Am I the only expat who never watched darts until Luke Littler – and I’ve adopted him?

It’s Sunday evening and I’m glued to my screen watching a teenager from Warrington throw arrows at a board.

A year ago, if you’d told me I’d be cancelling plans to watch darts, I’d have laughed you out of the room.

Yet here I am, genuinely invested in whether Luke Littler wins the World Grand Prix final tonight.

How did this happen?

My pre-Littler darts experience: absolutely none

Before Luke Littler exploded onto the scene, I’d never watched a professional darts match in my life.

Sure, I’d thrown a few wayward darts at pub boards after a couple of pints, usually hitting everything except the actual target.

The sport just never registered on my radar.

I knew it existed somewhere in the background of British culture, tucked between beer gardens and working men’s clubs, but it held zero appeal.

South Africa has Devon Petersen, “The African Warrior”, who became the first African player to win a PDC ranking title.

Did I ever watch him? Not once.

I couldn’t have told you his name until I googled “South African darts players” this morning.

Then came the Littler phenomenon

But Luke Littler changed everything.

Maybe it’s his age – 17 and competing against seasoned pros with the composure of someone twice his age.

Maybe it’s the way he’s captured the nation’s imagination.

Or maybe it’s just the expat instinct to adopt local heroes, to find ways of belonging in your chosen home.

There’s something oddly beautiful about this transformation.

I’ve gone from complete darts ignorance to using terms like “checkout percentage” in casual conversation.

I’ve learned what a 180 actually means.

The absurdity of Sunday plans

Is this what integration looks like?

Spending your Sunday watching a sport you never knew you cared about, emotionally invested in a teenager you’ve never met? Perhaps.

But there’s joy in unexpected passions, in discovering that you’re capable of caring about things that would have baffled your former self.

So yes, I’m that expat now.

The one who’s rearranged their weekend around darts.

Am I the only South African expat who’s been swept up in the Luke Littler phenomenon?

Somehow, I doubt it.

And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.