ITV has unveiled a fresh broadcasting lineup for 2026 as part of a new agreement with the PDC. Luke Littler, the reigning world champion, is set to make his return to the stage tonight after an impressive win at Ally Pally.
In anticipation of the upcoming coverage, ITV has detailed their programming schedule for the next three years in light of the recently confirmed partnership with the PDC. Viewers can expect to see matches from various prestigious events such as the World Masters, UK Open, World Series of Darts Finals, European Championship, Players Championship Finals, and global World Series of Darts events.
The hosting duties for the coverage will be led by Sky Sports presenter Pete Graves and Gabbie Partington. Partington will kick off her hosting responsibilities with the upcoming World Series of Darts double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
ITV’s punditry team boasts renowned figures like Wayne Mardle, a five-time World Championship semi-finalist known for his previous work on Sky Sports. Joining Mardle is ex-Premier League champion Glen Durrant, former PDC star Mark Webster, and ex-World Matchplay semi-finalist Chris Mason. Notably, the commentary team will see the addition of talkSPORT commentator Mark Wilson alongside Dan Dawson, with veteran broadcaster Ian Danter continuing his role.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the extended partnership, PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter stated, “We are thrilled to extend our longstanding collaboration with ITV, marking over 20 years of our partnership. With the growing interest in darts, we are excited to offer free-to-air coverage of our popular events to UK fans.”
Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the network’s commitment to expanding and prolonging its live darts coverage. He affirmed ITV’s dedication to providing UK audiences with access to premier darts events and affirmed the network’s ongoing collaboration with the PDC through 2028.
Darts enthusiasts can look forward to the upcoming Bahrain Darts Masters, where Stephen Bunting will defend his title against Ryusei Azemoto. Meanwhile, Luke Littler is set to face off against Paul Lim at the start of the competition.
In other news, Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle, now including HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu, alongside 135 channels and comprehensive coverage of the Premier League, EFL, Formula 1, darts, and golf matches.
Sky continues to be the go-to platform for sports enthusiasts, broadcasting over 1,400 live matches across various leagues, including at least 215 Premier League games, Formula 1 races, darts tournaments, and golf events.
