Russ Bray reveals his ultimate Mount Rushmore of darts referees

After nearly three decades as the unmistakable voice of professional darts, Russ Bray still feels a deep connection to the role that made him world-famous. The 67-year-old Englishman, universally known as The Voice of Darts, called no fewer than 28 PDC World Championships and was inducted into the prestigious PDC Hall of Fame in 2024.

On the Weekly Dartsscast podcast, Bray was asked who would feature on his ultimate refereeing “Mount Rushmore.” With his trademark wit, he didn’t hesitate to name names. “George Noble would be on there. You’d certainly have to put Bruce Spendley on there. Tony Green, maybe, you know. So, there is only four on that one. Well, I’ve got me on.”

The cheeky self-inclusion underlined his pride in a career that has become the benchmark for refereeing, but Bray was equally generous when talking about the present-day talent. “The current crop of PDC referees, I think, are terrific. Kurt Bevins is an obvious choice. Huw Ware has come on leaps and bounds, absolutely fantastic. Charlie Corstorphine, he sort of stepped in, you know, followed me in. Fabulous, fabulous referees.”

For Bray, the future looks bright, with a strong core of young officials developing their own distinct styles. “So, we’ve got a good hardcore of referees here, and they’re all youngsters as well. They’ve got many years ahead of them and they’ve all established their own particular style as well, which I think is very important.”

The gravelly-voiced legend even ventured a prediction for the 2026 World Championship, where a record £1 million awaits the winner. “I think over a long distance like that, current form where things are going, I reckon Luke Humphries,” he said.

Although semi-retired, Bray remains visible on television as an ambassador, occasionally taking charge at World Series events, and continues to play a key role in developing the PDC’s Asian Tour.