Stephen Bunting reveals shock trip to A&E on Christmas Day during World Darts Championship as he hits back at fan abuse

STEPHEN BUNTING has revealed he spent Christmas Day in hospital — just hours before his surprise World Championship defeat to James Hurrell at Ally Pally.

The Bullet was knocked out in the third round after a shock 4-3 loss to Hurrell, a result that fell well below expectations.

But Bunting has now opened up on the difficult circumstances behind the scenes, explaining that personal challenges had a major impact on his preparation and performance.

The St Helens thrower said:

“People don’t see what goes on behind the scenes.

“On Christmas Day, I was in A&E with Theo until 2.30 in the morning.

“I’m not one for excuses, but it wasn’t easy and things didn’t go to plan.”

Bunting had already faced criticism in the build-up to the tournament after describing himself as the “people’s champion” — a throwaway comment that sparked backlash online.

After defeating Nitin Kumar in round two, the 40-year-old admitted he had been affected by negativity on social media.

“The fans were unbelievable tonight again, you feel the emotion,” he said.

“The walk-on was exceptional.

“I had a bit of hate online and I thought that was going to relate into the game, to be honest.

“But the fans inside the venue, they know how special they are to me and I was able to use the energy to push myself through.”

Bunting had comfortably beaten record-breaking Kumar after overcoming Sebastian Białecki in the opening round, but he later broke down in tears while addressing the criticism surrounding his “people’s champion” remark.

“I’ve had some stick over social media,” he explained.

“I made a comment saying I was the people’s champion — that was literally repeating what Sky and the PDC had said. It wasn’t me declaring it myself.

“I’ve had a lot of stick about that.

“Listen, I’m not the people’s champion. I just turn up, try my best to win every game, and give 110 per cent.”

He also stressed how much the support of darts fans means to him, both inside arenas and online.

“The fans have been unbelievable,” he said.

“I’ve had amazing support on TikTok and Instagram, and I’ve passed 100,000 subscribers on YouTube.

“Sometimes you look too much at social media and see negatives, but the crowd in there tonight — they’re proper darts fans. They know what I’m about.”

Bunting added that he always tries to give back to supporters whenever he can.

“If they see me in a pub, Tesco, or a shopping centre, I’ll always give time to the fans. They’re so important.

“They’ve been a massive part of my career so far, and hopefully they’ll be a massive part of it in the future.

“I never shy away from my fans. I’ll stand by that.

“I still think I’ve got the biggest fan base in darts. I’m lucky.”

Since the World Championship, Bunting has endured further setbacks, losing to Michael van Gerwen at both the Saudi Arabia and Bahrain Masters, before suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to Danny Noppert at the World Masters in Milton Keynes.

Despite the struggles, Bunting insists he is ready to respond and put in the work needed for the rest of the season.

“Listen, I’m really excited for the Premier League and what’s ahead,” he said.

“I know I need to work harder, do some things differently, and I’m willing to put that effort in.

“I’ve got great management, great family, great fans and unbelievable sponsors — they’re the people who keep me strong.

“Our sport is getting better every year. Nothing is a given.

“If you don’t work hard, you get swept away.

“It’s about time I grew up and accepted I need to put the work in. I’m ready to do that.”