Tonight's PDC World Darts Championship final at Alexandra Palace isn't just about Luke Littler defending his crown against Gian van Veen – it's the end of an era for two beloved figures in the sport.
Legendary MC John McDonald and top referee George Noble will both step away from professional darts after the final whistle, bringing down the curtain on careers spanning decades.
McDonald, 65, has been the unmistakable voice of PDC events since 2004, while 57-year-old Noble has spent over 30 years officiating, nearly 20 of those with the PDC.
Both men announced their retirements back in October, with family time at the heart of their decisions to walk away from the sport they've helped shape.
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John McDonald will retire from his job as MC at the darts
|PA
For McDonald, a former paratrooper with eight grandchildren, one phone call made the decision crystal clear.
"What really spurred me on [to retire] was I got a call from my grandson, who plays at the Chelsea Foundation," he told talkSPORT.
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John McDonald will be missed and is regarded as the voice of darts
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"He said, 'I'm playing at Southampton tomorrow, grandad, can you come and watch?' I was like, 'No, I can't, I'm up in Leicester.'
"And he said to me that it's alright because his other grandad could take him, and I felt a bit left out again."
That moment of feeling sidelined hit hard after years of missing his own children grow up.
Tonight's final will be particularly special – his wife and four sons will watch him work live for the very first time.
Noble's story echoes McDonald's in many ways – three decades of dedication came at a personal cost he's no longer willing to pay.
John McDonald has admitted he has missed too many birthdays due to his job
|PA
"I've missed like 17 out of 22 birthdays of my daughter, being away on the road working on the darts," he explained to talkSPORT.
"So now I'm able to mix the other business interests with family time. It's not possible to do all three in the long run, so one of them had to give."
The Millwall-supporting official, affectionately nicknamed "The Puppy" (though he jokes it's "more like the Hound Dog now"), won't disappear from darts entirely.
He'll continue running the MODUS Super Series on streaming platform Pluto, which operates as a stepping stone for players hoping to reach the PDC.
PDC chief executive Matt Porter paid tribute to both departing figures, calling them "two huge pieces in the PDC jigsaw over the last 20 years" whose contributions extended far beyond their official roles.
McDonald is determined to make his final announcement something truly memorable. "It will be the last time anyone hears me professionally," he said.
"I have to make something very special of it."
"I'm going to be up for it!" 💪
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) January 3, 2026
John McDonald looks ahead to his final night as the PDC Master of Ceremonies 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ll0IIzryex
Noble looks back fondly on calling Phil Taylor's extraordinary double nine-darter in the 2010 Premier League final against James Wade – a feat never repeated in a single match.
Tonight's £1 million showdown between Littler and Van Veen provides the perfect stage for two icons to take their final bow.