Exactly five years ago the shocking news came about the death of Eric Bristow. The five-time world champion succumbed to the effects of a heart attack.
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With this, the darts sport lost its first darts icon. The 60-year-old Bristow won five world titles at Lakeside in the period 1980-1986. In 1993 he was one of the founders of the World Darts Council, the forerunner of today's PDC.
The Englishman was recognized in 1989 for his services to the sport. He received a royal decoration and was henceforth known as Eric Bristow MBE. In 2005, 'The Crafty Cockney' was also inducted into the PDC Hall of Fame.
Bristow retired from professional darts in 2000. The darts legend took part in the world championship for the 23rd time, but lost in the first round to American darts player Steve Brown.
An inglorious end to Bristow's wonderful career. Yet the eccentric Brit remained involved in the darts circuit. The five-time world champion was in demand for exhibition tournaments and previously worked for Sky Sports.
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Bristow was also at the cradle of Phil Taylor's career. 'The Crafty Cockney' decided to sponsor his compatriot at the start of his career, the rest is history.
Even in the last hours of his life, Bristow was engaged in his beloved sport. The Englishman attended the Premier League Darts in Liverpool for a meet and greet with darts fans.
Ten minutes after completing his duties at the Echo Arena, Bristow suddenly collapsed. Rushed help was of no avail and the darts world was suddenly plunged into mourning. The darts sport lost one of the founders of today's darts.
Kieran WoodDarts Journalist
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
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