Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: World Darts Championship, Darts
Ryan Smart
A former PDC world champion has announced his intention to make a comeback to professional darts.
Adrian Lewis last competed in the PDC in March 2023, before officially handing in his tour card at the end of the season.
'Jackpot' told The Sun that he 'just needed freshening up a bit' when explaining his decision to step back from the sport.
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His wife, Sarah, also suffers from an incurable kidney disease and has spent time in hospital, while his daughter has combined autism and ADHD.
"The buzz wasn't there ... it was just that I didn't want to be there," he said. "My mind wasn't there. My mind wasn't on the darts."
Lewis signed a multi-year management deal with MODUS earlier in 2025, and made his darts comeback at the MODUS Live Lounge in August as part of a pairs event.
The 2011 and 2012 world champion has previously refused to commit to entering UK Q-School in January, where nearly 900 darts players compete to win a two-year PDC tour card.
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Since stepping up his workload after coming back to darts, however, Lewis has competed against the likes of Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall.
And the 40-year-old has declared that, although there are still a number of other factors that will determine whether he does so, he is 'leaning towards' entering Q-School - adding that he will 'probably' be back in 2027 if not next season.
"I'm hoping to go back, but whether I do or not this year, I don't know," Lewis told Juicy Darts.
"I mean, I am leaning towards going back to Q-School. We'll just have to wait and see. I've got to make sure I'm mentally right, and that's what it comes down to more than anything else.
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"It's alright hitting 100-plus averages on the exhibition circuit, but can you do it on a regular basis in Q-School?
"I do definitely think I'll be back - even if it's not next year it will probably be the year after."
The first stage of Q-School is held over three days, and is open to anyone over the age of 16 for a specific entrance fee.
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The top finishers in the Order of Merit, plus those who qualify automatically - totalling 106 last year - enter the second stage, where a total of 128 participants compete.
The choice of players who automatically go through to round two is based on their previous season's performances, meaning they are often some of the top stars who are not on the main tour.
"It's something I've never done [Q-School]," Lewis added. "But I am pretty experienced in all the other aspects of the field, so I don't think I will be shy turning up there.
"I've been playing really well in patches. I averaged 116 a couple of weeks ago. I averaged 109 and lost to Luke Humphries last week!"
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He continued: "I played c**p against Gezzy Price, apart from that I've been doing well. I've beaten Nathan Aspinall, Rob Cross and the majority of them.
"I say I don't know where my game is at, but I would know because to me, even if it's an exhibition or you're playing in a major, you still have to perform. I am enjoying the exhibitions - it keeps my eye in as well and keeps me sharp ... that makes me practice at home."