Luke Littler has been cautioned over his increasingly provocative stage antics, with former World No. 1 Colin Lloyd suggesting the teenage star’s behavior could eventually provoke backlash from darts fans.
During his 6-4 Premier League win over Nathan Aspinall in Leeds, Littler responded to boos with a dramatic crying gesture directed at the crowd. The 18-year-old, a passionate Manchester United fan, was met with jeers in the Yorkshire city—home to their historic rivals, Leeds United.
Littler further entertained—and antagonized—the crowd with a yawn during his walk-on and a “4-1” hand signal on camera, referencing Man United’s victory over Athletic Bilbao that evening.
While some fans see Littler’s behavior as charisma in a sport yearning for personalities, Lloyd urged caution. Speaking to talkSPORT, the two-time major winner praised Littler’s talent but questioned how long his carefree attitude will serve him well.
“The bit that really stuck out to me was when he was going for a double and getting booed,” Lloyd said. “He hit it, walked back, and did the crying gesture. It was cheeky—but when you do that, the crowd can turn on you quickly.”
Lloyd acknowledged that Littler is becoming a character in the sport, noting, “He’s doing things his own way and clearly doesn’t care what the crowd thinks. He just shrugs it off. But if you push it too far and then react negatively when it turns against you, that’s when problems begin.”
Despite the antics, Littler fell just short of claiming the nightly title, losing 6-5 to Luke Humphries in the final. The result was a slight setback in his bid to break the Premier League points record before the end of May.
Still, Littler remains atop the table with 38 points and two nights of competition remaining. The reigning world champion—who made history in January as the youngest player to win the title—continues to dominate the headlines both for his performances and his personality.
