The 2025 PDC World Darts Championship is the 32nd annual edition of the festive extravaganza at London's Alexandra Palace.
Tens of thousands of fans travel to north London to feel the electric atmosphere in person, while millions around the world tune in to watch the biggest tournament on the darting calendar.
Many characters from on the stage and behind the scenes have been part of this remarkable transformation, but perhaps no one has been more important in promoting and illustrating the wonders of darts than late commentator Sid Waddell, whom the world championship trophy is named after.
Who was Sid Waddell?
Born in 1940 in the northeast of England and the son of a miner, Waddell went on to study and graduate in Modern History at St. Johns College, Cambridge.
He played rugby, but after an injury he turned to darts and a lifelong love affair with the sport began.
Waddell would work on producing countless local news programmes and several children's television series. Amongst many other accolades, he was nominated for a BAFTA in the best director category and was a successful author with several published books.
Having watched the 1972 News of the World Darts tournament at the Alexandra Palace, Waddell created the Indoor League television series which was shown on ITV in the United Kingdom. This cult programme featured a multitude of ‘fringe’ sports at the time, including darts, and it would prove to be an invaluable platform for the sport.
Later in the 1970s Waddell moved to the BBC and was one of the commentators for the channel's coverage of the BDO World Darts Championships which began in 1978. He carried on working on the event until 1994 when he moved to satellite channel, Sky Sports.
He was a prominent figure on the channel for Sky’s nine-ball pool coverage, but his colourful and wacky way with words are far more associated with darts. He first commentated on Sky showcased darts at the 1994 World Matchplay and continued with the channel all the way to 2012.
Waddell’s contribution to the sport can’t be understated enough and he is affectionately known as ‘The Voice of Darts’.
When did the World Darts Championship become the Sid Waddell Trophy?
Waddell sadly passed away in August 2012 following his battle with bowel cancer. Whilst suffering with the disease, Waddell’s passion for the sport still shone through as he commentated on the Premier League Finals Night only a few months before his death.
A fitting tribute to Waddell, a new world championship trophy was commissioned by the PDC for the 2013 event and named in his honour.
The Sid Waddell Trophy was first lifted by Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor when he defeated Michael van Gerwen 7-4 in the final.
Taylor’s triumph was very apt as the greatest player of all-time had shared so many of his finest career moments with Waddell watching on in the commentary box.
MORE: World Darts Championship latest results and schedule
Sid Waddell’s famous quotes
Waddell is world famous for his bizarre, quick-witted and elaborate commentary quotes. Many were bonkers, but they felt so right! Some of his most memorable include:
"William Tell could take an apple off your head, Taylor could take out a processed pea."
"As Freud said to Jung in Vienna, you can psych up too much for a darts match."
"It's like trying to pin down a kangaroo on a trampoline."
"When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer... Bristow's only 27!"
"That was delicate like a surgeon near a delicate area."
"The atmosphere is so tense, if Elvis walked in with a portion of chips, you could hear the vinegar sizzle on them."
"There's only one word for that – magic darts!"
"It's the greatest comeback since Lazarus"
"This is super-calla-non-fragile-ballistics."
