Game of Throws: Inside Darts - Sky's new documentary following stars behind the scenes and Luke Littler's meteoric rise

27 November 2024, 10:56 | Updated: 29 November 2024, 10:50

Ever wondered what the build-up to the biggest darts tournament of the year is like? Ever wondered how Michael van Gerwen deals with pressure? Ever wondered what Luke Littler's life was like before his meteoric rise? Well, now you can find out.

Following a whole host of players in the build-up to the 2023/24 tournament, Sky's new documentary 'Game of Throws: Inside Darts' follows the personalities behind the players as they take on the biggest stage of them all at the 'people's palace'.

Not only does it capture the likes of Littler before he was a household name, there are heartfelt and brilliant stories told about some of the lesser-known players; Kevin Doets and Bhev Patel two of the players to let the cameras into their homes.

• World Darts Championship: Full schedule
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• Stream the darts and more sport with NOW

The documentary also follows what the pressure was like for Michael Smith as the reigning champion trying to defend his £500,000 victory, and how Luke Humphries dealt with being the tournament favourite before coming up against the star of the show in 'The Nuke'.

It is an insight not seen before, the players telling their own stories about the pressure of being up on the oche alone, and how mindset is pivotal to being one of the world's top players, some crumbling under the big lights and others shining.

Throughout, you will hear from Littler, Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Smith, Rob Cross, Nathan Aspinall, James Wade, Patel, Doets, Andrew Gilding, Raymond van Barneveld, Emma Paton, Russ Bray, and Barry Hearn as the curtain is opened on the world of darts, culminating in the most watched darts final ever.

You can watch the documentary on Sky from Saturday November 30 in a perfect warm-up for the 2024/25 World Darts Championship.

When will the World Darts Championship take place?

The tournament gets under way at Alexandra Palace on Sunday December 15, with three first-round matches and one second-round match on the opening evening.

There will be live darts over each of the following eight days, including seven afternoon sessions, with the usual three-day break from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day before returning with the third round and a double session on December 27.

The third and fourth rounds will be completed by December 30 before a night off on New Year's Eve, with the quarter-finals held across two sessions on New Year's Day ahead of the semi-finals on January 2 and the final on Friday January 3.

The full day-by-day schedule for this year's tournament can be found here.

Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live from December 15-January 3 on Sky Sports' dedicated darts channel. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.

(c) Sky Sports 2024: Game of Throws: Inside Darts - Sky's new documentary following stars behind the scenes and Luke Littler's meteoric rise