Mike Walters - Champions : The Golden Age of Darts from Priestley to Littler
Get ready for an unforgettable night of sporting nostalgia, backstage stories, and legendary rivalries as veteran Daily Mirror sports writer Mike Walters comes to Tring to launch his authoritative new book, Champions: The Golden Age of Darts from Priestley to Littler.
To make the evening truly electric, Mike will be joined on stage by the legendary Peter Drury—Sky Sports commentator and the unmistakable, poetic "voice of football."
Together, two of sport broadcasting and journalism's finest wordsmiths will dive into darts' meteoric rise from smoke-filled pub backrooms to sold-out arenas, multi-million-pound spectacles, and teenage prodigies taking the world by storm. Featuring exclusive, behind-the-scenes insights into all 13 PDC world champions—from Dennis Priestley and Phil Taylor to Luke Littler—this event promises razor-sharp wit, brilliant storytelling, and a fascinating look at the personalities who transformed modern sport.
Whether you're a die-hard oche aficionado or simply love top-tier sports writing and commentary, this is a night not to be missed!
| Date | Thursday 26th November 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 7:30 PM | |
| Doors Open | 7:00 PM | |
| Venue | The Coach House | |
Champions: The Golden Age of Darts from Priestley to Littler tells the inside story of the 13 men who reshaped the sport and turned the PDC World Championship into a global powerhouse.
Based on new, in-depth interviews, Mike Walters’ compelling book:
Explores the journeys of every PDC world champion from Dennis Priestley in 1994 to Luke Littler in 2026
Reveals how Phil Taylor dominated a generation and transformed expectations of professionalism
Follows Raymond van Barneveld’s impact on Europe and the sport’s explosion in the Netherlands
Examines the brilliance of Michael van Gerwen, the artistry of Gary Anderson and the breakthroughs of Rob Cross, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price
Charts the emotional stories and technical evolution that shaped champions including Michael Smith and Luke Humphries
Captures the extraordinary rise of Luke Littler and the £1 million dart that symbolised darts’ new era
With a foreword by John McDonald, the long-serving PDC master of ceremonies who has introduced all 13 champions on stage and supported by the PDC’s rich photographic archive, Champions is the definitive portrait of the personalities, rivalries and moments that built the modern game. A must-read for darts fans and sports readers alike.
ABOUT MIKE WALTERS...
Mike Walters is an acclaimed British sports journalist and author who has been covering top-tier sport for over three decades, most notably as a senior sports writer for the Daily Mirror. Known across Fleet Street for his sharp wit, rapid-fire storytelling, and masterclass wordplay ("the pun is mightier than the sword"), Walters has reported from sidelines, press boxes, and arenas across football, cricket, cycling, rugby, and darts.
A fixture of Alexandra Palace during the PDC World Darts Championship, Walters has spent years chronicling the sport’s meteoric rise from pub backrooms to sold-out arenas and multi-million-pound television spectacles. His deep-rooted relationships with the sport’s biggest icons—from Phil Taylor and Eric Bristow to Michael van Gerwen and teenage sensation Luke Littler—give him unrivaled backstage access to the personalities and drama behind the oche.
In his landmark book, Champions: The Golden Age of Darts from Priestley to Littler, Walters delivers the definitive inside story of modern darts' extraordinary revolution. Drawing on exclusive interviews with all 13 PDC world champions—supported by the PDC's extensive photographic archive—he charts the rivalries, high-stakes drama, and cultural evolution that transformed darts into one of the world's most dynamic and popular spectator sports.