Former PDC Tour winner Paul Nicholson has officially retired from darts, making the announcement while commentating on a MODUS Super Series match. The 46-year-old, known as 'The Asset', revealed his decision during a Seniors Showdown between Johnny Haines and Terry Jenkins.
Nicholson, who reached the peak of his career around 2010, won his only televised title at the Players Championship that year. He also reached the final of the 2011 Championship League and was runner-up in the 2012 World Cup of Darts. Despite not playing on the PDC circuit since 2019, he had never formally announced his retirement until now.
“I can actually tell you, at this point in time, I’ve never said this out loud until now, I am retired. I have decided to not play darts anymore,” Nicholson said. “That is something I’ve said to myself over the new year. I am 100 per cent media now and I’ve decided not to play darts anymore.”
Nicholson was known for his flamboyant entrances and a brief feud with darts legend Phil Taylor. He famously defeated Taylor at the 2011 UK Open to reach the quarter-finals, waving him off stage. However, Taylor subsequently won 14 consecutive matches against Nicholson and called him “very, very silly” with a “big mouth”.
The Newcastle-born player, who represented Australia in international competition, often played the pantomime villain. He now plans to focus on media work, bringing his showmanship to commentary and analysis.
