Champions

Champions: The Golden Age of Darts from Priestley to Littler tells the inside story of the sport’s modern revolution through exclusive new interviews with all 13 PDC world champions from 1994 to 2026. Mike Walters charts the remarkable journey from Dennis Priestley’s inaugural triumph, won for £26,000, to Luke Littler’s meteoric rise and the first £1million dart in history. Along the way come the defining eras of Phil Taylor, the pioneering influence of John Part, the seismic impact of Michael van Gerwen, the brilliance of Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld, and the artistry and resilience of Gary Anderson, Rob Cross, Peter Wright, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith and Luke Humphries. Blending behind‑the‑scenes insight with vivid storytelling, the book explores the rivalries, pressures, atmospheres and technical evolution that propelled darts into the global arenas. With a foreword by John McDonald and supported by the PDC’s extensive photographic archive, Champions captures the personalities, moments and transformations that built the modern game and shaped the golden age of darts.