Luke Littler’s 20 opponents for £501,000 Netflix event revealed including Fallon Sherrock and ‘next Luke Littler’

Fallon Sherrock and Scottish teenage sensation Mitchell Lawrie are among 24 hopefuls preparing to take on Luke Littler in Netflix’s high-stakes ‘Beat Luke Littler’ challenge, with £501,000 up for grabs.

The one-off programme will take place at Manchester Central on Friday, October 30, with the action streamed live on Netflix from 7pm.

Littler, the reigning two-time PDC world champion, will face 20 amateur players in the traditional format of darts, racing from 501 points down to zero and finishing on a double. Anyone who manages to defeat the world No.1 will walk away with the life-changing prize money.

Former PDC master of ceremonies John McDonald, who retired in January after two decades in the role, will also feature in the show, while Huw Ware will officiate as referee.

One of the most intriguing names on the list is Sherrock, 32, who has established herself as one of the leading figures in women’s darts.

Known as the Queen of the Palace, the Milton Keynes player made history at the 2019-20 PDC World Darts Championship by becoming the first woman to defeat a man at the tournament. She defeated Ted Evetts before stunning Mensur Suljovic on the famous Alexandra Palace stage.

Despite her achievements, Sherrock does not hold a PDC Tour Card, meaning she is not officially classified as a professional player on the circuit.

The mother of one previously worked as a hairdresser and has continued to compete against some of the biggest names in the sport.

Meet the 24 contestants hoping to defeat Luke Littler

Netflix has selected 24 contestants for the Manchester event, but only 20 will eventually earn the opportunity to face Littler at the oche.

The final group will be decided through a combination of random selection and interactive public voting.

Here are the 24 hopefuls, listed alphabetically.

Jarod Becker (The Finisher, 23, Hildesheim, Germany)

A kindergarten teacher who once dreamed of becoming a professional footballer before injuries disrupted his ambitions. If he wins the prize, he hopes to open his own darts-themed sports bar.

Lauren Bloomfield (Bloomy, 30, Kent)

A Nando’s restaurant manager who has spent more than a decade working for the chain. Her late mother introduced her to darts, and she hopes to use the winnings to provide a better future for her two young children.

Tony Cole (Top Cat, 39, South Wales)

A bank business adviser with an unusual story: he has never played darts against another person. Littler could become his first-ever opponent.

Ashley Coleman (The Prince of Darkness, 29, Suffolk)

A qualified bricklayer with a collection of more than 750 sets of darts, including vintage equipment once used by professional players. He has competed in over 1,000 tournaments during a 23-year period.

Makinley Cooper-Johnson (Mighty Mak, 14)

A fan of karaoke and impressions, particularly his impression of Freddie Mercury. If he wins, he has promised to buy his brother a new car.

Pwyll ap Llŷr Edwards (Cambi One Eighty, 34, Bala, Wales)

A fencing contractor whose first language is Welsh. He did not learn English until the age of eight and keeps bees in six hives at his home.

Taylon Forrester (The Trash Man, 18, Bedford)

A bin worker and devoted fan of The Inbetweeners, having watched every episode repeatedly. His dream prize would be a family trip to Jamaica to meet relatives they have never had the chance to see.

Zac Griffiths (Boy In The Corner, 25, Hereford)

An electrical engineer whose tattoos pay tribute to all three Catfish and the Bottlemen album covers, as well as WWE star Jeff Hardy.

Jacob Gwynne (The Cracker, 27, Leeds)

A civil servant who shortened his honeymoon to attend the London auditions. He was part of the first father-and-son pairing to represent Yorkshire County in darts and also has a Doctor Who Tardis tattoo.

Sonny Johal (The Viking, 29, Derby)

A driving instructor and former amateur boxer who was named Junior Boxer of the Year in Derbyshire and the Midlands. Away from darts, he can move his pectoral muscles, eyebrows and ears independently.

Will Kemp (Tempo Kempo, 30, Harrogate)

A recruitment consultant who discovered his passion for darts while recovering from a heart attack at 29. He is also a musician, playing Grade Seven trumpet and Grade Four piano.

Mitchell Lawrie (Wee Sox, 15, Glasgow)

A passionate Rangers supporter whose nickname originated with his grandfather because he disliked wearing socks as a child. The young Scot has already made a name for himself in competitive darts and has his sights set on a Rolex if he wins the £501,000 prize.

Pearse Mackle (Fierce Pearse Mackle, 21, County Cavan, Ireland)

A Commerce student at the University of Galway who has represented Ireland in youth darts. His party trick is naming every county in Ireland in less than 15 seconds.

Bhav Patel (Breaking Bhav, 36, London)

A pharmacist who owns and operates five pharmacies across Kent. He plans to establish his own darts venue if he secures the money, hoping to inspire the next generation of players.

Mark Pooke (Who Are Ya, 57, London)

A university maintenance technician who previously competed on the PDC circuit, facing some of the sport’s biggest names, including Phil Taylor. After taking a 20-year break, he has returned to the game and reportedly produced a 12-dart leg during the heats.

