Luke Littler has disclosed that he will not be attending the upcoming BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards despite being nominated for the prestigious accolade. Instead, he has predicted that Lando Norris will clinch the top prize.
Dubbed ‘The Nuke’ and aged 18, Littler is among the six contenders vying for the coveted award, competing against the likes of Norris, Rory McIlroy, Chloe Kelly, Hannah Hampton, and Ellie Kildunne. Although he was nominated last year but did not secure the win, losing out to Olympic gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson.
Despite his remarkable achievements this year, Littler is focusing on his upcoming match with either Mario Vandenbogaerde or David Davies, scheduled just 48 hours after the award ceremony on December 18.
When asked about the awards ceremony, Littler stated, “No. I’m not going. I’m not going to it. I think they know. I think obviously the people in the top three on the betting odds will obviously go there and I think Lando will win. I think I’ve only missed out on four majors this year. So if I’d won them, do I win it? Who knows – but good luck to whoever’s going to win it.”
Littler intends to relax at home in the coming days, with plans to watch Manchester United’s match against Bournemouth on Monday night. As a devoted Red Devils fan, he was present in the packed away end at Molineux during the recent victorious match against Wolves, which sparked social media buzz.
Responding to queries about how he obtained tickets, Littler clarified, “I mean, everyone just jumps on everything. They don’t know anything. I put something out there (on social media) to thank Adidas for the tickets because no one knows. And then when I put it on, they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re just trying to cover it up.’ But the tickets were off Adidas. From what I heard, as kit manufacturers Adidas give a certain amount of tickets out a year, home and away, to whoever they want. So they chose me, gave me three tickets for Wolves away.”
Following his 3-0 victory over Darius Labanauskas at Ally Pally, Littler was stung by a wasp during his post-match interview with Sky. He expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “It definitely wasn’t easy and I’m happy with the win. There were a few nerves but once you win a leg and win a set, it settles you down. That first set was crucial against the darts. Everyone in the tournament wants to get through the first round. It’s definitely the hardest game – it doesn’t matter who you play. If you don’t play well, you’re not going to win, so I’m very happy with that.”