Russ Bray Describes Darts Tournament as ‘Out of This World’

For nearly three decades, darts enthusiasts have enjoyed his distinctive, deep-voiced, and frequently repeated announcement of “180”. Russ Bray, who previously served as a road traffic officer with Essex Police before transitioning to a career in sports, is widely recognized as the “voice of darts” due to his refereeing career. In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, conducted in advance of the World Darts Championship at London’s Alexandra Palace, the recently retired “voice” commented that the game has become “a lot more professional.” Despite the “pub element” diminishing from the sport, Bray characterized the lively atmosphere at Ally Pally as “just out of this world.” Bray, a resident of Soham, Cambridgeshire, noted that the imagery of darts players holding a pint or cigarette, common in the 1980s and 1990s, has “long gone.” He recalled, “You used to see it in them days,” remembering an instance where the late Eric Bristow, known as the “Crafty Cockney,” lit a cigarette for his competitor Jocky Wilson. In contrast, referring to the current world number four, Luke Littler, Bray stated: “The kid’s 17, he’s not allowed to drink anyway, and smoking you’re not allowed to do inside in any case.” Bray observed that a greater number of school-aged individuals are entering the sport through academies rather than pubs. He remarked: “Now these guys can’t drink or anything so that pub element is dropping out of the game a lot.” Bray expressed approval for the sport’s increased professionalism, attributing it to attracting more financial investment and sponsorships. He reflected: “Who would’ve thought you’d be a millionaire playing a game of darts? That’s how far the sport has come.” Bray affirmed that Ally Pally, the venue for the festive tournament since 2008, continues to promise the “biggest party in the world.” He elaborated: “You’ve got 5,000 people dressed up in various types of costumes, you’ve got power rangers, you’ve got people dressed up as Jesus, you’ve just got everything there.” He added: “It’s such an exciting place to be, the noise and the buzz is just out of this world.” The 2025 PDC World Championship is scheduled to commence on Saturday and conclude on Friday 3 January. For updates on Essex news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for content on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.