National Portrait Gallery to display picture of darts champion Luke Littler

The photograph of the 19-year-old, who also stars in the Netflix show Beat Luke Littler, will go on display for free on Thursday, outside the Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize exhibition, which opens tomorrow.The image’s caption reads: “British photographer Hollie Fernando captures darts sensation Luke Littler in an unexpectedly intimate domestic setting.“Seated on a sofa in casual sportswear, with his French bulldog positioned between his feet, Littler appears relaxed and unassuming, far removed from the intensity of professional competition.Littler is also known for his Netflix show Beat Luke Littler (Peter Byrne/PA)PA Wire“Nicknamed The Nuke, Littler became the youngest ever PDC World Darts Champion in 2025, successfully defending his title in 2026.“Fernando’s portrait, the result of her being awarded the Winston Taylor Photographic Commission in 2025, offers a refreshing contrast to Litter’s confident public persona, revealing a quieter side to one of Britain’s most celebrated young sporting talents.”Littler was just 17 when he won his first world championship in 2025, and he has won 14 PDC major singles titles, ranking him third in the all-time list of darts players, and he also has a total of 30 PDC titles.Littler is the youngest ever darts world champion (Jacob King/PA)PA WireHis Netflix show recently saw him beaten by fellow darts player Fallon Sherrock in a one-off leg, where she claimed a £501,000 prize, and Littler has also appeared on the gameshow Bullseye on two occasions.Littler was named BBC Young Sports Personality Of The Year in 2024, and finished as runner-up in that year’s main competition to Olympian Keely Hodgkinson.The Warrington-born darts player joins the likes of singers Charli XCX, Harry Styles, Lily Allen, Sir Elton John, Noel Gallagher, and Sam Smith in having his picture displayed at the central London venue in recent years.