‘I can't believe that' – James Wade breaks etiquette in Luke Littler clash leaving darts fans fuming
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JAMES WADE shocked fans by walking off the World Matchplay stage and choosing not to conduct a live post-final Sky Sports interview.
The Machine was beaten 18-13 by sensational Luke Littler, the reigning world champion, on Sunday night in Blackpool.
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Luke Littler celebrated lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy on stage but Wade did not hang around for the live Sky Sports TV interview
Credit: Sky Sports
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James Wade lost a second successive major darts final to Luke Littler this year
Credit: Getty
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Littler earned £200,000 in prize money for the victory in Blackpool on Sunday night
Credit: Getty
It was the second time he had lost a major final to The Nuke, having been demolished 11-2 in the UK Open finale in March.
The etiquette, but not protocol, is for the runners-up to receive their trophy on stage and then hang around to speak to the host broadcaster.
In this case it would have been with the excellent reporter Polly James for Sky.
Yet emotion clearly got the better of Wade who, once he received his silver plate off PDC chief executive Matt Porter, swiftly left the oche and went backstage.
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LUKE OF LOVE Littler plants kiss on girlfriend Faith, 19, during World Matchplay walk-on
It surprised TV viewers who were treated to an interview with Littler but not with the 42-year-old Aldershot ace, a father of two.
It means, quite unusually, there were not quotes from Wade about how he played or what perhaps he could have done differently.
Littler's victory, aged 18, means he replaced Wade in the history books as the youngest winner of the World Matchplay, one of the most coveted events on the calendar.
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There are no suggestions that Wade, the new world No.5, will be fined or reprimanded for his actions as there is no obligation to speak.
Yet it is good form and good manners to speak to the fans and live TV audience.
Or even hang around as Littler celebrated lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy in front of the Winter Gardens audience.
This is exactly what Wade – a 11-time major winner – did when he lost in the UK Open showpiece occasion at Butlin's Minehead earlier this year.
Once this event, which was broadcast on ITV, was over, he spoke glowingly about the teenager that had just destroyed him on the oche.
Wade said back on the night of Sunday March 2: 'I'm the senior dart player, but he absolutely smashed me to bits!
'What can you do against that? He was the far superior player. Fair play to Luke. At the moment, he is comfortably the best or second best dart player in the world.'
You wonder if his decision to walk away early will impact his chances of being selected by the PDC for the Premier League Darts competition in 2026.
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Wade was surpassed as the youngest World Matchplay champion by 18-year-old Littler
Credit: Getty
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The Machine is one of the legends of the sport and is now up to No.5 in the world rankings
Credit: Getty
That is, of course, unless he breaks into the top four spots in the Order of Merit, in which case he would be an automatic pick for next year's Prem.
His absence from the stage as the ticker-tape fell on Littler's head surprised fans,
James O'Hara expressed his displeasure on social media by saying: 'I can't believe Wade left the stage before Littler even lifted the trophy!'
Disappointed Tom Clayton wrote a sarcastic message on X, which said: 'Nice to see Wade stay on stage to watch Littler lift the trophy. Not! Piss poor that.'
And darts fan Craig Milner commented: 'Walking off stage before Littler gets his trophy says it all about him. Bit of a p****. Well done the Nuke!'
Littler – who has completed the Triple Crown set – posed for photos with his parents, management and new girlfriend Faith.
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