Premier League Darts contender Stephen Bunting has admitted he is battling a wave of emotion ahead of next week’s blockbuster night in Liverpool, confessing: “I might actually cry on stage.”
The much-loved former BDO world champion, known for his heavy scoring and walk-on to DJ Otzi’s ‘Hey Baby’, will step out at the M&S Bank Arena on Thursday as one of the sport’s most in-form players. But rather than focusing solely on league points, Bunting says the occasion is stirring something far deeper.
“Liverpool is different. The crowd there is something else,” Bunting told reporters. “When that walk-on music hits and the whole place starts bouncing – I’m not joking, I’ve had to hold it together just thinking about it. The fans have stuck by me through thick and thin, and to be going there now, playing the best darts of my career… it gets emotional.”
The 38-year-old, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Bullet’, has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence this season, currently sitting inside the Premier League’s top four after a series of stunning performances. But it is the connection with the Merseyside crowd – renowned as one of the loudest on the circuit – that has him feeling unusually vulnerable.
“I’m not a crier normally,” he laughed. “But I’ve seen other players get overwhelmed there. I love the fans. They sing for me before I’ve even thrown a dart. If I’m walking on and I just hear that wall of noise… yeah, the eyes might go.”
Bunting’s confession has sparked a wave of support on social media, with fans urging him to “let it out” and promising to cheer even louder. Sports psychologists note that such raw emotion can be a double-edged sword – either fuelling a inspired performance or causing a dip in focus.
For Bunting, however, the risk is worth taking. “If it happens, it happens,” he shrugged. “It’d be tears of joy, not sadness. I’ve fought back from tough times in my career. To be standing there in Liverpool, in the Premier League, with that reception – it’s everything I dreamed of.”
The Premier League roadshow continues on Thursday, with Bunting scheduled to face one of his title rivals in the quarter-final. Regardless of the result, he promises one thing: “Win or lose, I’m going to soak every second in. And I won’t apologise if I get a bit misty-eyed.”
Tickets for the Liverpool night have been sold out for weeks. As one fan posted online: “We’ll bring the tissues, Stephen. Just bring the 180s.”
