Sky Sports presenter Emma Paton prepares for World Darts Championship
Sky Sports presenter Emma Paton is counting down the hours until this evening’s opening of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, marking her sixth consecutive year fronting coverage of the prestigious tournament, reports BritPanorama.
At approximately 7pm tonight, Paton will transition from anticipation to action, surrounded by pundits, cameras, and enthusiastic supporters. The evening session will see defending champion Luke Littler, now 18, commence his bid for back-to-back titles against Lithuanian opponent Darius Labanauskas, continuing the tradition of the reigning champion playing on opening night.
The sport has undergone a remarkable transformation since Littler burst onto the scene. His fairytale journey to the final two years ago, followed by his title triumph 342 days ago, has propelled darts into an entirely new stratosphere.
Audiences have swelled considerably, television ratings have climbed substantially, and securing tickets has become increasingly difficult. This year’s championship sold out within seconds, with thousands set to descend upon the north London venue across 37 sessions spanning 19 days. Such is the demand that organisers have announced a move to the Great Hall next year, providing capacity for an additional 70,000 spectators.
“I feel like every year it has got bigger and bigger and bigger,” Paton reflected. “I feel like darts couldn’t be any bigger right now.”
Broadcasting from Alexandra Palace presents unique challenges, with presenters and pundits frequently going live from positions close to the crowd, including the walk-on channel where players make their entrance. Fans bringing personalised signs face checks for appropriateness, while security personnel maintain a substantial presence throughout the venue.
“It’s darts – there are rowdy fans for sure,” Paton acknowledged. “But there is a lot of security around, and everyone is ultimately having a good time at the majority of places.”
While serious incidents remain rare at the championship venue, larger Premier League events have occasionally witnessed altercations and beer throwing. “There have been very few incidents that I have seen,” she added. “A lot of the time people are just having a good time and enjoying the darts.”
Littler enters the championship as the overwhelming favourite, with Paton expressing difficulty in identifying how rivals might derail his title defence. “It’s so hard to see, unless someone can get him early,” she explained, noting his dominance in longer format matches. Ryan Meikle pushed him to the limit in last year’s second round, demonstrating that early rounds offer the best opportunity for an upset.
The teenager’s standards have reached extraordinary heights, with even his below-par performances yielding averages around 97. “He’s got these ridiculous levels at the moment,” Paton observed. Luke Humphries, positioned in the opposite half of the draw, represents the principal threat, with speculation already mounting about a potential final showdown between the pair.
“Anything can happen, but everyone of course is going to be fearing The Nuke this year,” she concluded, reflecting the high stakes and competitive atmosphere of the championship.
