"I got told off by the PDC for lifting my shirt up" – Justin Hood reveals exuberant Ally Pally celebrations weren't welcomed by all

Justin Hood’s World Darts Championship breakout was built on personality as much as performance. But while his exuberant celebrations won over fans at Alexandra Palace, they also drew a quiet rebuke behind the scenes.

Reflecting on his Ally Pally debut, Hood has revealed he was told off by the PDC for lifting his shirt on stage, even as he insists he has no intention of changing who he is.

“I like to have a laugh with people when I’m on stage. If it relaxes me, happy days. I’m not going to change who I am,” Hood said to the Weekly Darstcast. “I got told off a couple of times by the PDC for lifting my shirt up, but it is what it is. I had a good time, and I think the fans had a good time and long may it continue.”

Hood’s run to the quarter-finals at the World Championship transformed his profile almost overnight. Before arriving at Alexandra Palace, the 32-year-old had just one exhibition match scheduled for 2025. That quickly changed as interest in ‘Happy Feet’ surged following his breakout performances.

“It’s a massive adjustment for myself and my partner,” Hood admits. “We’re not used to any attention. I think I had one exhibition booked in last year.

“This year it’s gone mad, and we’re going to take it while it’s there. We’ll see if I enjoy it doing all the exhibitions, and if not, we’ll change it for the following year, but we’re going to ride the wave while it’s going like this,” he adds.

“My manager is sorting out all the exhibitions. He’s sending some dates over as and when, and it’s pretty chock-a-block already, which is nice. I’ve got a few in Germany, and we’re working on a couple in Germany. It’s looking good.”

The impact of the most lucrative PDC World Darts Championship in history extended far beyond the eventual winner. From the record five million pound prize fund, Hood earned 100,000 pounds on debut thanks to reaching the quarter-finals, a figure more than fifteen times higher than his previous biggest payday as a professional.

He entertained both the Alexandra Palace crowd and viewers at home with victories over Nick Kenny, Danny Noppert, Ryan Meikle and Josh Rock. Hood showed no sign of nerves on his World Championship debut, averaging 99 against Kenny and winning in straight sets, before producing one of the tournament’s standout matches against sixth seed Noppert.

Although he surrendered a 2-0 lead in that second-round tie, Hood held his nerve in a deciding set that went all the way to a sudden-death leg. The match was later voted Match of the Year by listeners of the Weekly Dartscast and formed part of a triple awards haul, alongside Newcomer of the Year and Performance of the Year.

The Performance of the Year award came from Hood’s fourth-round victory over Josh Rock, where he delivered a flawless spell on the doubles.

“I didn’t even know (I was 100 per cent on the doubles),” Hood reflected. “I realised I was doing something good when I looked up at the screen, and it said 10 out of 10. I had no idea what it meant. I wasn’t looking at the checkouts!

“After the game, I said to Josh: ‘I thought my doubles were good there.’ He said, ‘You didn’t miss one until the last leg!’

“But it was one of those games. Upstairs in the practice room, my doubles were horrendous. We were doing checkouts, first to five points on random checkouts, and I think I lost 5-0 and 5-1. But I did win the last one, and I said, ‘My doubles will be good today.’”

That win secured Hood’s place in the quarter-finals, where he later told Sky Sports: “This isn’t a fairy tale. I know what I can do, and it’s nice to show that here.” His tournament ended on New Year’s Day with a 5-2 defeat to two-time world champion Gary Anderson.

Now ranked world number 50 and entering his second year as a tour card holder, Hood has not set himself concrete targets for the season ahead. What he has made clear is that the warning he received has not altered his mindset.

“I just want to win every game I play,” he said. “I’ll take it one game at a time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a ProTour or the Worlds, I’ll take it one game at a time and enjoy the experience.”