Gemma Hayter made unexpected return to women's darts and now plays Ally Pally: “Littler-mania got me watching again”

For years it seemed that Gemma Hayter had said a final goodbye to professional darts. She broke through at a young age but never found the structure to really kick on, chose work and financial stability at the time.

But the rapid growth of the women’s circuit and the explosive popularity of darts thanks to players like Luke Littler have brought her back to a stage she thought she would never set foot on again. And on December 19 she will even walk out at Alexandra Palace for her debut at the 2026 World Championship.

For Hayter, that return feels like a chapter she never dared to write. Hayter’s story starts like many from her generation: in a pub, with a battered board tucked away in the back. Her parents ran pubs for years and were county players, and darts was simply part of her childhood.

When, at thirteen, she joined the Hampshire youth team and a year later was promoted to the seniors, she saw for the first time there was potential. “I think that’s when I realised, I was actually pretty good,” she tells Fen Regis Trophies.

But opportunities for women were limited at the time. Events had barely any support, prize money was scarce, and a fully professional career was out of reach for almost everyone.

Her first real test came in her teens, when she faced darts legend Deta Hedman in a regional final. “I was really nervous…it was a comfortable win for Deta,” says Hayter. They were lessons learned, but rarely moments that pushed a career structurally forward.

She played the World Masters in 2009 without much success, but years later reached the quarterfinals of the BDO Gold Cup in 2015. There she met Fallon Sherrock, who later honestly told her she didn’t know how she had won. Hayter could only laugh.“She said afterwards, ‘I don’t know how I won that.’ I said, ‘Because I couldn’t hit a double!’”

Even when she represented England in 2016, she saw no future. “I felt like playing for England was the highest I was ever going to get,” she admitted. “I’d achieved all I could, and it just wasn’t viable." She put her darts away.

In 2024 the landscape is completely different. The PDC Women’s Series is growing, the big tournaments draw international attention, and players like Beau Greaves show that women are getting closer to the level of the top men. And then came Luke Littler. His lightning start in the PDC, combined with the world title of childhood friend Luke Humphries, sparked something in her. “Littler-mania got me watching again,” she said. It didn’t take long for her competitive fire to return.

What began as a few practice darts at home turned into a spontaneous entry for the Women’s Series. With support from her partner and some last-minute vacation days, she suddenly found herself back among the professionals. Her ambitions were modest. “I said I’d be happy with £400 for the weekend.”

She reached the semifinals at her first tournament and pocketed £500. “It was a roller coaster from the start,” she said. “Each achievement seemed bigger than the last.”

Hayter then captured multiple titles on the Modus and WADC circuits. One of her finest moments? The 4-0 win over Sherrock in the WADC final in Portsmouth. “That was massive for me,” she says. “My first big title since coming back.”

She then set herself one clear target for 2025: qualification for the Women’s World Matchplay. She achieved it, despite three lost finals in the Women’s Series. The disappointment was offset by her rising averages and the confirmation that she is consistently competing at the highest level.

Her Matchplay weekend was less glorious away from the oche. An incident with a seagull, a hotel without running water and another near miss with a bird on the way to the Winter Gardens gave her Blackpool outing a comic edge.

“It was surreal,” she laughed. “We had a media day that went a bit wrong. We went out early in the morning into the town, and obviously there are loads of seagulls and I ended up getting pooped on!

“I went back to the hotel to freshen up and there was no running water…I had to do my best, and my girlfriend was trying to get the poop out of my hair before I went and done media.”

But above all it showed how far the sport has come. “Thinking back to 2016 when there was almost nothing for women, now people are stopping you for photos. It’s crazy.”

On December 19, Gemma Hayter will step onto the Alexandra Palace stage for the first time, for many the beating heart of darts. A place she thought she would never stand. Her draw immediately throws up a tough opponent: world number eleven Josh Rock.

“I was maybe less excited when I found out I’d got Josh Rock,” she joked. “I could’ve had an easier draw.”

She is deliberately keeping expectations low. “I just want to play well. As long as I win at least one leg, I’ll be happy.”