Singer Olly Murs faced a chorus of boos from spectators at the PDC World Darts Championship on Tuesday, following the resurfacing of an old social media post in which he criticised fans of the sport.
A Frosty Reception at Ally Pally
The 41-year-old 'Troublemaker' singer was enjoying the thirteenth day of the tournament at London's Alexandra Palace. However, the atmosphere turned when his image appeared on the venue's giant maxi screen. Instead of cheers, he was met with a loud and clear wave of booing from sections of the crowd.
The negative reaction is believed to be linked to a tweet from January 2018 that recently recirculated online. In the post, Murs, a self-confessed darts enthusiast, had defended legendary player Phil 'The Power' Taylor during his World Championship final clash against Rob Cross.
The Controversial Tweet That Came Back to Haunt Him
At the time, Murs took to the platform to express his frustration with fans who were chanting "Boring, Boring Taylor" during the match. His tweet read: 'People at the darts screaming "Boring, Boring Taylor", honestly grow up! You're watching a true great at his sport. He didn't win 16 world titles being boring.'
This defence of Taylor, who ultimately lost that final to Cross, appears to have been remembered by the darts faithful, leading to the chilly reception years later.
A Day Out Away from Fatherhood
Earlier in the event, before the booing occurred, Murs was seen in high spirits, enthusiastically downing a beer as the crowd cheered him on. The new father, who welcomed his son Albert with wife Amelia Tank in September, was dressed in a festive darts-themed Christmas jumper bearing the phrase 'You miss, you drink'.
He threw his arms in the air while supporting England's Ryan Meikle in his second-round match against New Zealand's Jonny Tata. The day out with friends offered a break from parenting duties for Murs, who is also father to 19-month-old daughter Madison.
Murs has recently spoken about the challenges of balancing his career with a young family. While promoting his new album 'Knees Up' on Heart Breakfast this month, he told hosts Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston that he found the last few weeks "really tough" due to work commitments.
He promised his wife he would be "around a lot more" in the new year. Last month, he praised Amelia as "unbelievable" as she celebrated her postpartum body following the birth of their son.