Jasper Scarrott (9 Scarrott Gold, 54, York)

A British Army veteran who joined the military at 16 and has served for 38 years. He was also the first winner of the Army Darts Championship.

Katie Sheldon (The Dublin Diamond, 22, Dublin)

A wire assembler who plays darts four days a week while regularly entering competitions. She is also the first girl born on her father’s side of the family in seven generations.

Fallon Sherrock (Queen of the Palace, 32, Milton Keynes)

One of the best-known women in darts, Sherrock is a qualified hairdresser and barber who has defeated top male players on major stages, including her famous victories at Alexandra Palace in 2019.

Kasey Smith (Smiffy, 16, Manchester)

An aspiring criminologist who previously participated in Morris dancing before discovering darts. He has also appeared in amateur productions of Bugsy Malone and Matilda.

Zac Spain (Zacariah The Electrifiah, 30, Melbourne, Australia)

A professional jockey who has competed in more than 7,500 horse races and won the Great North Darwin Cup aboard Watadeel. He considers himself a talented cook but admits to having a serious fear of spiders.

Brett Todd (Jarra Arra Junior, 25, Newcastle)

A British Army helicopter technician and film enthusiast who collects cinema tickets. He has travelled to 39 countries and taken part in solo skydives and what has been described as the world’s second-highest bungee jump in Nepal.

Jayden Walker (The Young Gun, 14, Dorset)

A Tottenham supporter who gave up Junior Premier League football to concentrate on darts. At 12, he was invited out of the crowd by YouTuber AngryGinge and went on to partner him in a tournament victory.

Théodore Wallich (The Moustache Kid, 23, Paris)

A student originally from Brittany, France, who is recognised for his trademark moustache. He has been playing darts for just three years.

David Wawrzewski (Wozzysonfire, 50, London)

A lifelong Manchester United fan who began playing darts almost four decades ago. He also founded a darts academy to help develop young talent.

Mitchell Lawrie believes he can become one of the greatest

Lawrie is arguably one of the most exciting young names in the competition.

The Glasgow teenager attracted widespread attention last December when, aged just 15, he reached the final of the WDF World Darts Championship at Lakeside. His impressive run ended in defeat against Dutchman Jimmy van Schie, who claimed the senior title.

Lawrie, who will turn 16 next month, now has another opportunity to test himself against the world’s best in front of a global audience.

The youngster is confident in his own ability and believes he has the potential to achieve something special in the sport.

“I think I can go on to be one of the best this sport has ever seen,” Lawrie said.

“I believe I can do it, but I just need to go out there and show the world what I’ve got.

“I’ve played Luke once before – he beat me 3-2, and I missed match darts to beat him.

“I know what he’s capable of – he’s the best darts player in the world for a reason.”

That previous meeting could give the teenager valuable insight into what it takes to challenge Littler, although beating the reigning world champion on such a major stage will be an entirely different test.

Former professionals and unlikely challengers add intrigue

The contestants come from a wide range of backgrounds, with ages spanning from 14 to 57.

Among them are schoolchildren, a bin worker, a restaurant manager, a pharmacist, an Army helicopter technician and a professional jockey.

Scarrott is another interesting inclusion. The 54-year-old from York is a former Army darts champion who has spoken about the personal significance of his achievements, revealing that his father died a week before he hit his first nine-darter.

Australian jockey Spain also brings an unusual sporting background. Known as Zacariah The Electrifiah, he has reportedly ridden more than 670 winners, including two Group One victories.

Cole, meanwhile, faces the challenge of competing against Littler despite never having played another person in a darts match.

Coleman’s experience could make him a more dangerous opponent than his amateur status suggests. The qualified bricklayer has spent 23 years competing in tournaments and owns hundreds of sets of darts.

Pooke is another contestant with experience of the professional game. The 57-year-old previously competed on the PDC circuit and faced Phil Taylor, the 16-time world champion widely regarded as one of the greatest players in darts history.

His return to competitive action could make him one of the more intriguing names in the field.

Luke Littler refuses to promise an easy ride

The 24 hopefuls will compete for 20 places in the final challenge, with contestants divided into groups and selected to face the world No.1.

Random selection and interactive public votes will determine the eventual line-up, adding another element of unpredictability to the event.

For Littler, however, the objective is straightforward: defeat every challenger who steps up to the oche.

The two-time world champion is relishing the prospect of competing for such a substantial prize, but he has made it clear that he will not take the amateurs lightly.

“It’ll be an amazing night and I’m just really looking forward to getting started. There’s half a million quid up for grabs, I won’t be going easy at all,” Littler said.

“I’ll be wanting to beat everyone who comes up. Maybe the first few legs could be a bit nervy, but once I get going then I don’t think anyone will stop me.”

With Sherrock’s big-stage experience, Lawrie’s remarkable teenage potential and several contestants boasting surprising darts backgrounds, the Netflix special promises a fascinating test for the reigning world champion.

The question is whether any of the 20 selected challengers can produce the performance of their lives, defeat Littler and claim the £501,000 jackpot.