"I've had worse off people back home": Callan Rydz not offended by chant about hair in reaching PDC World Darts Championship last eight

Callan Rydz admits he is not offended by the chant made by the crowd berating his hair as he made the last eight of the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship.

Rydz will play against Michael van Gerwen on New Year's Day and he became the darling of the palace as he took down Robert Owen with a chant that has since gone viral on social media.

But it is water off a duck's back for Rydz who said he was more of a case of feeling sorry for Owen who didn't receive the best reception from fans throughout the tie in the crowd.

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"I'm really overwhelmed at the minute, I was tearing up on stage because before I came up I was flicking through my Facebook and I saw a photo of my grandma and it just hit us. That was the reason I'm still playing darts so I did quite emotional. I'm over the moon but fair play to Rob first two sets he blitzed us and I thought I played alright but his finishing was superb and that's where it deserted him," said Rydz.

"To be fair with Rob, not meaning to be disrespectful I didn't think I was going to be playing him this round but listen I think that's why I felt it quite a bit. But fair play to him he kept his Tour Card, he's a great lad to be around."

He spoke about that chant which went 'He's got sh** hair but we don't care, Callan Callan Rydz' and said that he has had worse back home from his friends.

"I felt bad for Rob, listen the crowd was with me today. I hope they are with us on New Year's Day but I did feel a little bit bad. He's a lovely lad, he's got a lovely family."

"I'm all for the banter. I can give it them just as much as they can give it me if I meet them individually. I think they won me this game I didn't win it through darts. So I've got to thank them."

"I've had worse off loads of people back home. My best friends they rip the mick out of me all the time. Averaging 97 in the end and I felt like I struggled, it shows I'm in a good stead going forward."

Whilst he also responded to Peter Wright calling him firmly the man to beat and called it mind games while also talking up again a tie against his friend, Chris Dobey.

"He loves a mind game doesn't he. Peter fair play to him last night, I watched the game after the year he's had. He's a lovely lad, I've got a lot of time for him. It's nice words but I'm not thinking about that, you've got to think about it one game at a time."

"I might be in some people say the better side of the draw. But if I win my next game and Dobey wins his next game, we're going to play in the semi's. It's going to be the battle of Bedlington, we will be up for it. That would be great knowing one of us will get to the final but we've got to focus on the Quarter-Finals first."

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