ITV has officially revealed their revamped lineup for 2026 as part of a new agreement with the PDC. Luke Littler, the reigning world champion, is set to make his return tonight after an impressive triumph at Ally Pally.
Leading up to the coverage, ITV has outlined their programming changes following the recent three-year deal with the PDC. The channel will showcase matches from various prestigious events like the World Masters, UK Open, World Series of Darts Finals, European Championship, Players Championship Finals, and global World Series of Darts tournaments.
Pete Graves and Gabbie Partington from Sky Sports will headline the coverage as hosts, with Partington diving straight into action for the upcoming World Series of Darts double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
ITV’s new panel of experts boasts renowned names including Wayne Mardle, a five-time World Championship semi-finalist, and former Premier League champion Glen Durrant. The punditry team also features ex-PDC star Mark Webster and ex-World Matchplay semi-finalist Chris Mason. Changes in the commentary booth will be seen with Dan Dawson teaming up with talkSPORT commentator Mark Wilson, while veteran broadcaster Ian Danter will continue to play a significant role.
Matt Porter, PDC Chief Executive, expressed his delight after the extended partnership with ITV, spanning over two decades. Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, shared his enthusiasm for expanding and prolonging the live darts coverage on ITV Sport, emphasizing the commitment to offering major darts events for free to UK viewers.
Fans of darts can anticipate the upcoming Bahrain Darts Masters starting on Thursday, with reigning champion Stephen Bunting commencing his title defense against Ryusei Azemoto. Meanwhile, Luke Littler is set to face off against Ally Pally fan favorite Paul Lim in the opening round.
In a parallel development, Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports package to include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu, along with 135 channels and comprehensive coverage of the Premier League and EFL. Sky continues to be a premier broadcaster, airing over 1,400 live matches across various sports, including the Premier League, EFL, Formula 1, darts, and golf.