Fallon Sherrock’s Heartbreaking Health Hiatus and Luke Littler’s Nordic Darts Masters Debut
Fallon Sherrock, the darts trailblazer known as the “Queen of the Palace,” delivered a gut-wrenching announcement in June 2025, revealing she will step away from professional darts in 2026 to address her ongoing kidney condition. Diagnosed after her son Rory’s birth in 2014, the 30-year-old’s health has deteriorated, with her kidneys functioning at just 23% capacity, requiring weekly injections, medications, and occasional blood transfusions. In an emotional Online Darts interview at the Armageddon exhibition in Leicester, Sherrock shared her struggle: “All I want to do is practice at home for a couple of hours a day, and I can’t do that at the moment… I’ve had to pull out of some exhibitions, and that hurts because I love darts.” Despite the setback, she’s targeting a strong 2025, aiming to qualify for the Grand Slam of Darts and PDC World Darts Championship to “make a bang” before her break. Sherrock, who made history in 2019 as the first woman to win a match at the World Championship, remains hopeful, stating, “In a couple of years, I’ll be back to winning really well.”
Meanwhile, Luke Littler, the 18-year-old world champion nicknamed “The Nuke,” has landed in Copenhagen for his debut at the 2025 Mr Vegas Nordic Darts Masters, held June 6-7 at Forum Copenhagen. The world number two, with £1,248,500 in Order of Merit earnings, faces Swedish newcomer Viktor Tingstrom in the first round, as confirmed by PDC and warringtonguardian.co.uk. Littler’s participation follows his absence from the 2024 event due to a holiday, and his presence adds firepower to a lineup including Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price, and Stephen Bunting. Littler’s 2025 season, with wins at the Belgian Darts Open and PDC Masters, positions him as a favorite for the £20,000 top prize, a key step toward overtaking Humphries atop the Order of Merit. His debut comes after a stellar 2024, where he claimed eight televised titles, including the World Championship.
