Luke Littler and Luke Humphries hit back at MBE jibe from former world champion Dennis Priestley

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Darts sensation Luke Littler has reacted to former world champion Dennis Priestley, after he rubbished the awarding of an MBE to the 18-year-old.

Littler won the 2025 World Darts Championship at the age of 17, becoming the tournament’s youngest winner just a year after making the final as a 16 year old.

His success has raised the profile of darts around the country, aided by his burgeoning rivalry with 30-year-old Luke Humphries who beat Littler in that 2024 final.

Priestley, however, was not impressed with the pair being awarded MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Speaking to the Daily Express, the two-time world champion said: “To be brutally honest, I don’t think either Luke Littler or Luke Humphries have done enough to earn their MBEs just yet.”

Priestley, nicknamed ‘The Menace’ during his career won the BDO world title in 1991 before claiming the WDC (which is now the PDC) prize three years later.

Luke Littler and Luke Humphries were both awarded MBEs (PA)

Littler took to Instagram to reply to the 74-year-old Yorkshireman, and wrote: “Doesn’t deserve an MBE but done more in 12 months than he ever did… that’s what I would say anyway.”

His Instagram story has since been deleted.

Priestley had said: “I think in time they could’ve done enough to warrant it but it feels very early, they have both won one World Championship each and are still young in their careers.

“Littler has been recognised for raising the popularity of darts which is great, but he can still do so much more.

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“If he is getting an MBE this soon then you’d have to think he is on the right path to a knighthood, nothing would surprise me now.”

England’s Littler and Humphries lost in their second round match against Germany (Getty)

Favourites for the tournament, Littler and Humphries were dumped out of the recent World Cup of Darts in their first match, losing to the German team in Frankfurt.

The Northern Ireland pair of Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock went on to win the title, beating Wales’ Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton in the final 10-9.

Humphries joined in with challenging Priestley’s words, taking to X to say it was “disappointing to hear from a former pro” when the ‘Menace’ commented that the English pair had “let their country down” in defeat at the World Cup.

The Leeds United-supporting world champion has called for the incident to be moved on from after the war of words.