ITV make embarrassing blunder seconds into World Masters darts coverage as fans get first look at new line-up

ITV Make Embarrassing Blunder Seconds Into World Masters Darts Coverage as Fans Get First Look at New Line-Up

ITV’s much-anticipated “new era” of darts broadcasting got off to the worst possible start on Thursday night when the channel managed to misspell their lead presenter’s name within moments of going on air.

The blunder occurred during the opening coverage of the Winmau World Masters at Arena MK in Milton Keynes, leaving viewers – and likely presenter Pete Graves himself – cringing at the sloppy error that marred what should have been a triumphant debut.

The Moment It All Went Wrong

Pete Graves, the 43-year-old former Sky Sports anchor recruited to spearhead ITV’s revamped darts coverage, watched his big moment turn sour when on-screen graphics displayed his surname as “Greaves” instead of “Graves.”

The spelling error appeared during the broadcast’s opening segment, ensuring that the first impression of ITV’s new darts presentation team was one of incompetence rather than professionalism.

For Graves, who had spent weeks building anticipation for his ITV debut, the gaffe represented a nightmare start to what he’d publicly described as “a new era” in darts broadcasting.

The Pre-Broadcast Hype

The irony of the error became even more pronounced when considering how Graves had promoted the evening’s coverage on social media just hours earlier.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the presenter had written enthusiastically: “A new era begins tonight I’m presenting the darts live for @OfficialPDC.”

He’d continued with palpable excitement: “The Winmau World Masters is live on ITV4 from 7pm and streamed live on ITVX and PDCTV. All the big names in action. Tune in!”

The phrase “new era” now carried a different meaning – one defined not by fresh professionalism but by an embarrassing technical mishap that suggested ITV’s production team hadn’t even bothered to learn their lead presenter’s actual name.

A Significant Signing

The blunder carries extra sting given that Graves represents ITV’s major coup in their effort to refresh their darts broadcasting credentials.

The 43-year-old joined Sky Sports News as a reporter back in 2009 and steadily climbed the ranks to become one of the broadcaster’s most recognizable faces. He anchored live football and rugby union matches on Sky Sports, establishing himself as a versatile and reliable presenter across multiple sports.

His recruitment by ITV signaled the channel’s ambition to compete more directly with Sky Sports’ darts dominance. By poaching one of their own presenters – someone already familiar to darts audiences – ITV aimed to hit the ground running with their revamped coverage.

Instead, they literally couldn’t spell his name correctly.

Stepping Into Big Shoes

Graves faces considerable pressure in his new role, as he’s been tasked with replacing Jacqui Oatley, who departed ITV following the Players Championship Finals last November.

Oatley had occupied the lead presenting position for more than a decade, becoming synonymous with ITV’s darts coverage. Her departure left significant shoes to fill, and Graves knew he’d be under immediate scrutiny from fans comparing him to his predecessor.

The last thing he needed was for ITV’s production team to undermine his credibility before he’d even delivered his first piece to camera.

The New Team Taking Shape

Graves won’t be working alone in his ITV endeavor. The broadcaster has brought in Gabbie Partington to share presenting responsibilities throughout the season.

The 32-year-old Partington is already an established figure at World Series of Darts events and has provided live darts coverage on talkSPORT radio. She’s also hosted ‘The Darts Show Live’ at both the World Championship and World Matchplay, giving her solid credentials within the sport.

Partington will host the upcoming World Series double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, while Graves takes the lead for the World Masters. The pair will alternate duties as ITV establishes its refreshed broadcasting identity.

The punditry team has also undergone significant changes. ITV secured the services of Wayne Mardle, a five-time World Darts Championship semi-finalist who’s been a prominent voice for Sky Sports at Alexandra Palace since 2011. His departure from Sky represents another significant signing for ITV.

Mardle is joined by former Premier League champion Glen Durrant, who became part of Sky Sports’ team in 2023 before now switching to ITV. The punditry roster also includes Mark Webster, Chris Mason, and Mark Wilson.

Dan Dawson, another Sky regular, joins the commentary team – meaning ITV has essentially raided Sky Sports’ darts broadcasting operation to rebuild their own coverage from the ground up.

Production Control Shift

The revamped lineup comes as part of a three-year extension between ITV and the PDC agreed last October. The deal runs until at least 2028 and covers a host of high-profile events including the World Masters, UK Open, World Series Finals, European Championship, and Players Championship Finals.

Crucially, the new agreement sees the PDC take control of event production – a significant shift that explains both the new on-screen talent and, unfortunately, the teething problems like misspelling the lead presenter’s name.

ITV’s production team is clearly still finding its feet under the new arrangement. Whether that excuses such a fundamental error is another question entirely.

Fan Reactions

Social media erupted with reactions to the blunder, with many viewers pointing out that getting the presenter’s name wrong within seconds of going on air didn’t inspire confidence in the new production setup.

Some fans defended the error as an understandable mistake during the first broadcast under new production arrangements. Others were less forgiving, suggesting that if ITV couldn’t manage to spell their own presenter’s name correctly, what hope was there for more complex graphics and statistics throughout the tournament?

The incident also reignited ongoing debate about ITV’s decision to overhaul their entire presenting team. Many viewers had been attached to Oatley’s decade-long tenure and questioned whether the changes were necessary.

The Show Must Go On

Despite the embarrassing start, Thursday’s opening night of World Masters action proceeded with matches featuring Gary Anderson, Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen, and Gian van Veen.

Anderson produced a century-plus average to defeat Niels Zonneveld 3-2, though his post-match press conference made more headlines for his explosive rant about darts influencers than his on-oche performance.

Gerwyn Price cruised past James Hurrell 3-0, Gian van Veen defeated Ryan Joyce 3-1, and in the night’s biggest shock, Damon Heta eliminated five-time Masters champion Michael van Gerwen with an impressive 3-1 victory.

Friday’s lineup promises even bigger names, with Luke Littler and Luke Humphries – the tournament’s top two seeds – scheduled to make their Arena MK debuts. Littler faces Mike De Decker, while defending champion Humphries takes on Dave Chisnall.

A Rocky Start to a New Era

For Pete Graves, the spelling blunder represents an unfortunate introduction to his new role. Through no fault of his own, his ITV debut will be remembered not for his presenting skills or insightful commentary, but for production incompetence that couldn’t even get his name right.

The incident serves as a reminder that broadcasting transitions rarely go smoothly, especially when production control changes hands and entirely new teams attempt to establish working relationships under live television pressure.

Whether ITV’s “new era” of darts coverage can recover from this inauspicious beginning remains to be seen. Graves and Partington are talented presenters. Mardle, Durrant, and the rest of the punditry team bring genuine expertise and personality. The commentary roster is experienced and capable.

But first impressions matter in broadcasting. And ITV’s first impression of their revamped darts coverage was spelled G-R-E-A-V-E-S when it should have been G-R-A-V-E-S.

In an industry where attention to detail separates professional broadcasts from amateur productions, getting your lead presenter’s name wrong within seconds of going on air doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

For Pete Graves – spelled correctly, for the record – Friday’s coverage offers a chance to move past the embarrassment and remind viewers why ITV recruited him in the first place. With Luke Littler and Luke Humphries taking center stage, the focus should naturally shift from production blunders to championship-caliber darts.

But in the unforgiving world of social media and instant reactions, Thursday’s spelling error ensures that ITV’s “new era” launch will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. And somewhere in the production truck, someone is presumably double-checking every on-screen graphic before it goes to air.

Assuming they’ve learned how to spell their presenter’s name by now.