Littler admits he expected 'pub players' on Netflix's Beat Luke Littler

Luke Littler said he expected to face "pub players" on his Netflix show Beat Luke Littler, which was broadcast live globally last month and saw Fallon Sherrock win the £501,000 prize.

The show's format featured 24 players each taking a single leg of 501 for a top prize of £501,000, with the field including low-level entrants such as an Australian jockey, a bin man and a Nando's manager; anyone who was not a member of the PDC Tour was eligible to compete.

That openness allowed established names outside the Tour to enter, including top women's player Fallon Sherrock and leading juniors Mitchell Lawrie and Zach Griffiths; Sherrock had previously become the first female player to beat a male opponent at the PDC World Championship on her way to the last 32 in December 2019.

"Before I saw the line-up, I thought it was just pub players," Littler said. "Whereas obviously when the line-up came out, I probably knew just over half of them. "Mitchell, Zach Griffiths - I played with him on the Development Tour - obviously Fallon, Katie Sheldon and a lot more. "I mean Fallon, she's never had a Tour card, so she went for the qualifiers and she made it through. But then she wasn't guaranteed to play - she went in on a vote."

Sherrock progressed through an audition process and then relied on public selection to be the contestant chosen to take on Littler at Manchester Central; she has also been awarded an MBE for her services to darts.

Littler defeated 14 challengers during the live show before losing to Sherrock, who won nearest the bull to gain the throw and then checked out in 15 darts to claim the prize.

Littler reflected on the experience, saying: "It was a very good night overall," and adding, "I think from my side it was very good. From Netflix's side, it was very good. "I think the whole thing was probably a learning curve. For me, constantly playing back-to-back, especially in the heat, I was going off and on stage. "There aren't many people who could say they've got their own show, and I've had my own show on Netflix, which is just still bonkers to me."

Littler said, "I'm up for another one and I'm sure Netflix will be as well," and is preparing for the Grand Slam of Darts this weekend.