Luke Littler apologises for newspaper picture

"It is very new to me... "

The teenager has reached the Last 16 of the championships after an impressive run at the oche. He next faces former world champ Raymond van Barneveld for a place in the last eight. With last year's winner Michael Smith and 2021 champ Gerwyn Price eliminated, many of the final competitors will be convincing themselves that this could be their year.

Ahead of that meeting with 'Barney', though, Luke Littler has taken to social media in an attempt to quell a firestorm created by him posing with a tabloid newspaper while having a post-game kebab.

Earlier in the championship, as he celebrated reaching the Last 32, Littler went out for a celebratory kebab before joking that he had to refuel before getting some sleep for school, the next morning. The Sun followed that up with a photoshoot of the teenager posing with 'a trademark kebab' and a copy of their newspaper.

Not long into his tenure as Liverpool boss, Jürgen Klopp earned plaudits for refusing to take questions from a reporter with the publication.

The image of Littler posing with the newspaper sparked an online furore and Littler's team used his 'X' account to address the matter, writing:

Luke Littler will face Raymond van Barneveld in the Last 16 of the PDC World Championship from 8:45pm on Saturday, December 30.

Also on the slate for December 30 is Derry native Daryl Gurney taking on in-form Englishman Dave Chisnall, former champ Rob Cross facing Jonny Clayton and Fermanagh's Brendan Dolan taking on Gary Anderson.

We'll be following all the big darts moments in our world championships live hub.