Luke Littler Breaks Silence After Girlfriend Split, Says ‘Stop’

Darts prodigy Luke Littler has opened up about the end of his relationship with Eloise Milburn after a period where she was a familiar face at his matches, cheering him on from courtside. The 17-year-old darts sensation, who enjoyed an incredible run to the PDC World Championship final, recently suffered a dip in form during his match against Michael van Gerwen at the World Matchplay, leading to rumours about his personal life.

Littler, who had remained silent amid the rumours, took to Instagram to set the record straight and defend his ex-girlfriend. “Everyone needs to stop expressing hate towards Eloise saying it’s her fault for this or that,” he posted. “I broke up with Eloise myself and everyone just needs to give us some time, no need for everyone to message her to hurt her.”

The young couple, who got together shortly before the start of the World Cup, were often spotted spending time together after the match and had even jetted off to New York for a holiday recently. However, a source told The Sun of their recent split: “Luke and Eloise have split up and it’s still very painful. He’s understandably very upset but they’ve agreed to stay friends,” the Express reports.

Learn more Eamonn Holmes sends subtle message about split from Ruth Langsford as he teams up with ‘legend’

Littler’s hectic lifestyle has reportedly put a strain on her relationship with Milburn, 21. The age difference between the two has also been a point of contention, with Milburn previously addressing the issue after being targeted by online trolls.

“It was a tough start,” she has confessed in the past. “The first day, I was really affected. But you learn that as long as you’re both happy, that’s all that matters. The people who matter most to us are the ones who support us.”

After his lacklustre outing at Blackpool, where he lost 10-6 to Van Gerwen in the first round, the player did not mention any personal issues. His performance was noticeably below par, struggling to maintain his momentum.

Despite this, the world number 25 remains the star of the sport, having won his first Premier League title in May. As his career takes off, he is being hailed for bringing a new audience to darts.