"I'll still be going to the darts. With pint in hand instead of a mic" - Jacqui Oatley confirms resignation from ITV as Matchroom poised to change lineup
ITV presenter Jacqui Oatley has announced her departure from ITV Sport in the wake of Matchroom taking control of coverage from 2026.
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She has been a firm fixture on the team for a decade, anchoring a number of huge tournaments and legendary moments on the broadcast station. However, she is set to be one of the many casualties from the once normalised ITV team. This includes the likes of former professional darters. Chris Mason, Alan Warriner-Little and Mark Webster.
On X, Oatley wrote a touching tribute. "Heading home for the final time from ITV Sport duty after a decade with a brilliant production team. First three years were presenting football, including Euro 2016, World Cup 2018, with darts, darts, darts throughout. Can't express how grateful I am to have worked with such amazing people.
"The producers, led by Phil Heslop, are incredible, the directors, spotters, pundits, commentators, crew behind the camera, sound guys, graphics team, Jonesy (who tells me off for being an inch off my standing spot) - everyone. Always smiling while working hard - most of all, they care about the output. Because that's what it's all about: the viewer's experience. We hope our genuine enjoyment came across. Back to football for me now but I'll still be going to the darts. With pint in hand instead of a mic. Bye for now."
ITV broadcast major events such as the Winmau World Masters, UK Open, European Championship and Players Championship Finals, along with the World Series events dotted across the world and culminating in the Finals.
Oatley began her time with ITV Sport in 2015 and has not just covered darts, but other major sporting tournaments like the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It is yet to be seen who Matchroom bring in for the ITV coverage for 2026, but the regular lineup will be disbanded.
Lucas Michael is a darts journalist and reporter based in Cambridge, UK, and has been part of the DartsNews team since 2025. He covers professional darts through reports, analysis, round-ups, and live coverage, with a focus on clear context and accurate reporting across the PDC calendar.
A key part of his work is liveblogging major tournaments throughout the year, providing real-time updates, match coverage, and contextual reporting across the professional circuit. He also reports regularly from events on site and has covered the PDC World Darts Championship from the venue, delivering first-hand insight throughout the tournament.
Within the newsroom, Lucas works closely with the editorial team and supports coverage alongside Chief Content Officer Samuel Gill and reporter Kieran Wood.
Lucas holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. In his work, he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating content promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
Heading home for the final time from @ITVSport duty after a decade with a brilliant production team. First three years were presenting football ⚽️, including Euro 2016, World Cup 2018, with darts, darts, darts 🎯 throughout. Can’t express how grateful I am to have worked with