(VIDEO) "Would you stop doing that please? Seriously!" - Referee Huw Ware intervenes over disruptive crowd at Grand Slam of Darts
PDCSunday, 16 November 2025 at 08:53
The quarterfinal of the Grand Slam of Darts between Gerwyn Price and Ricky Evans received a notable moment of law and order Friday night. Referee Huw Ware intervened in the middle of the match after some of the crowd behaved unsportsmanlike. His cordial action was met with applause, both in the venue and online.
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During the ninth leg of the match, at the moment Price had just thrown a score of 140, Ware suddenly stopped the usual announcement of the score. Instead, he turned toward the tables behind the stage and addressed the spectators directly through his microphone, "Would you stop doing that, please? Seriously!"
It came as a surprise to both the audience and the players. Price turned briefly toward the room, visibly surprised, but then walked back to the oche, smiling. Television footage showed the Welshman taking the incident with a sense of humor.
Although not officially confirmed, it is believed Ware was addressing the crowd for persistent whistling. That phenomenon has been a persistent problem in darts in recent years, with some spectators deliberately trying to disturb players during their throws.
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Gerwyn Price has faced such upsets regularly in the past. Top players such as Luke Littler, Michael Smith and Nathan Aspinall have also previously been the target of annoying whistles.
Praise for decisive action
Ware's immediate response was quickly praised on social media. Many darts fans found it refreshing that a referee was taking open action against disruptive behavior in the venue. "Don’t **** with Huw Ware!" one fan wrote on X. Another called him "a world-class umpire with backbone."
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Price's smile during the incident was also met with some humor. "Best ref for this reason, but Gezzy laughing was funny." wrote one viewer.
The 31-year-old Ware, known for his calm but confident style of leadership, received widespread support for his performance. One fan summed it up, "Huw Ware is the only referee with enough guts to call the whistle blowers to order."
Despite the incident, Price remained focused and finished the match professionally. The Welshman won 16-9 and qualified for the semifinals, where he will face world number one Luke Humphries.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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