Stephen Bunting gave an emotional interview after winning night four of the Premier League Darts while responding to those who he claims were “writing [him] off” after a tough start to the competition.
Bunting came into night four in Belfast having failed to win a single game in the first three weeks of the event.
The 40-year-old Liverpudlian was in fine form in Northern Ireland and opened the evening with a 6–4 victory over reigning Premier League champion Luke Humphries before going on to secure a 6–0 clean sweep in the semi-finals against Jonny Clayton.
Bunting met 2025/26 PDC World Darts Championship finalist Gian van Veen in the night’s final, with the Englishman coming out a 6–2 winner and, in doing so, registering his first points of the Premier League campaign.
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After night four, Jonny Clayton tops the standings on 11 points, while Van Veen is second on nine.
Michael van Gerwen sits third on eight points, while Gerwyn Price makes up the top four on seven.
Bunting (five points), Humphries (four points), Luke Littler (four points) and Josh Rock (0 points) make up the remaining four places.
Despite a tough start to the season, Bunting’s victory in Belfast will likely add to his confidence ahead of next week’s event, which will take place in Cardiff.
Ahead of the competition, some questioned Bunting’s inclusion, with the player entering as a wildcard pick.
In an emotional interview with Sky Sports on Thursday (26 February), Bunting addressed the critics.
“Everyone was writing me off before the tournament," Bunting said. "People were saying I shouldn't be in it but I know how hard I work.
"These are the nights I play for and the crowd pulled me through.
"I'm the only darts player at the moment with a one-year-old child. I have to juggle family life. I have a lovely family at home."
Bunting then opened up about how losing “seven or eight games on the bounce” in 2025 gave him experience against his fellow competitors.
“It gave me a lot of experience in this field,” he added.
"When you are playing in the Premier League, you are facing the best of the best.
"I am overjoyed by this win. It will rank up there as one of my best wins. I was a bit emotional after my first game but I held it together.
"I have come off social media, have a great team around me and I am not looking at the negatives. I had hypnotherapy this morning.
"I believe I am one of the best players in the world and deserve to be in the Premier League. This goes a long way to showing I should be here.
"Every time I step up, I still believe I am one of the hardest players to beat. People find their best game and I always seem to lose to the winner.
"Tonight, I am the winner."
Topics: Darts, Sky Sports
Luke Davies