Wade opts for new walk-on song: "Taken inspiration from Elton John"

Regarded by many as the greatest player never to have won the World Championship, James Wade has felt the time was right for a change, starting with his walk-on song.

"As I have mentioned before, 2023 is my 20th year on the PDC circuit. In that time I have had some well-documented highs and lows," writes Wade in his column for the Daily Star. "But I genuinely believe I am in a great position to hit new heights. From July, I will be ready for a renewed push towards the top of the darts rankings."

For a few years now, Wade's walk-on song has been The Boys are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy. This new, revitalised James Wade needs a new song though. "One of the outwardly noticeable changes will be the introduction of a new walk-on anthem in the shape of Elton John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’, which feels massively appropriate given the challenges I have faced and the way the sport has changed since I first arrived on the scene," he explains.

"It is also a nod to the mental health charities that I am constantly looking to support and publicise, particularly Bipolar UK who have asked that I talk openly about my battles and the ability to work through them," Wade continues. "I want people to see my walk-ons as a triumph in survival and a rallying cry to challenge yourself and persuade yourself that you can do things that make you uncomfortable."

"The lyrics are scarily pertinent to me. I think I need to have a bit of a darts ‘mask’ in order to survive being on stage under that spotlight (some would say it’s a slightly miserable mask sometimes, but I do try) as it can definitely feel like a lonely place when things are going against you. I’m also hoping this ‘look at me, I’m coming back’ approach is going to be reflected in my 2023 PDC season and the start of phase two of my darting career," concludes the eleven-time major winner.