James Wade, a 42-year-old darts veteran and former world No. 2, faced accusations of disrespectful behavior toward Luke Littler after abruptly leaving the stage following his 18-13 loss to the 18-year-old in the 2025 World Matchplay final at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on July 27, 2025. Littler’s victory secured the Phil Taylor Trophy and marked his completion of darts’ Triple Crown, making him the youngest player to achieve the feat. Wade’s swift exit before Littler’s trophy presentation, reported by Express.co.uk and GB News, drew criticism from Sky Sports commentators Michael Bridge and Chris Murphy, as well as fans, who deemed it a breach of darts etiquette.
Bridge, on the Love the Darts podcast, clarified that Wade’s departure stemmed from personal frustration rather than issues with Littler or the crowd, but he and Murphy felt it was discourteous. “Whether he does an interview or not is up to him, but not to be there when Luke is receiving the trophy, that is disrespectful. Just stand there for a minute and applaud,” Bridge stated. Murphy echoed, “We would have liked to have heard from him.” Fans on X expressed outrage, with @SunSport tweeting, “I can’t believe that – James Wade breaks etiquette in Luke Littler clash leaving darts fans fuming,” while @GBNEWS called Wade’s actions those of a “bit of a p***k.”
Wade addressed the controversy on X, thanking supporters and confirming he personally congratulated Littler, saying, “Well played, brilliant tournament and well done to you.” Littler corroborated this, telling Sky Sports’ Polly James, “James came up to me and said well done,” and noted their mutual frustration with crowd noise during the match, which led to a referee discussion. The PDC chose not to sanction Wade, as Darts Regulation Authority rules don’t mandate runners-up to remain for post-match ceremonies, per Express.co.uk.
The incident follows a pattern of scrutiny on Wade’s sportsmanship, notably his clash with Humphries at the 2025 UK Open, where Humphries “barged past” him after a 10-9 loss, later criticizing Wade’s on-stage behavior. Wade’s comments at the 2025 Masters, labeling Littler and Humphries “lazy” compared to Phil Taylor, also stirred tension, though Littler’s manager, Martin Foulds, dismissed it as “mind games.” Despite the criticism, Wade’s 11 major titles and Littler’s respect for him as a competitor suggest the incident was more about emotional reaction than deliberate disrespect.
