This Christmas at London's Alexandra Palace, a monumental broadcasting operation unfolds to capture every single dart thrown in the PDC World Darts Championship. For millions of viewers at home, it's a seamless spectacle, but behind the scenes, it's a high-stakes, intricately choreographed feat of television production involving 200 dedicated staff, 23 cameras, and 56 microphones.
The Conductor and the Orchestra
Planning for this year's tournament began 11 months ago, the day after Luke Littler claimed the world title in January 2025. The man tasked with conducting this vast orchestra is Sky Sports director Tim Brown, often described as having "the hardest job in television". From his dimly lit production truck backstage, Brown must seamlessly switch our view between the stage, the raucous crowd, and the dartboard, all within the six seconds each player has at the oche, repeating this intense process for every throw.
The scale is staggering: 144 hours of action must be broadcast, capturing the drama for a sport whose popularity has exploded. Luke Littler's rise helped Sky Sports secure its highest-ever non-football audience, with over 4 million tuning in for the 2024 final. This year, a record £5 million prize pot is on offer, with £1 million for the champion.
The Predictive Power of the 'Spotter'
Critical to the broadcast's success is a unique role known as the 'spotter'. Positioned behind the director, this individual predicts where a player will aim next, guiding camera operators before the dart is even thrown. This year, four rotating spotters work in shifts, and one of them is Charlie Corstorphine, who also serves as a match referee.
Corstorphine's skill lies in calculating possible checkouts at lightning speed and knowing each player's preferred segments of the board. He verbally guides the production team, calling out sequences like "Treble 20 for double 15..." as players approach a finish. This predictive work is mentally taxing, requiring an encyclopaedic knowledge of scores and player habits.
Some players are harder to read than others. Luke Littler, for instance, constantly innovates, throwing conventional checkout routes out the window. "He's just reinventing checkouts all the time," Corstorphine explains, citing unconventional setups like on 306. Another challenging player is Latvia's Madars Razma, who frequently switches to the 19s segment, keeping spotters on their toes.
High-Tech Kit and Relentless Pace
The technology deployed is as specialised as the personnel. Five microphones are hidden within the dartboard itself to deliver the iconic 'thunk' of impact. Camera operator Chris Pendlebury works from a darkened room, his fingers hovering over a custom-designed touchscreen that mirrors the dartboard. A single touch commands a camera to zoom precisely onto a chosen number, crucial for capturing clutch moments.
Few can operate this system at full tilt, and the workload is immense. "I usually fall asleep on my Christmas dinner," Pendlebury admits. Elsewhere, presenters like Emma Paton and Anna Woolhouse prepare in their booths, while commentators work from a cramped box, watching four screens with producers chattering in their ears.
Camera operators perched on ladders behind the stage capture the wild crowd reactions, fed by the wire mics near the board. The entire operation transforms darts into what Pendlebury calls "the Wimbledon of winter", a sporting staple that captivates a broad national audience for two weeks over the festive period.
As millions tune in to see if Luke Littler can retain his crown—a feat not achieved since Gary Anderson a decade ago—their viewing experience will be effortlessly guided. They will be unaware of the conductor, the spotter, and the sleep-deprived crew in darkened rooms, whose combined expertise and technology make the magic happen from Alexandra Palace to living rooms across the UK.
