(VIDEO) "Your nickname is Meaty Mike" - Wrong nicknames, mistaken identity and rankings mixed up as Van Gerwen, Humphries, Price pranked by hilarious fake interviews

While the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace is now in full swing, the PDC delivered a striking off-stage moment in the run-up to the tournament. Several of the sport’s biggest names were unknowingly subjected to a series of fake interviews. The result: confusion, mild irritation, and ultimately visible amusement.

The interviews were conducted by British comedian Zac Lee, posing as an American CNN journalist. What the players didn’t know was that Lee was receiving instructions and questions via an earpiece from Sky Sports presenter Emma Paton and former pro Mark Webster. They followed along in the background and deliberately fed in questions that were factually incorrect or slightly provocative.

Michael van Gerwen quickly ran into the first misunderstanding. The supposed journalist confronted him with a pair of headphones and asked why he no longer wore them. Van Gerwen looked visibly surprised.

Moments later, the Dutchman was addressed as ‘Meaty Mike’, a clear mangling of his well-known nickname Mighty Mike. Van Gerwen repeated calmly but firmly several times: “My nickname is Mighty Mike,” while audibly wondering where the interview was heading.

Gerwyn Price wasn’t spared either. The Welshman was repeatedly addressed as Van Gerwen, complete with an exaggerated English pronunciation of the name. Price stayed remarkably composed and explained, dead serious, that the interviewer was mixing up two different players. He also pointed out the differences in their appearance and clothing choices, including his signature green shirt.

With Luke Humphries, the game was played more subtly. The Englishman was complimented for being the youngest world champion ever, a title that actually belongs to Luke Littler. Humphries initially didn’t correct the interviewer and offered a diplomatic answer. Only when told he looked “a bit older than 18” did he respond with a smile: “I’m 30. You’ve got the wrong Luke. I wish I was 18.”

Australian darter Damon Heta was twice addressed as Deta Hedman, an English darts player. Heta looked visibly puzzled but remained polite. Stephen Bunting was asked how his walk-on song ‘Titanium’ went again, after which he launched into a snippet without hesitation.

Jonny Clayton was then confronted with the claim that he was the second-best player in Wales. The Welshman corrected that immediately. “I’m number one,” he stated, before pulling up the world rankings. “See, fifth place.”

Afterwards, the players were informed about the true nature of the interviews. Some responded with a brief flash of frustration, others mostly with relief. In the end, everyone laughed about the situation, and the stunt was seen as a harmless way to ease the tension ahead of the Worlds.