An exclusive chat with Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler following his remarkable Grand Slam of Darts 2024 victory in Wolverhampton.
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00:00Luke, congratulations, what a day you've had here, just sum up how you're feeling after lifting your first TV ranking title?
00:06Yeah, it's been a long day, but obviously it's been worth it to come out as a champion, but to lift a ranking major and obviously go up to number five in the world, it means everything.
00:18That spell that you put on where you were just unplayable yesterday, you said you felt unbeatable, what did that feel like, because that was something else?
00:25Yeah, 2-0 down, it was a very, very slow start for myself, missed a few doubles. I could have been 2-0 up myself, but I found myself trailing and I just dug deep until the first break, and then I just went on a mad one.
00:39Do you believe in omens, because the last two that have lifted this title, and you're smirking there, have gone on to win the World Championship as well, are you going to follow?
00:47We'll have to see. It's been a very long week in a bit, I just can't wait to go home now and just chill out, and obviously it's a long drive down to minor for the players' championships.
00:59Luke, congratulations on the final performance, we've got to touch on the win over Gary Anderson, just talk us through what you were feeling like towards the end of that match, obviously a lot of pressure on that to get through to the final.
01:12Yeah, I knew I was in a game straight away, right from the off, but when I'm down by four or five legs, it's like the back of the game, it has spurred me on and it gives myself that feeling of knowing that you can come back from anything.
01:27Do you feel like you've learnt maybe something else this week that you didn't know before about coming back from those deficits against people like Mike and obviously world-class contenders like Gary?
01:38I know I've always got it in me to come back against anyone, but to do it against Mike when he's playing the best starts of his life against me, and also to do it against Gary, one of the greats, that semi-final win was something else.
01:52I believe you've now gone favourite again for the PDC World Championship ahead of Luke Humphries. After this week and the form you're in, do you really feel like it could be one on the horizon?
02:03It could be, and it could not, but I've just got to chill out now, up until my head, just balance the days out and then make that long journey down.
02:15Luke, this is becoming a rather familiar question for you, how will you celebrate tonight?
02:22I don't know, not a long drive home, I drive home tonight and just chill out tonight, probably have an early night.
02:31Martin was telling us that he watched you eat a Boost and some Squashies, and that was your recipe for glory, is that your new diet?
02:39A little Annie's drink, a little pack of Squashies and it got me over the line.
02:43Is that got your stamina going all day?
02:45Yeah, just a bit.
02:47Congratulations, thank you.
02:48Luke, the first superstar in darts was Eric Bristow, you're the latest one and you've just lifted a trophy with his name on it, how does that feel, knowing that you're almost carrying that flag over?
02:58Yeah, I'm certainly carrying the flag for the next year, as Luke and all the other winners did, but to get my hands on the Eric Bristow trophy, it means the absolute world.
03:08Amongst the majors that you've just won and everything else, all the records, it's now your 10th title in 2024.
03:15After that World Championship, did you ever think you could do something anywhere close to what you've done this year?
03:21I didn't think it, but I also back myself in nearly every competition and obviously if it didn't go well, it's all focused on the next one and that's why the calendar is so busy, there's always chances to pick up titles.
03:36Cheers Luke, huge ride home, thanks very much.
03:41Luke, when was a turning point for you, was it in that game with Mike Didecca that was so close and you just suddenly produced that incredible spell and won the game?
03:50I knew from winning that game I could come back against Gary in the semi-final and obviously come back against Martin in the first session and then I just ran away with it.
04:04Is this now going to be a venue that you always want to come back to, knowing that it's your first major ranking title?
04:10Yeah, it will always have a special place in my heart.
04:13The crowd throughout the week, they've been unbelievable, they've been on my side and I can't thank them enough.
04:19Brilliant, thanks mate.
04:21Luke, many congratulations, obviously at the World Championship your life changed for everyone, it's just more and more money coming in each and every time, another £150,000 today.
04:31How much has yours and your family's life changed this year, even just from the start to right now?
04:37It's changed massively and we obviously had a chat after the World Championships, we all just had to get used to it.
04:46I think everyone knows after the World's we just went to Wales in the middle of nowhere, no-one knew where we was and obviously come back in one bar of rain, which was a good start to the year.
04:55But what I've done since, I can't thank myself enough and obviously the managers and the sponsors behind me.
05:01Have you actually been anywhere in this past year where there hasn't been someone recognising you?
05:06I get recognised everywhere, but that's part of my profile, it's part of being a big name in the sport.
05:14I just wanted to touch on your opponent in the semi-final, Gary Anderson, obviously he showed what a world-class operator he still is.
05:21But he did say, and he has said for many years, that he won't be coming back into the Premier League, even if he is asked.
05:28Where's your stance on that, do you think if he was to be asked he should rejoin the sports elite?
05:33It's up to Gary, he's been in the game for many years, he's picked up one or two Premier League trophies.
05:39But it's up to him, he is getting on a bit isn't he?
05:44And I know himself he doesn't like to travel, so that's all down to Gary.
05:49I'd love to see him in the Premier League and play him week in, week out again.
05:53Perfect, congratulations again Luke.
05:55Luke, just a quick one, Martin said there that he believes you can go and break Michael Van Gogh and Phil Taylor's records, what you're producing.
06:01Do you feel that you can go and break all these long-standing records now?
06:05If I won it, then I should get it.
06:09But it's going to take quite some years to pick up the amount of trophies, not only what Michael has got, but also Phil Taylor.