Fans Make Same Point as Luke Littler Conducts Post-Match Interview in Sky Studio

One of the talking points from Thursday night's World Darts Championship action came in the aftermath of Luke Littler's straight-sets win over Krzysztof Ratajski.

Littler, who has dropped just one set at this year's World Championship, secured his place in the semi-final with a 5-0 win over Krzysztof Ratajski, recording a 100.04 average after hitting ten 180s and four ton-plus checkouts.

The 18-year-old's latest win comes just days after the teenager admitted to "losing his head" when reacting to the hostile crowd during his fourth-round victory over Rob Cross

Speaking in his post-match interview on December 29, he looked towards the crowd and said: “You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money, so thank you for my money. Thank you for booing me.”

Littler went on to admit that he lost his head. "I can still learn a lot," he added. "I can learn how to deal with the crowd, not let as much emotion out, just keep it all in me until that final dart."

A few days later and, after beating Polish number one Ratajski, fans were anticipating an on-stage interview from Littler in front of the Alexandra Palace faithful but instead, Sky Sports cut to an advert break.

Moments later, the teenager was sitting alongside presenter Emma Paton and the Sky punditry team, something that raised further eyebrows, with some viewers asking why Littler was being interviewed in the studio.

One fan said: "They have took Luke Littler into the booth for his post-match interview to wrap him in cotton wool from the crowd. Lame. The fans want to here what he says."

A second commented: "Luke Littler doing an interview in the studio and not in front of the fans. Woke nonsense," and a third wrote: "No Littler interview on stage... why is that then? Absolutely embarrassing."

A fourth said: "Sky have put Littler in the studio after the match. Keep an eye on him," and a fifth added: "Has any other player been interviewed in the studio rather than on stage or is it another rule for Luke Littler?"

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Glen Durrant was 'nervous' for Luke Littler ahead of Ratajski match

Durrant, a three-time world champion and Sky pundit, was asked for his opinion of the reaction to Littler's previously mentioned comments following the Rob Cross match.

"I'm a bit nervous for him," Durrant said on Sky Sports. "He's 18. You don't know how a player's going to react. This sport, the regeneration of this sport over three years, has been down to him. He's been truly magnificent.

"He's been the most incredible story, that's put our humble sport on the front pages of the newspapers as well as the back pages. But he's 18, and when that crowd really gets on his back... the reaction from the crowd makes me slightly nervous."

When asked by presenter Anna Woolhouse about whether that reaction could spark a reaction from Littler himself, he replied: "I sit here as a fan, so that's what I'd like to see [a reaction from him].

"But the fact that the crowd are there, the fact that Ratajski will be tenacious... I'm interested to see how it goes."