Luke Littler has admitted that being stopped for pictures by selfie-adoring fans is taking its toll on the teenage sensation.
Littler picked up his first-ever TV title on Thursday night when he romped to victory against rival and close friend Luke Humphries.
It was a reversal of the result from this year’s World Championship final, where Humphries got the better of Littler at Alexandra Palace.
However, Littler got his revenge in London this week, with the Runcorn-born ace running out an impressive 11-7 winner over the reigning world champion.
Everything appeared to go the way of the 17-year-old, who even hit a nine-darter en route to lifting the Premier League title.
What’s more, having pocketed a combined total of £315,000 from his first foray into the Premier League, Littler’s earnings have sky-rocketed above the £600,000 mark.
But while he might be one of the most recognisable faces in sport, let alone darts, right now, Littler has revealed the fame isn’t welcome all of the time.
Commenting after his historic Premier League win, he told the Daily Mirror: “That’s the thing now. I will obviously get stopped for pictures and everything. I will stop for a few, but people have got to realise I have got to get on with my day as well.”
Recognition is just one part of being a superstar sportsman like Littler is, and while he might’ve taken the world of darts by storm, adversary Humphries has also played a part in the teen’s story – something he recognised after Thursday’s contest.
Speaking about his relationship with Humphries, Littler said: “I met Luke five years ago. That was the first time he beat me in a competition on Hayling Island. Ever since, I have had a lot of respect for him. We both respect each other in the backroom.
“We always seem to bring the best out of each other. Me and Luke, we will have plenty more games like this in the future.”
The appreciation between the two players is certainly reciprocated, with Humphries telling Sky Sports after his defeat to Littler: “I was trying to stick in there but there was a big breeze coming through the stage all evening, which is so hard to deal with. That’s credit to Luke. He managed it so well all night.
“After the break he played much better. He’s a fantastic player, he really is. Me and Luke are the two greatest players in the world right now. I love playing him and we’re going to have a lot of battles in the future. If you look at the season as a whole he deserves to win the Premier League.”
