Sky Sports presenter Emma Paton reportedly spotted what Stephen Bunting did backstage after his victory over Peter Wright at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship.
On Wednesday night, Bunting was looking to seal a place in the last four by beating two-time world champion Wright.
In front of a jubilant crowd inside the Alexandra Palace, the man from St Helens produced a stunning display to record a 5-2 win, setting up a mouth-watering clash against tournament favourite Luke Littler in the semi-final. The 17-year-old advanced after beating Nathan Aspinall.
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After the game, it was revealed by Sky Sports presenter Paton, via The Sun, that Bunting broke down in tears backstage as he shared an embrace with his wife and son.
In a video posted on social media by the PDC, an emotional Bunting was seen embracing his son, Tobias.
Speaking after beating Wright, Bunting revealed that he felt nervous prior to the clash and also stated that 'Snakebite' is Tobias' favourite player.
He said: "In the back room, I felt really nervous. Peter Wright is a massive friend of mine and my son’s favourite player. So, I feel for my son. I knew the crowd would turn pivotal. I am so happy to get over the line. For the four sets, the crowd were unreal but must do better!
"I was in control of the game, Peter came back into it, and I thought: ‘Refocus, don’t let myself down.’ Each and every game, I have focused on one opponent."
The 39-year-old continued: "I hope that is the nervy one out of the way. The crowd were unbelievable again. Let’s go Bunting Mental.
"I practised with Luke Humphries 3-4 months ago and it has paid off for me, pitting my wits against the best player in the world."
Should Bunting beat Littler, he will then face either Chris Dobey or Michael van Gerwen in the final on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Wright was left disappointed with his own performance. The 17th seed stated: "I wasn’t playing Stephen up there. I was playing myself and just trying to get the dart to go where it was supposed to go. I played well to beat Jermaine (Wattimena) and Luke (Humphries), and I had a good win against Wesley as well.
"Wesley was ranked number two on the Challenge Tour, so after the wins I’ve had in this event, I'm gutted to go up and play like that."
Topics: Sky Sports, Darts, Luke Littler
Marcus Chan