Darts tournament makes controversial U-turn as Phil Taylor to walk on stage with models | Other | Sport

Darts walk-on girls are set to be reintroduced to televised competition for the first time in over six years. Phil Taylor will be accompanied to the oche by models at the World Seniors Matchplay in October.

The tournament, which runs from October 4-5, will be the first to have walk-on girls since the PDC dropped the role in January 2018. Models were dropped at short notice for events screened live on Sky Sports and ITV.

Some deemed the role to be sexist but two of the women who have been reintroduced insist they enjoyed the role of accompanying darts players onto the stage.

The World Seniors Darts Tour (WSDT) has made the controversial decision to bring back walk-on girls, who had played a role in darts events for the best part of two decades until they were axed. They have signed long-term ambassadorial deals with the WSDT.

Daniella Allfree, who is returning after appearing at six PDC world darts finals, said: “It’s amazing we get another opportunity to do something that we really enjoy. It was a blow when we lost the role. It was a shock. So, it’s quite exciting that the WSDT are bringing us back. We bring fun and glamour to the walk-on.

“Rather than escorting a male, I saw our role as more of a mascot, just being present. Darts is a theatrical sport.

“It will be fantastic to see everyone again. It will be special to be back on live TV. It will though be overwhelming. A new door has opened for us. We can also prove people wrong, like ‘we’re back!’”

Charlotte Wood, who has also been invited back, added: “The support we had at the time was unreal. It feels nostalgic to go back.

“We saw it as the best job in the world. I got to work with my best friend. We travelled the country. Appearing on TV wearing nice dresses. We never felt unsafe or uncomfortable.

“For people to say we shouldn’t be doing it, it’s not really their choice. Us, as women, in today’s world, should be allowed to do what we want to do. It should be about choice.

“You see an ad on the TV with a model advertising shampoo. It’s just the same. In sport, there are still ring girls and dancers. We are models – it’s just a different profession. There isn’t an exhibition we don’t go to where somebody says to us, it was awful, it was ridiculous.”