Shocking new footage has revealed the full extent of darts professional Cameron Menzies' furious meltdown following his dramatic first-round exit from the World Darts Championship. The 36-year-old Scotsman was seen seemingly attempting to burn his hand on stage pyrotechnics before unleashing a series of angry punches on a drinks table, leaving his hand a bloody mess.
A Dramatic Defeat Sparks Outrage
The incident occurred on Monday at London's Alexandra Palace after Menzies, the 26th seed, suffered a nail-biting 3-2 defeat to 20-year-old debutant Charlie Manby. The match went down to a tense final set, where Menzies missed crucial darts to win the match, allowing his young opponent to snatch victory. Manby, a friend of teenage sensation Luke Littler, hit a four, two and double-one to finish, sparking wild celebrations in the crowd.
As Manby, nicknamed 'Champagne Charlie', ran down the stage in glee after the biggest win of his career, the camera captured Menzies' reaction. Video shared on social media shows Menzies leaning down to cover the sparking pyrotechnics that had been set off for Manby's celebration. Referee Kirk Bevins appeared to notice the action before Menzies turned his anger towards the Paddy Power-branded table.
The Explosive Aftermath and Apology
Menzies proceeded to strike the table three times with his fist, splitting his hand open. The crowd responded with boos as a bloodied Menzies was ushered off stage, later appearing to offer an apology. He has since released a formal statement expressing regret and citing a recent family bereavement as a contributing factor, while stressing it was not an excuse.
"First of all, I would like to apologise for what happened," Menzies said. "I am sorry that I reacted in the manner that I did. It's not an excuse, but I have had a lot of things on my mind recently." He revealed his uncle Gary had passed away recently and that, had he won, his second match would have fallen on the day of the funeral. "Let me say again, that's no excuse... It was the wrong thing to do and I don't want it to take anything away from Charlie. He played well and deserved his win."
Reaction and Regret
Commentating for Sky Sports, former champion Glen Durrant said Menzies would regret the outburst "for the rest of his life." Co-commentator Stuart Pyke noted it was a "spur-of-the-moment thing" and that Menzies had apologised while walking off.
For victor Charlie Manby, the win was "absolutely amazing." The 20-year-old, a breakout star on the Development Tour, came back from 2-1 down to secure the famous victory. For Menzies, this marks the second consecutive year he has been eliminated in the first round of the World Championship. He broke down in tears after last year's loss, later disclosing his father had been ill in hospital at the time.
