‘Backlash? What backlash?’
There’s a degree of tongue in cheek from darts star Stephen Bunting in his response to Daily Mail Sport asking him about how he deals with his critics.
Still very much a fan-favourite, the 41-year-old from Liverpool has had to answer a number of questions both on and off the oche about his performances and a particular press conference during the World Championship.
After beating India’s Nitin Kumar in the second round at Ally Pally back in December, ‘The Bullet’ was reduced to tears as he opened up on social media criticism. He has branded himself ‘The People’s Champion’, later clarifying it was a nickname given to him by broadcasters, and it had all got a little bit too much.
‘I’m definitely more thick-skinned now than I’ve got a team that work looking after me messages and stuff like that,’ Bunting reveals, Zooming in to chat from the Matchplay in Blackpool. ‘So it’s part of the game.
‘You know what’s going to happen if you have a bad performance. You know there’s going to be a lot of hatred in there because people have lost three quid, but, yeah, that’s just part and parcel.
Darts star Stephen Bunting has got better at dealing with criticism and has a team to deal with any that comes his way
‘I make sure that I don’t see their messages, and my manager, they look after that side. They delete them pretty quick and block people, so I’m lucky in that aspect. And then moving forward, they’ll send me all the positive ones, so you can still get some really nice ones even after defeats and bad performances.’
Bunting gained his fanbase not just through his darts performances that last year took him to a career-high ranking of fourth in the world, but through his social media clips and presence.
Amassing nearly 1million followers on TikTok and Instagram combined, he is a big believer in connecting with his fans and showing the person behind the darts.
His walk-on – a sing and dance along to David Guetta’s Titanium – bulletproof, nothing to lose… you know the one – has gone mainstream, as has his catchphrase ‘Bunting Mental’, and his supporters are largely to thank for that.
‘The fans are a massive part of our game,’ he adds, ‘so any little bits that they can get from social media, from the interviews and stuff like this, they get to see all the content with the favorite dart players.
‘I think it’s important to show your personality. You’re not just a boring darts player. That that was the first thing that I wanted to show people – sometimes most people who watch darts just see the back of your head and the dartboard. So for them to get a chance to see behind the scenes stuff like on a YouTube channel… and other darts players are now getting into that.’
Going into the Matchplay, Bunting was ranked ninth in the world after picking up over £600,000 worth of prize money over the last two years.
He reached the semi-finals of the 2025 World Championship, losing to eventual champion Luke Littler, and reached the quarter-finals of the Matchplay last year having been knocked out in the second round the year before.
‘The Bullet’ is hoping for a big end to the year despite being knocked out of the Matchplay
Away from darts, Bunting’s two loves are his family and Liverpool Football Club. Pictured: Iconic Reds manager Jurgen Klopp (centre) and Bunting’s son, Tobias (right)
So while there is prize money to defend, there is also prize money to win. Frustratingly for him, he lost to Josh Rock in the second round in Blackpool. Still – winning, ultimately, is the plan.
‘I don’t do the social media for the money side,’ Bunting continues. ‘When I first started on TikTok, it was just because my son literally said, “Let’s do a silly video together”, and we’ve just continued to try and grow that.
‘We’ve got the website, but the social media is a massive part of of who I am. I can have more fun doing the social media stuff and the media days, whereas obviously at a darts event I’m more serious.
‘It’s been a busy year already, but yeah, we’re coming to the nitty gritty part of it now. The Matchplay, we always go as a family. We stay for the 10 days. When I was a young lad, that was the holiday destination. So we stay in a nice hotel. Then I go on holiday for 10 days, which I’m really looking forward to in Gibraltar, and then totally resetting for the back end of the year, which is going to be equally as busy. But I’ll make sure I’m ready.’
Bunting is always cheered on by son Tobias, who has just turned 14. Tobias himself is a keen darts player, but supporting his dad is his bread and butter. Admittedly, that bread went stale as he sat helpless as Rock stormed past the Liverpudlian.
‘He’s my biggest fan, and he’s also my biggest critic,’ Bunting says of Tobias. ‘When things are going well and he’s at the venue, you can hear his voice. It’s a massive support – I love him very dearly.
‘He’s always giving me a gee up when I need it, and that’s is why I do what I do. I play for my family, and I want to be as successful as I can over the next 10 years before I ended up retiring.
‘When it comes to the darts, he’s doing OK. He’s he’s averaging between 55 and 60. Obviously, he gets days where he can average better than that. But I’m trying to keep his feet on the floor, keep him doing his school work. He’s enjoying playing golf as well.
He has high hopes for his beloved Liverpool Football Club ahead of the new football season
‘He loves doing the YouTube stuff with me as well. I think people are going to see over the next few years him develop into a into a decent darts player. But I won’t put too much pressure on him – it’s it’s entirely up to him if he wants to be a golfer, a footballer, a darts player. I’ll leave it up to him to decide.’
And after darts and his family comes Bunting’s third love: Liverpool Football Club. A club overseeing a summer of transition, with a new manager, and, hopefully for them, a better finish than last year under Andoni Iraola.
‘He did a great job at Bournemouth,’ Bunting says of the new Reds boss. ‘A very attacking-minded manager, and we have such an attacking-minded team.
‘I felt a bit sorry for Arne Slot, but I think he’d run his course. I think what he did in that first year was amazing in the league, but the drop-off last season was unacceptable from a fan point of view. And we needed someone to come in, shake things up.’
It’s now time for a break for Bunting before a busy rest of the year – including the BOYLE Sports Grand Prix in September – which will be key for prize money and achievement hunting.
It’s clear from the interview, as we say our goodbyes, that Bunting is a man on a mission. Darts, family, and a bit of Liverpool too. It’s not a bad formula. Some would argue it’s bulletproof.
Stephen Bunting is playing in the BOYLE Sports World Grand Prix of Darts in Leicester on 28th September – 4th October. Learn more at BOYLESports.com 18+ Bet Responsibly
