Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) world number one Luke Littler is set to participate in a one-off live Netflix show on October 30, where he will face 20 amateur players for a prize of £501,000. Regional qualifying events are currently accepting applications in London and Manchester.
Littler, who is 19 years old, expressed his anticipation for the event, stating, "Everyone thinks they can beat me. Now they get a chance to prove it. Bring it on."
This upcoming event follows a series of dominant performances by Littler. He recently defended his World Matchplay title, achieving a record-breaking average of 111.04 throughout the tournament, surpassing Phil Taylor's 2010 record of 106.31. In the final against Gerwyn Price in Blackpool, Littler's average rose to a remarkable 111.53 as he secured an 18-9 victory.
Littler is currently pursuing a clean sweep of all eight PDC ranking events this year, a feat that has never been accomplished before. He has already secured victories in the World Championship, World Masters, UK Open, and World Matchplay. To qualify for the Players Championship Finals in November, Littler will need to participate in Pro Tour events, which will require him to forego a planned family holiday in Spain.
Following his World Matchplay win, Littler's earnings in the PDC's two-year Order of Merit reached £3,143,500, with a prize of £225,000 from that specific tournament.
Reflecting on his recent success, Littler told Sky Sports, "It's been a crazy week, one of the best weeks of my life with the darts I've played. It's been tough. The stats may look like it's easy, but when you're on this stage with how hot it is, it's not easy. I've definitely played some of the best darts of my life. I feel like it's the best version of myself. I have just played so well."
Gerwyn Price, the world No. 7 and defeated finalist, acknowledged Littler's exceptional talent, calling him "one in a million." Price noted that while he felt he played decently, missed opportunities and crucial checkouts, such as a 167, were significant turning points in the match.
Littler has previously spoken about the challenges of crowd reception, admitting he considered withdrawing from the Premier League Darts final against Luke Humphries due to persistent booing. He described feeling "down bad" during that period, a sentiment that led to him becoming emotional when discussing it.
Humphries commented on Littler's admission, highlighting the emotional toll of consistent competition, stating, "It shows what it means to us as players. Being on the road for 16 or 17 weeks - it’s hard work."