School for a motivated Hunt. “I’ll definitely head to Q School again," he stated. "If I don’t get a Tour Card, it just pushes me more and more to keep chasing this dream. I feel like, given the position I’m in now, it would be hard for me not to get a Tour Card. So yeah, hopefully I won’t need to go down that route, but if I do, I’ll be there.”

Darts is in a very fortunate position with there many different avenues to go down. While the MODUS Super Series, ADC, Vaults and even the Challenge Tour are very good ways of competing against top talents, Hunt wants to play against the best in the world week-in week-out an leech off the tantalising benefits that brings with it.

“I’ll attend Q School is need be because ultimately I want to play against the best players in the world. Obviously, that comes with sacrifices because it means we wouldn’t be playing MODUS, ADC, Challenge Tour or Vault events."

Of course, money is a big motivation with darts possibly soon to become his full-time job. “But the main money and the biggest opportunities are on the ProTour, so I’d much rather have a Tour Card than be playing Vaults, MODUS or Challenge Tour. For me, that’s the obvious goal and the reason I want to go for it.”

The ultimate aim for all darters is to step onto the Ally Pally stage and compete at the PDC World Darts Championship. It is a brilliant opportunity to have which could also kickstart a darting career. Hunt has this very much on his mind as he tries to wrap his head around the prospect of playing in front of the TV cameras.

“Yeah, the season has definitely exceeded my expectations and it just keeps surprising me. I haven’t really had the chance to sit back and look at what I’m actually doing because I’ve just kept going, so there’s been no time to dwell on it," he admitted.

“I do have moments where I’ll sit there and think, ‘Blimey, I’m going to be on the big stage now, in front of the TV cameras and everything that comes with it.’ But obviously, that’s exactly where I want to be, and the more I experience it, the more natural it feels being on the big stage.”

With making appearances on TV come not just playing darts in front of thousands of people, but walking onto the stage with your chosen walk-on song. An important choice which can quickly make you a fan favourite with the adoring fans.

Hunt kept his cards close to his chest when queried on what song he was going to utilise. “Yeah, as I said, Ally Pally is a dream that’s now come true. Have I got a walk-on song? Yes and no! I’ve got one that I can fall back on, but once I’ve got the rest of the Challenge Tour out of the way and we’re heading towards my first TV event on stage, I’ll have a proper look and see if I can find anything else.

“If not, I’ll stick with what I know. Either way, it’ll be a surprise for everyone watching because I’m definitely not revealing it to you! Cheers, mate. Bye!”