"The media do love to knock someone down. But to do this to a 17-year-old who is still so new to the highest level of darts is a disgrace. Quite frankly I wouldn’t wipe my behind with the Daily Mail." @TheAsset180 blasts the treatment of Luke Littler sportinglife.com/darts/news/dis…
"I wouldn’t wipe my behind with the Daily Mail": Paul Nicholson hits out at 'sensationalist' and 'misleading' coverage of Luke Littler defeats
PDCTuesday, 29 October 2024 at 19:00
Luke Littler has been the new face of darts since his sensational entrance at the World Darts Championship. 'The Nuke' managed to reach the final at Alexandra Palace at the age of 16 and impressed in his first PDC season, winning the Premier League Darts and World Series Finals.
The English tabloids can't get enough of the teenage sensation and report plenty about Littler's achievements often some covering the sport for the first time. However, some media outlets are taking this far too far, according to former major champion, Paul Nicholson.
Last weekend, Littler lost in the first round of the European Championship to Andrew Gilding. The way the English media reported it could not please Nicholson. In his column for Sporting Life. the former major-winner lashed out at the tabloids.
"Some sections of the mainstream press – particularly the Daily Mail – reported this surprising defeat like it was some kind of embarrassment he should be ashamed of," said Nicholson.
"As much as the British media love to build up a new star, they love to tear someone down even more. To do this to a 17-year-old who is still so new to the highest level of darts is a disgrace. Quite frankly I wouldn’t wipe my behind with the Daily Mail. It's not worth the paper it's printed on."
"These major outlets are reporting to the masses and do not have their finger on the pulse of everything Littler has achieved this year away from the TV cameras and could easily start getting the impression that he’s a ‘one hit wonder’ and already on the decline. Sensationalist and misleading coverage like this could be highly damaging to him and is exactly what Gary Anderson warned everyone about during last year’s World Championship."
Saying ‘Littler loses AGAIN’ and focusing on it being a third first-round major exit in a row paints completely the wrong picture. He lost in the World Matchplay to Michael van Gerwen while he was beaten by Rob Cross at the World Grand Prix in which he was making his double-start debut. Neither result was anything to start panicking about.
Nicholson also did not at all like the way opponent Gilding was portrayed. "Although Gilding was dubbed a ‘former butcher’ by the paper’s headlines, he also won the 2023 UK Open and is ranked 21st in the world! There’s no shame in that, especially in a short format like best of 11 legs."
Nicholson explains why Littler can actually speak of a good year. "We should also be very impressed by the fact Luke Littler is going to be in the top 16 before the end of his first season. That very rarely happens. Even Rob Cross didn't make the top 16 in his first year before he won the World Championship. He wasn't even in the top 20.
"It actually speaks volumes that he’s reached world number 18 despite those three first-round exits. So, if anything it shows just how good he’s been everywhere else. This is what the Daily Mail and some of the mainstream media doesn't understand. The big picture in 2024 for Littler has been sensational.
"He's done more in his career this year than most people will do in their full tenures."
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