Luke Humphries has come to the defence of his young rival Luke Littler following the teenager's fiery exchange with spectators at Alexandra Palace.
The former world champion acknowledged that Littler "lost his head" during his World Darts Championship victory over Rob Cross, but insisted the 18-year-old deserves sympathy rather than condemnation.
"He's a young lad. He's 18 years old," Humphries said.
"Sometimes it happens. You lose your head a little bit. I don't think people should hold it against him."
Luke Humphries has backed Luke Littler, though he admitted he did 'lose his head'
| GETTYThe defending champion faced sustained booing from sections of the crowd during his fourth-round triumph.
Littler responded to the jeers with a pointed message during his post-match interview, declaring: "You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money so thank you for my money, thank you for booing me!"
The teenager made clear he was unfazed by the reception, adding: "I'm not bothered. Really not bothered."
His victory over Cross, which finished 4-2, secured his place in the last eight of the tournament.
Littler himself described the atmosphere inside the historic north London venue as "hostile" and admitted he had not anticipated supporters rallying behind his opponent.
Luke Littler hit back at the crowd for booing him | GETTY Humphries drew upon his own experiences to explain why elite players often encounter such hostility from spectators.
Following his triumph over Littler in the 2024 final, he endured six to nine months of negative crowd reactions, which he described as "really, really bad."
"When you are a top player, I experienced it," he reflected.
"It was really, really bad. I don't really think I've done anything wrong. But when you're at the top, everyone just wants to see you then fall again."
The world number two suggested that fans struggle to identify with successful, wealthy young stars, urging supporters to "give him a little bit of leeway."
Luke Littler's mother Lisa vented her fury on social media | XThe teenager's mother Lisa waded into the controversy on social media, launching a robust defence of her son against online critics.
She branded the booing spectators "vile t**ts" and dismissed those labelling Littler arrogant.
When one user suggested the world number one should "behave like one," Lisa responded defiantly, writing that the "crowds were vile" and calling detractors "idiots."
Littler returns to the oche today for his quarter-final clash against Krzysztof Ratajski in the opening match of New Year's Day proceedings.
The defending champion is guaranteed £100,000 for reaching this stage, with a £1million prize awaiting should he retain his title.