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Sherrock happy to overcome 'hate' in beating Littler for £501,000

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Fallon Sherrock defeats reigning world champion Luke Littler in one leg of darts to win £501,000.

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This story was published by BBC Sport on October 30, 2026 and curated on Africa Front.

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October 30, 2026

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Sherrock happy to overcome 'hate' in beating Littler for £501,000

Published30 October 2026

Fallon Sherrock says she was "happy to overcome all the hate" after beating reigning world champion Luke Littler in one leg of darts on Friday to win £501,000.

Broadcast live globally on Netflix, Beat Luke Littler featured a host of players taking on world number one Littler in one-leg face-offs at Manchester Central.

Netflix billed it as an event giving "amateurs a chance at life-changing money".

Players could not be members of the PDC Tour, meaning Sherrock - who became the first female player to beat a male opponent at the PDC World Championship on her way to the last 32 in December 2019 - was allowed to compete.

The inclusion of Sherrock drew some criticism on social media despite her amateur status after she was named among the 24 contestants.

Sherrock, 32, told the Press Association that criticism in the lead up to the event had been "tough" because she had seen the "backlash" and "all the negative comments".

She added: "But at the end of the day, I fit the criteria for this. I've never had a tour card, and I wouldn't class myself as a pro really, because all I do is just play darts for the enjoyment of it.

"I'm just so happy to overcome all the hate and win."

PDC president Barry Hearn defended Sherrock's inclusion given she is not a professional because she does not hold a Tour Card.

He added: "Do you want just a series of 20 matches where someone can't even throw a dart? No, of course we want excellence competing against excellence, and that's what it was all about."

After Littler had defeated 14 amateurs, some as young as 14, he was always going to have a tough task against Sherrock, who has won 21 times on the PDC Women's Series.

She had been closest to the bull to start first and hit a 180, only the third maximum of the night, before taking out double 20 to clinch the prize.

Sherrock, whose son Rory was among the crowd, said: "It's insane, I can't put into words what it means, especially having Rory here - it's his first time at anything and he has seen me win.

"It's a great moment and I will memorise this forever. Give me an opportunity and I will take it every time. I'm really proud of myself, I rise to the occasion."

Nineteen-year-old Littler, who has won the PDC World Championship in both the past two events, said: "Brilliant, that's what one person had to do - win the bull and go out in 15 [darts] and that's what she did, world class."

Darts with a difference

The packed crowd in Manchester was in boisterous mood with many fans in fancy dress, but this was darts with a difference.

There had been 25,000 applicants who had entered the competition.

The first stage saw players have to get down from 501 in 24 darts or less, with those successful then facing a three-person interview panel, including 16-time world champion Phil Taylor, PDC president Barry Hearn and darts television pundit Laura Turner.

Twenty players were due to play at the event. Sixteen were selected outright, while the eight most experienced players were paired off, with Netflix viewers voting on which one should be able to compete.

Sherrock was in the vote against Germany's Jarod Becker, but collected 75% of the votes to get the chance to face Littler.

She had picked up £25,000 for reaching round three of the PDC World Championship at Alexandra Palace seven years ago after beating Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic before losing to Chris Dobey.

Her achievement saw her nicknamed 'The Queen of the Palace' and she was also awarded an MBE for her services to darts in 2023.

Sherrock's victory over Littler meant the event immediately ended, meaning the five remaining amateurs were unable to get their shot at the £501,000 prize.

Beat Luke Littler follows similar events in other sports, where amateurs have been given the chance to compete against professionals, and is aimed at attracting new audiences.

In January, the Australian Open introduced the Million Dollar One Point Slam, a knockout tournament offering amateur tennis players the opportunity to win the prize money by playing a sole point against some of the sport's top talent and other famous faces.

Jordan Smith beat five-time Grand Slam winner Jannik Sinner en route to winning the A$1m (£496,835) prize.

Last month, 100 amateur drivers took on Max Verstappen in an exhibition go-kart race at Silverstone, but the four-time Formula 1 world champion needed just 14 of 35 planned laps to pass them all.

Amateurs enjoy their moment in the spotlight

While Sherrock was celebrating, Ireland's 'Fierce' Pearse Mackle, a 21-year-old university student from County Cavan, was left wondering what could have been.

Mackle, who competes on PDC's Development Tour, was the eighth competitor and failed to hit a match-winning bullseye, instead finding the nine, and his life-changing moment came and went.

He was the only other player, apart from Sherrock, to cause Littler a fright.

For most of the night, Littler cruised through the competition as he went in search of the £501,000, which he had said he would donate to charity.

With former England footballer Gary Lineker hosting and with comedian Lee Mack and television presenter Richard Osman joining Turner as part of the punditry team, this was a night to bring darts to a new audience.

The first challenger was 16-year-old Kasey Smith from Manchester, but Littler showed he was in no mood to mess about, hitting treble 20s against her with his first two darts on his way to an easy win.

Some of Littler's opponents had never played a competitive game of darts, although everyone was keen to make the most of the experience.

With John McDonald, who retired as the main PDC master of ceremonies after the 2026 World Championship final, announcing the players before their elaborate walk-ons, this was a fun event, although most players came nowhere near beating Littler.

But there were still entertaining moments. Fourteen-year-old Jayden Walker, a year 10 pupil from Dorset, threw off a school blazer and tie to reveal his darts outfit and, as the third-highest ranked player, threatened to cause a huge shock.

But Littler raised his game when he needed to, hitting a maximum 180 followed by a 158 checkout, the highest of the night, to defeat his fellow teenager in only 12 darts.

Taylon Forrester, 18, described himself as a "binman who works with his dad" and he jumped out of a dumpster on his way to the oche.

Other entrants included Zac Spain, a jockey from Melbourne, Australia, Frenchman Theodore Wallich, who dubbed himself the 'Moustache Kid', 57-year-old Mark Pooke, another 14-year-old in Makinley Cooper-Johnson and Will Kemp, back playing after a heart attack earlier this year.

But Sherrock, whose participation in the competition had been questioned because of her past achievements in the sport, was the real winner, even if she had been described by Lineker as a "hairdresser from Milton Keynes".

With Littler on stage for more than two hours, he inevitably tired with his standard dropping and Sherrock was the one to take advantage, winning in a 15-dart leg in match number 15.

Hearn reappeared to present Sherrock with a huge cheque for her life-changing victory to end a surreal night of action.