IT’S been more than six years since walk-on girls at the darts were axed over a sexism row, but the glamorous models are set to make their TV comeback – and it’s largely thanks to their FEMALE fans.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Charlotte Wood and Daniella Allfree, two of the sport’s most prominent walk-on girls, reveal how they have been inundated with messages of support – many of which have been from women – about their return.
They were axed by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) amid accusations of sexism, prompting uproar among darts fans.
At the time, more than 48,000 people signed a petition calling for them to be reinstated.
Last week, it was announced the walk-on girls are set to make their return next month after being hired as ambassadors for the World Seniors Darts Tour (WSDT) next month.
Daniella, 35, tells The Sun: “It’s definitely been a shock to be back on the darts. It’s been a bit of a U-turn from six years ago.”
She adds: “I feel like they have just listened to the fans. They are a fantastic company to be a part of, so we’re proud to be back.”
And Charlotte, 36, adds: “We are honoured to be a part of it and it’s honestly the best job ever. We both loved it. There’s nothing about it that we didn’t love.
“We are so excited to be coming back.”
The PDC removed the walk-on girls from their events in January 2018 after chairman Barry Hearn reluctantly conceded they were “in danger of becoming incompatible with inclusive family viewing”.
Three days later, Formula One also sensationally axed grid girls to keep up with the growing clamour not to objectify women.
Daniella, who lives in Chesterfield, Derbys, says: “It was such a shock when they dropped us because it was very sudden.
“Around 80 per cent of our income came from darts.
“It was really hurtful at the time when we got banned because we were such a part of darts, it was like being part of a family.
“For them to just say that’s it, we’re not having you any more it was quite hurtful.
“There was no definitive reason why we were banned. I still don’t know why they did it.”
She continues: “When people retire from the sport they do something nice. I thought we’d have at least got a tweet to say something like ‘thank you for all the years, goodbye to walk on girls, time’s are changing’ but we got nothing. It was a text message and that was it.
“It upset us really more than anything. It felt like we were disposable.”
Charlotte, who lives in Preston, Lancs, adds: “I believe they listened to the minority.”
Page 3 legend Kelly Brook backed the petition to bring them back and blasted darts bosses for caving in to snowflakes who claimed traditional darts girls are sexist and “demeaning” to women.
Daniella said: “It was so sad to see our job that we loved and were so proud of and picked apart.
“They said it was demeaning, we couldn’t have felt further from that because it was such a wonderful, safe job. It was a sad time when that happened.”
“I think a lot of people thought it was nonsense at the time. I think the majority of people are happy we’re coming back.”
Charlotte adds: “We’ve got lots of female fans who are lovely and just support what we do. In my opinion it was a backwards step for feminism, not a forwards step, telling women what they can’t do.
“If we’re happy doing the job then why does it offend people? I don’t understand.
“You watch models on TV adverts for shampoo or clothing and you are not demeaned watching them so why are you by us?
“We’re just advertising a darts brand and are part of the show. It’s just the same as everything else.”
Darts world champion Raymond van Barneveld was one of many players to petition for the sport’s walk-on girls to be reintroduced – as well as some of their wives.
Charlotte says: “When we got axed at the time a lot of the wives went on radio and TV for us, basically sticking up for us. And even now they still do.
KAREN Jean Cookson was one of the first ever walk-on girls who accompanied players onto the stage at televised darts tournaments at the iconic Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
The former model, from Blackpool, took over in 1995 and worked for many years with her fellow walk on girl Sue Knight.
Karen, who now runs the Angels Elite agency and is the organiser of Miss Blackpool, recalls: “It was always such a great atmosphere, with the lights flashing, the music playing…it was electrifying.”
She adds: “Every player had their own costume and we would theme our outfit to it. I remember wearing a gold sequinned dress to accompany Phil Taylor.”
Another favourite outfit was the one she wore to walk on former professional darts player Alan Warriner-Little, also known as The Iceman.
Karen says: “I had crystal things in my hair. It was very theatrical. The hair and make-up artists were incredible.
“It used to take a long time to get ready. We’d get a clothes allowance.”
Despite it being live TV, she says she only recalls one mishap during her walk-on girl career. Karen says “I was carrying a big flag and it got stuck on something on the ceiling. But thankfully it was ok.”
She adds: “It was such a fabulous job, we were so well looked after and we got to travel everywhere but obviously we got married, we got older, so then we stopped.”
Karen, who represented current walk-on girls Daniella and Charlotte for a time, says she is thrilled they are returning to darts.
She says: “The girls deserve to be there. It makes it a show. I think the darts players enjoyed walking them on as well.
“Things go and come back again. It’s like fashion. They are back where they should be and the darts are lucky to have them.”
“It just shows we were missed, which was really nice for us.”
She continues: “We had such an outcry of support at the time. With us coming back again, there is an overwhelming amount of support. We’ve had so many women message us.
“There will always be someone who has something to say, who doesn’t want but it really is the minority who have said that.
“At the end of the day, it’s the darts fans who want us there. Surely that’s all that matters? We’re part of the show.”
And she adds: “We are just so happy to focus on the future now.”
Darts have used walk-on girls since the game became televised in the 1970s.
Daniella says: “The job is personality, it’s not just about looking a certain physical way.”
And she says of her partnership with Charlotte: “We’ve always done modelling from young and met through the modelling circuit.”
Charlotte, who has more than 28,000 followers on Instagram, adds: “We met a year before I got casted for the darts. They needed someone to replace another girl who was leaving. From that day forward it was me and Daniella.”
The two became close friends and Daniella, who has 36,000 Instagram followers, adds: “We were sort of a fixture then. It was the longest stint they’d had of the same pair of girls doing it.”
The pair have continued to make frequent appearances at darts exhibition events throughout their TV ban as well as teaming up for their calendar, which sold out in two days this year.
Daniella says: “We get so many orders from women who buy our calendars for their husbands for Christmas.
“Within a week, normally they’re all gone.”
They will be returning to TV when Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor competes at the World Seniors Matchplay on October 4 and 5.
The tournament at York’s Barbican to be streamed on TNT Sports and BBC iPlayer.
Speaking about the close relationships they have formed in the darts world, Daniella says: “We’d live together, travel together and work together day in, day out for years.
“We did have a really nice relationship with everybody.
“Charlotte would always walk on Michael and I would walk on Phil. He used to say I was his lucky charm.”
The job isn’t without its perils, though, as Daniella learnt early on in career as a walk-on girl when she took a tumble live on TV in 2014.
She recalls: “It was absolutely embarrassing. I got to the dressing room and thought I can’t ever do another walk on.
“It generated so many Twitter followers though. My followers just exploded so some good came of my fall.”
Charlotte adds: “Our job is to obviously walk alongside the players. Some of them walk really fast, some just speed down there and obviously when you’re in heels, and there are wires on the floor, you have to be careful.”
And she jokes: “It’s been six years, with us coming back I’m going to need practice walking in my four-inch heels.”
