'More than three million' watched Luke Littler and Luke Humphries in World Darts Championship final
Luke Littler’s showdown against Luke Humphries in the World Darts Championship final attracted an average audience of more than three million.
The 16-year-old was defeated by new world number one Humphries at Alexandra Palace in London, ending his dream of becoming the youngest world champion.
An average audience of 3.1 million tuned into the match, with the viewer numbers peaking at 3.7 million towards the end of the final, which ended 7-4, Sky Sports said.
Littler, who is from Warrington, may have fallen just short of achieving sporting immortality, but his success throughout the tournament attracted global attention to him and the sport.
Following the final match, Sky has announced a new three-part series which will offer “exclusive access” into the world of professional darts.
The series will follow up-and-coming hopefuls to top-seeded players through the whole process, from pre-tournament preparation to the final and beyond.
It will also showcase the families who support them to achieve their dreams, as well as those who work behind the scenes within the sport.
The series hopes to show behind the curtain of what life is like for a darts player, documenting “the ups and downs, the humour, the camaraderie, as well as the sacrifices they make to win the biggest prize in the game”.
Commissioning editor of Sky Documentaries, Tom Barry, said: “This year’s World Championship has shown how darts can captivate the nation.
“Going beyond just the competition, for the first time, we are thrilled to be bringing audiences closer to the action and give them a glimpse of what it takes to make it to the top.”
The series, which has a working title of Darts, will be produced by documentary production company Dorothy St Pictures for Sky, whose previous credits include Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story and Pamela, A Love Story.
It is expected to be released later this year.
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