ITV’s darts coverage begins with blunder
ITV’s new darts coverage experienced a notable misstep on Thursday evening when the broadcaster misspelt their lead presenter’s name, reports BritPanorama.
The incident occurred moments after going on air during the Winmau World Masters in Milton Keynes, where presenter Pete Graves’s surname was incorrectly displayed as “Greaves.”
This error followed Graves’s enthusiastic announcements on social media about his new role, where he expressed excitement about presenting the live darts coverage for the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).
The first broadcast saw Graves take on a significant new role for ITV, having previously built his reputation at Sky Sports, where he had become a well-recognised figure in darts broadcasting.
His appointment comes as ITV aims to refresh its darts programming, replacing Jacqui Oatley, who had been the familiar face of darts for over a decade. Graves will co-present with Gabbie Partington, who has experience at World Series of Darts events.
Partington and Graves will share presenting duties for the season, as ITV looks to establish a new dynamic for its darts coverage. The channel has also secured contributions from notable figures in the sport, including Wayne Mardle and Dan Dawson, alongside a commentary team that includes Mark Wilson and Chris Mason.
Thursday’s opening night featured prominent names like Gary Anderson and Michael van Gerwen. The tournament will continue with key competitors such as Luke Littler, who aims to defend the title won by Luke Humphries last year.
As ITV navigates this new chapter in its darts coverage, it faces the challenge of matching the expectations set by years of prior presentation — a reminder of the attention to detail needed in live broadcasting.
