Why was Luke Littler booed by Ally Pally crowd at PDC World Darts Championship?
The Luke Littler heel turn is complete.
Luke Littler has added fuel to an inferno brewing at the PDC World Darts Championship following a red-hot night at Alexandra Palace.
The reigning champion and world No. 1 crushed former world champion Rob Cross on the big stage to reach the quarter-finals.
However, he did so while enduring torrents of boos and taunts from the Ally Pally crowd throughout the match, leading to a spectacular outburst during Littler's post-match interview with Sky Sports.
Looking visibly irate, Littler told the crowd: “I’m not bothered, I’m not bothered, really I’m not bothered. Can I just say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you’re paying for my prize money. So thank you for my money. Thank you for booing me. COME ON."
The 18-year-old's comments have divided fans on social media and, far from draw a line under the episode, will inevitably lead to a fiery atmosphere during his next match. But what started it all?
RadioTimes.com brings you everything we know about Luke Littler being booed at the PDC World Darts Championship 2026.
Why was Luke Littler booed by Ally Pally crowd at PDC World Darts Championship?
There have been several suggestions as to why the Ally Pally crowd chose to turn on Littler during the match.
The primary source of the hostilities appears to be a simple case of wanting the underdog to win.
Former world champion Rob Cross is hardly an underdog compared to most, but given Littler's extraordinary talent, everyone is sat in his shadow right now.
Supporting the underdog is not a new thing at Ally Pally, but given Littler has been seen as the underdog for most of his career to date, the tables appear to have turned.
On a similar note, the crowd often support the person who is losing in order to see a longer, tighter, more exciting match. However, Littler appeared to be facing hostilities from the start.
There have been suggestions of a German contingent in the audience being particularly vocal against Littler.
The world No. 1 criticised hostile crowds in Berlin during a Premier League Darts stop earlier in the year, leading to suggestions he could boycott future events in the country.
However it started, once the crowd started to get on his back, Littler turned and made occasional comments ("WHAT NOW?") and fired-up gestures during the match, which seemed to fan the flames.
How to watch the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 on TV and live stream
You can watch the PDC World Darts Championship 2026 live on Sky Sports Darts.
Sky Sports can be added to any Sky TV package for just £20 per month for all nine sports channels, or you can pick up the complete sports package plus Netflix for £35 per month.
Sky Sports customers can live stream the tournament via the Sky Go app on a variety of devices including most smartphones and tablets as part of their subscription.
You can also watch the action via NOW with a day membership (£14.99) or month membership (£34.99).
NOW can be streamed through a computer or apps found on most smart TVs, phones and consoles. NOW is also available via TNT Sports.
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Authors
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
