Stephen Bunting Is Good For Darts. Even In Australia.

2,500 people attended opening night of the ANZ Premier League in Melbourne. Yours truly among them wearing a Stephen Bunting replica playing shirt. At one point a young girl walked past wearing a black shirt with several photos of Bunting. "Go Bunting" I said clenching my fist, she followed suit. It shows that Bunting's reach has stretched well beyond the British mainland.

Stephen Bunting proved his quality in the Belfast Premier League night

About 8 to 9 years ago, Bunting was about to walk away. He has often repeated the line " I was walking into rooms thinking everyone was laughing at me" to sum up how he felt. By 2024 and 2025, things had changed. After winning the 2024 Cazoo Masters, Bunting rose the ranks and for the second time made a PDC World Championship Semi-Final in 2025. An easy selection for the 2025 Premier League, his wildcard spot was the only one not debated. He was riding on the crest of a wave. Playing the best darts of his life, "Let's Go Bunting Mental" being chanted around arenas and on social media. His walk-on was being reposted and seen by people who aren't darts fans. But after finishing dead last in the 2025 Premier League, including not winning a game through the first half of the League, Bunting related opinions seemed to change.

Bunting's Premier League spot was questioned, even when in the top four of the world, which are guaranteed spots. His poor form over the last few months was the justification but that form was no surprise. Bunting was unwell and clearly dealing with back issues at the World Grand Prix. Andy Cornwall, a man whose professional career lasted about as long as this article, was crazy enough to suggest Bunting would never win a major if he continued to standing at the far right hand side of the oche. This is despite the fact he's been doing that successfully for the last decade and a half. But the Bunting hate boiled to the surface after his first match at the 2026 PDC World Championship. It was for the dumbest reason possible.

Bunting's walk-on is among the most iconic in the sport's history

Bunting flew out of the gates against Sebastian Białecki averaging 118 in the first set and before long he was 2-0 up in a race to three. But Bunting went off the boil and after losing sets 3 and 4, Białecki went ahead at the start of the fifth and final set. But Bunting fought back and though he needed a tie-break won the match. But online many were upset and accusing the Bunting fans in the West Hall of the Alexandra Palace off being disrespectful towards Białecki. Now darts fans whistling has been a problem but this was not that. Listening to that game on TV and through the TalkSport radio coverage, you won't find any moments that was truly noticeable. It's amazing how wide spread this nonsense was. It amazes me how often a sports fan downplays their favourite sport. How often I've spoken to people about darts and it's the fans and the atmosphere that draws them in, they love seeing that. Yet hardcore darts fans hate on it, that is nonsense. This crapping on Bunting was clearly not enough. Unfortunately for Bunting he didn't need to say anything to get more flack because he had already said it, in his post match press conference.

Let me make one thing clear: Bunting did not proclaim himself as the people's champion. Bunting said this himself days later on X (formerly Twitter). It was a term that Sky Sports and the PDC declared on him since at least before he is Masters triumph. Chris Mason, a pundit and former player said he agreed with Bunting having this title. Many completely misunderstood Bunting and jumped on him. Worse still some presented Bunting's comments suggesting he likes poor fan behaviour. This was built off the non-issue of his first round game. Back-to-back pile-ons affected Bunting breaking down in tears after his press conference after his comfortable second round victory.

The most inexcusable part of this saga that was amplified after Bunting's third-round loss to James Hurrell was the hate that Stephen's eldest son, Toby. Often shown on TV coverage his presence really ruffled feathers understandably a happy useful young boy with a great father can't sit well with nobody loses with anonymous social media accounts.

Bunting's inclusion in the 2026 Premier League as a wildcard was the most talked about subject in the sport of darts across at the month of January. The majority opinion was he was not worthy and it should have gone down to Danny Noppert. A man who did not win a title into 2025 as opposed to Bunting who won six. These views seemed to be vindicated when Bunting lost to not it at the 2026 World Masters before the start of the Premier League.

2026 is the earliest Bunting has picked up his first two points in the Premier League

However at the most recent Premier League night at the time of writing, Stephen Bunting returned to form. He had lost across the first three nights but then picked up his first win 6-4 over Luke Humphries. That was the first of back-to-back averages of 106, the second was a whitewash victory over Johnny Clayton, nicknamed the ferret. Commentator Dan Dawson humorously said as Bunting stepped up to win the match "call the RSPCA because Stephen Bunting has done some horrible things to the ferret tonight". After losing by a whitewash to Luke Littler last year, Bunting is now in the unique category of being on both sides of the rare Premier League whitewash. Bunting completed the night with a victory over Gian van Veen, to secure a nightly title and move to fifth in the standings. That is the highest in the standings he's ever been in the Premier League in his entire life, having previously peaked six all the way back in 2015, his first appearance.

Here is the thing though about the entire saga at the World Championship. At no point did Bunting say sorry. When anyone has to use "I apologize to anyone I've offended" either you've either been widely offensive or your currently sucking up to losers. Bunting hasn't changed. He's always been very clearly and plainly himself especially in the way he speak. That sometimes means that the order of words the come out of his mouth might not necessarily been how he organized them in his brain. But there's a charm about that. It is what makes him such a loveable character. He is always his true self and that has been seen by people all around the world.

We will wait and see how Stephen's form continues in the aftermath of his Belfast brilliance. The next night that follows will be in Cardiff and then he and the rest of the Premier League boys will go down to Bultin's Minehead for the UK Open. That was a tournament he reached the quarter-final stage of two years ago. With its open draw he's a great chance to go on a deep run.

Stephen Bunting has been important for darts. Baring Luke Littler, Bunting is single-handedly doing more than any other player to grow the sport. He's on its personality and social media shenanigans have made him beloved around the world as the first ANZ Premier League night showed. The aforementioned Cornwall and Matthew Edgar on their podcast, never seem to get Bunting's walk-on. What draws is in isn't that he's singing karaoke to a popular song. It's the fact that the person doing it looks like Stephen Bunting. A Peter Griffin look-a-like, who looks life someone you might see going about your day.

Bunting is a good man with a great family and a fantastic talent. He has shown that talent off for years now and and he's still probably got another decade in him at the top level. There is still a few things left to do. He's never hit a nine-dart finish on the box. Every time the biggest tournament in the world comes around he could become just the fifth man to win the World Professional Darts Championship in both codes. The 2014 BDO World Champion is still at the top of the game. Since his switch to the PDC at the start 2014 he has been in the world's top 24 at the end of every season. He's done this without the most glittering television form he's just been able to get too events and win matches there. Best of luck to you Stephen, especially for the rest of this Premier League. I'm sure you have at least a couple of Aussies cheering for you. You're good for darts.

If you like Darts, checkout Extra Time's own The 9-Dart Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 50 is slated to be released on 12th April 2026.