Luke Littler has announced that he will not be attending the upcoming BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, despite being nominated for the prestigious accolade. Instead, he has predicted that Lando Norris will emerge as the winner.
At just 18 years old, Littler, also known as ‘The Nuke,’ is among the six contenders vying for the award, competing against the likes of Norris, Rory McIlroy, Chloe Kelly, Hannah Hampton, and Ellie Kildunne. Although he was nominated last year as well, he narrowly missed out to Olympic gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson.
Despite his impressive performance this year, the talented teenager has expressed that his main focus will be on his upcoming second-round match against either Mario Vandenbogaerde or David Davies, scheduled two days after the awards ceremony on December 18.
When asked about the ceremony, Littler stated, “No, I’m not going. I’m not going to it. I think they know. I think obviously the people in the top three on the betting odds will obviously go there and I think Lando will win.” Reflecting on his year, he added, “I think I’ve only missed out on four majors this year. So if I’d won them, do I win it? Who knows – but good luck to whoever’s going to win it.”
In the coming days, Littler plans to relax at home, with a plan to watch Manchester United’s match against Bournemouth on Monday night. As a devoted Red Devils fan, he recently attended the sold-out away game at Molineux, where his team secured a convincing 4-1 victory.
Responding to criticism regarding how he obtained tickets for the game, Littler clarified, “I mean, everyone just jumps on everything. They don’t know anything… I put something out there (on social media) to thank Adidas for the tickets because no one knows. And then when I put it on, they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re just trying to cover it up.’ But the tickets were off Adidas.”
Having advanced to the next round at Ally Pally with a 3-0 win over Darius Labanauskas, Littler reflected on his performance, stating, “It definitely wasn’t easy and I’m happy with the win… Everyone in the tournament wants to get through the first round. It’s definitely the hardest game – it doesn’t matter who you play. If you don’t play well, you’re not going to win, so I’m very happy with that.”
As the World Darts Championship approaches, Littler, who became the youngest player to win the title last year, is gearing up to defend his crown at a sold-out Ally Pally, where he will face stiff competition from rival Luke Humphries. The championship preview features insights from both players and a comprehensive look at the leading contenders and key figures in the darts world.