Emma Paton, the face of Sky Sports' darts coverage, has issued a challenge to fans attending the 2025 World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace: up your fancy dress game. The presenter, who took over from Dave Clark in 2020, has seen it all from her studio vantage point, from traffic cones to Mona Lisas.
Paton described the atmosphere as 'a mix between a stag-do and a major sporting event,' noting that fans often arrive in costume hours before doors open. She recalled early memories of a fan vomiting into their own shoe, which she called 'different' but not off-putting.
Among her favourite costumes are the oversized Mona Lisa frames and a group dressed as chips with one baked bean. She encourages fans to try something new, as the classic traffic cones and nuns have become too common.
The tournament's popularity has surged thanks to teenage sensation Luke Littler, whose 2024 final drew nearly five million viewers, a record for a non-football event on Sky Sports. Paton noted that under-35 viewership has nearly doubled, and female viewership is at an all-time high.
Paton emphasised the research required for the 96-player field, balancing the needs of die-hard fans and newcomers. She praised the production team for handling unexpected stories, as seen last year.
