DARTS showman Scott Williams has vowed to continue being an entertainer at the World Darts Championship.
It comes after Shaggy drew criticism for throwing a “blind 180” during his first-round match with Niko Springer.
Speaking after the game, which he won 3-1, Williams said he enjoys being a big showman.
And while he has sometimes felt he picked the wrong time to do so, the 34-year-old insists he will “not stop being a bit of t**”.
Williams, a semi-finalist from last year, told reporters: “I’ve had to learn over the last couple of years with stage stuff to do it at the right time.
“I played Joe Cullen a couple of years ago in the last-16 of the Players Championship finals and I hit a 180 in the first couple legs and I’ve give it some of the biggun.
“And I’m like, ‘I don’t need to exert that kind of energy right now because it’s 1-1, so why?’ It’s an even game we’re both doing what we’re doing.
“I’m trying to be better at that kind of stuff. But I’m not going to stop being a bit of a t**.
“I’m there to give the crowd what they’ve paid for.
“They’re here for me, they’re here for everyone, they’re here to have a good time and to see silly stuff, see great stuff and anything you can involve the crowd in, they’re here for it.
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“So I’ll carry on doing that.”
The Ally Pally crowd went wild for his blind 180 on Thursday, but fans back home were divided.
Reacting on social media, one fan said: “Throws it and looks away after. It’s just cringy.”
A second said: “Corniest thing in darts.”
A third added: “Disgusting… No respect for his opponent.”
Another said: “The coldest guy.”
A fifth said: “How can you not love this man!?”
Williams is now scheduled to face World No.5 Rob Cross on Monday.
Speaking after the win, Williams said: “People don’t realise. I’ve only been playing this game seriously for four years, five years, but some of these youth players, he’s been playing at a good level since he was ten.
“I’ve just played in a pub and I’ve turned up and I’m decent at the game, I’m able to earn a living off in that.
“Even now, I’m still new to all this, so I’m trying my hardest to know how to react in the right way, how to react on the stage, off the stage.”
Williams added that he was planning to practice with Voltage ahead of their clash.
He added: “I give him far too much respect last time. We know the score, we’ll have a practice the next couple of days, we’ll practice together, we’ll be great and we’ll have a great time.
“But as soon as it comes to half past nine, ten o’clock, Monday night, it’s gloves off and we’re there to win the game, we’re there to take one off each other.”
READ MORE on all the build-up to the Ally Pally extravaganza...
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