ITV was forced to apologise during its coverage of the UK Open darts final on Sunday after the crowd at Butlin's Minehead Resort & Holiday Park chanted a vulgar phrase about Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The chant, which included the words 'Keir Starmer's a w*****', was clearly audible to viewers as James Wade and Luke Littler competed in the second session of the showpiece match.
Littler went on to win the final 11-7, successfully defending his title and becoming the first player since Michael van Gerwen in 2015-16 to achieve back-to-back UK Open victories. The 18-year-old's win was closer than his 11-2 triumph over Wade in the previous year's final.
Speaking after the match, Littler expressed his delight at the achievement. 'It feels amazing. I don't think it has been the best tournament for me, average-wise, but I have dug deep throughout and come out with a win,' he said. He also acknowledged Wade's challenge, noting that if Wade had hit his doubles, the result could have been different.
Wade, a three-time UK Open champion, graciously accepted defeat, stating: 'Luke was just too good for me in the end. I was maybe a little bit gassed out, being older than he is. I couldn't quite find it, but hats off to him, he's doing what he does, and he does it quite easily.'
Littler's victory adds to his growing list of accomplishments, including winning his first Premier League night of 2026 on Thursday. He is now one of only five players to have won the UK Open multiple times, joining the likes of Phil Taylor, who holds the record with five titles.
