"Everything I said on stage tonight, the tears, asking for sympathy" - Luke Littler hoping Premier League title turning point over crowd torment

Luke Littler is the 2026 Premier League champion, a tag that has been won through so many oncoming obstacles and setbacks which led him to this point. He defeated the world number two and reigning champion Luek Humphries 11-10 in a thrilling final to regain his crown. He hopes that this is now a turning point in terms of crowd reactions after dreading these events.

In a remarkable night of action, all three matches went the distance with the crowd packed into the O2 arena in London being spoilt rotten. Littler averaged an astonishing 111.67 but was still forced to a last-leg decider as Humphries showed his class. After missing the big number, Littler had just one dart at tops, but composed himself and pinned the target before going off celebrating.

“At the minute I just can’t believe I’ve won it,” he said in his press conference. “It’s been an eventful night. Maybe the first time in history — I’ll have to go back and check — but both semi-finals and the final all played every possible leg. I’m just glad to pick up the trophy again.”

It is fair to say that Littler’s Premier League campaign has been turbulent. After an incident involving Gian van Veen in Manchester, hostile and harsh boos have been rung around the arena’s every time Littler’s name has been called.

However, the last laugh went to Littler who picked up a second Premier League crown and had the chance to say his piece to the crowd in an emotional interview on stage. “I mean, if I lost, still no one would have found out about what I said on stage,” he added. “But I think I just had to let it out and tell everyone. I think this was the right time. Like you said, I just had to get it out there to everyone.”

He is dearly hoping for the boos to halt and everything to go back to normal once more. “I mean, I hope it’s a turning point. Everything I said on stage tonight, the tears, asking for sympathy — I just told the world how I was feeling during the Premier League. The biggest outcome is sitting next to me.”

Littler has got himself a very positive reputation in last-leg deciders, normally coming out on top in them. “Going years back, even to the JDC and WDF days, in the last leg of a set I always back myself,” he stated.

“You just think to yourself: throw everything at your opponent. When I saw Luke go off 140, I just had that little bit more momentum. You never want to be against the darts, but I just had to follow Luke and that’s what I did. Got the job done.”

Another Premier League to his collection racks up the Littler major count to 14, and he is still only 19. Just the World Cup of Darts and the European Championship are left for ‘The Nuke’ before he completes the collection. “Obviously I’ve won every one so far. If me and Luke pick up the World Cup, and if I win the European Championship, then I might have to go to the minors and try to win them all. We’ll have to see.”

Despite everything he had won, there was a burning desire to still come out to the O2 and win another big title. “Everything I’ve won has been a big part of my game — obviously my family and sponsors too,” he said. “But tonight was just one of those wins where I had to get it done. Like I said, it’s been ups and downs. Even sat at home, I didn’t want to go out. I didn’t want to go to the next Premier League night. And yeah, we’ve done it.”

Overall, it was a huge weight off his shoulders when clinching the title. “A massive relief. It’s been going on for four months, this Premier League. It’s been long. My adrenaline is completely gone now, but I’ll definitely celebrate tonight.”

Incredibly, Littler does not put himself under the pressure or stress a final normally does to people. “I’m always relaxed in finals because you’ve already done all the hard work leading up to it. Some people might call me crazy for relaxing in a final, but you just can’t put too much pressure on yourself. You’re guaranteed a trophy, guaranteed money, so you don’t have to overthink it.”

It was important for his family and girlfriend, Faith, to be around him at his lowest. “I’m so grateful for my family and obviously Faith,” he gratefully said. “I don’t know if my mum and dad were shocked because I didn’t really speak to them about it as much as I did to Faith. Maybe they’ll speak to me tomorrow or the day after because maybe I should have spoken to them more. But us men, we don’t really want to talk sometimes. I had to speak to Faith and tell her how I was feeling.”

From dreading matches, Littler is now excited once more to be competing on the big stage. "Yeah, definitely. Even coming into tonight I said all day yesterday: just make the final. Same as the World Championship — I made three back-to-back finals, and that’s what I’ve done again. But this time I picked up the trophy once more."

There was a lot of conversation with Gerwyn Price in the semi-final. At one point, Price scored 170 and did the fishing celebration Littler normally does when actually taking it out. It seemed to put Littler off with it just in his eyeline and got Huw Ware into action, letting Price know of his mistake. ‘The Iceman’ was quick to apologise.

"Gez thought he was out of my eyeline when he reeled in the fish celebration towards the crowd. I think it was at 5-9," he explained. "I’d just thrown my darts and looked at Huw. I basically said there was no need for that. Huw spoke to Gez and he said he didn’t realise, so it was all good."

This put Littler off as Price mounted an incredible comeback. "I think from 9-5, maybe 9-4 or 9-5, I just wasn’t at my best. Every time Gez broke me, I kept saying to myself: “Break him back. Hold your throw. Break him.” But I just couldn’t do it for a while. Then in the last leg I finally got over the line."

There was also a conversation on stage with the Welshman seemingly taking another defeat to Littler in good stride. "Yeah, he obviously said well done. Then he mentioned Dublin, when I came back against him there. That was ticking through my brain as well. Every leg Gez kept winning, I was just saying to myself: 'Don’t let it happen, Luke.'"

However, in the end he got over the line before defeating Humphries to earn a whopping £350,000. How he was going to spend it was still a mystery. "Honestly, I’m not thinking about anything other than some football boxes when I get home. I do love a little spending spree."