"It’s a testament to him being a good kid and having good people around him" - Emma Paton full of praise for Luke Littler's attitude

Emma Paton is the regular hostess during darts broadcasts on Sky Sports. As such, she has witnessed Luke Littler's rise to prominence and is well placed to talk about how the English teenager handles all the attention.

“He’s very chilled out. He’s a very chilled-out character in general, which is in contrast to what you see on the stage, where he comes alive and is a real showman and an entertainer," Paton says of the World Champion in conversation with Mirror Sport. “I think he’s done so well. He was thrust into the limelight last year, and it’s a testament to him being a good kid and having good people around him that he has dealt with everything so well.”

As if often the case in this country, the relationship between stars and the media can be a fickle one, but according to Paton, Littler is navigating any media dramas very well. “It is a lot to deal with,” explains Paton. “It’s one thing speaking when you’re having success and winning things, but you’ve also got to speak when things aren’t going so well."

"Coming into the Grand Slam [which he went on to win], he’d had a number of TV tournament exits. That’s when things turn with people saying he’s in awful form and asking, ‘can he get back to winning ways?’ And ‘is this the end of it?’" she recalls. "Even then, he’s spoken very eloquently. I think he’s maybe got a bit more comfortable with things now. In the last few months, he’s probably been himself more. I suppose that comes with doing more and getting more used to it. But he’s always been a joy to speak to. I have to remind myself he’s still just 17 (now 18 ed.)! It’s been good to see the Littler transformation over the last year and thinking back to what he was like at the start of his first Worlds.”

Paton has always enjoyed working with Littler. "That’s one of the brilliant things about darts because everyone is just so down to the earth. They are refreshingly honest which, most of the time, is a good thing," she concludes. "Because we work at so many big tournaments throughout the year, we see the players and spend a fair bit of time with them, which helps.”