“I needed to get away from the Peter Griffin bird dance” – Stephen Bunting on his rise to ‘The People’s Champion’

Anyone who meets Stephen Bunting in daily life does not see a man chasing the image of a darts superstar. He looks more like the friendly neighbour: softly spoken, polite, and with that unmistakable Liverpool accent. Yet everything changes the moment the arena lights dim, the spotlight hits, and the music kicks in. At that point the quiet Stephen gives way to ‘The Bullet’, a cult hero who sends crowds into a frenzy wherever he goes — or as fans now call it: “Bunting mental”.

Bunting, now number four in the world rankings, stands on the eve of the most important tournament of the year: the 2026 World Darts Championship, which runs from 11 December to 3 January. With his current form he is no longer seen as an outsider, but as a genuine title contender. He opens his campaign against Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki.

The past year was nothing short of sensational for the 40 year old Englishman. He won six titles in twelve months, climbed rapidly up the rankings and forced his way into the elite alongside Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen. But the most special moment came in April, during a night that still echoes in his mind: his first Premier League night win, achieved in Berlin.

In the Uber Arena, in front of an ecstatic crowd, Bunting not only won matches he had dreamed about for weeks, he also threw a magnificent nine darter. Remarkable, given that he had not won a single Premier League match before that point. It was the night the wider sporting world stopped seeing him as just a “good player” and started seeing him as someone capable of dominating the big stages. And just as importantly: it was the night Bunting himself believed the top was truly within reach.

“I don’t know what happened,” he tells Standard Sport. “I hit the nine-darter, having not won in eight weeks. I was feeling a bit down, but for whatever reason, I was playing really well in the practice room and got out, and the crowd was unbelievable. They were all singing ‘Titanium’ and ‘Let’s Go Bunting Mental’. I felt at home. It was crazy. Walking out of the arena that night, there were about 100 people waiting outside the arena for me to come out. That was the moment that really left a lasting memory.”

Darts is a sport where flamboyant personalities flourish. Think Peter Wright with his colourful mohawk or Steve Beaton with his iconic Bronzed Adonis entrance. Yet it is Bunting who has built an extraordinary popularity in recent years. Not through extravagance, but by leaning into what sets him apart: his humanity.

He likes calling himself ‘The People’s Champion’, not out of arrogance but because he feels his down to earth attitude and self deprecation make him relatable. His openness on social media, his jokes about himself and the way he interacts with fans all strengthen that image. But nothing caused as much buzz as the switch to his new walk on music.

For years Bunting walked on to ‘Surfin Bird’ by The Trashmen, a song darts fans instantly associate with Peter Griffin from Family Guy. At first he found it amusing, but over time it began to wear on him.

“At the start, I enjoyed it,” Bunting said of the old track. “A few years on, it started getting a bit monotonous and I was worried more about the walk-on than playing. It was hard to keep up. Walking in the street, people would come up and say ‘Do the bird dance’. My son was getting asked the same thing in school. I thought that I needed to get away from the Peter Griffin bird dance.”

“Titanium was my son’s favourite song. The ‘bullet-proof’ and ‘nothing to lose’ lines are really good for a player to listen to when you’re walking up to play a very important match.”

Despite his success, Bunting remains a family man at heart. His two sons, Toby (11) and Theo (1), are a constant source of motivation. Toby, who regularly attends events, plays an especially big role.

“Whenever he’s in the venue I can hear him cheering and jumping up and down,” Bunting beams. “I have a glance back to the player’s table and he spurs me on through every game. I cherish every moment that I get to go home because the calendar is so busy. All I want is to sit there and give Theo a cuddle, play with his games and next time I’ll get to see him, he’ll probably have a moustache. That’s the life of a darts player. My family understands that when I’m out playing exhibitions I’m earning money. [My wife] might be able to get a new kitchen soon.”

As the number four seed, Bunting faces a demanding route at the Worlds this year. It marks his pursuit of his first PDC world title, ten years after his BDO world crown in 2014. But with the way he now carries himself on stage — full of belief, adored by fans and with fresh fire in his game — it is clear the Englishman is a major threat.

When the first notes of ‘Titanium’ echo through Alexandra Palace on 14 December, ‘The Bullet’ will walk on as a player who has reinvented himself. The Peter Griffin jokes are history. What remains is a crowd favourite and a true title contender.