The festive season at Alexandra Palace is traditionally a time of cheer, but for one tournament table, it became the target of a Scotsman's furious fist. Cameron Menzies's violent, blood-soaked outburst following his loss to a 20-year-old debutant at the World Darts Championship has instantly entered sporting infamy. Yet, his attempt to extinguish a giant sparkler with his hand before punching a table is just one entry in darts' long and ridiculous history of on-stage meltdowns.
When the Red Mist Descends: Punches and Threats
Cameron Menzies's self-inflicted hand injury in December 2024 was a shocking start, but he is not the first to let anger overcome him at the oche. In 2011, Colin Lloyd slammed his fist directly into the dartboard during a match, cutting his knuckles on the sharp wiring. He later admitted frustration got the better of him, though he remarkably went on to win that contest.
More sinister were the words of James Wade after a 2018 victory over Seigo Asada. Taking the microphone, Wade delivered an extraordinary tirade, stating he "wanted to hurt him, I wanted to really hurt him in his face." Commentary legend Wayne Mardle called the behaviour "thuggish." The PDC later investigated and fined Wade £5,000; he subsequently apologised, citing a 'hypomania episode'.
Bizarre Allegations and Pantomime Villains
Not all controversies involve violence. In 2018, Dutch player Wesley Harms accused Gary Anderson of a serious breach of on-stage etiquette after their Grand Slam of Darts clash, claiming he'd been subjected to foul air. Anderson's indignant response became iconic: "If the boy thinks I've farted he's 1,010% wrong." The incident, dubbed 'Fart-gate', prompted PDC chairman Barry Hearn to joke they needed to "get to the bottom of this."
The pantomime villain role has been embraced by others, most notably Gerwyn Price. His over-the-top, aggressive celebrations against Simon Whitlock and Gary Anderson in the 2018 Grand Slam led to a record £21,500 fine and turned crowds against him. Price famously resorted to wearing noise-cancelling headphones to block out boos, a practice later banned by the authorities.
Storms, Spats and Supernatural Chatter
Emotional walk-offs have also featured. In 2006, Adrian Lewis stormed off stage mid-match against Peter Manley, accusing him of gamesmanship. Lewis was also at the centre of a heated 2012 row with James Wade over a supposedly creaky floorboard, passionately demonstrating the issue to the referee.
Even legends are not immune. In a painfully awkward 2017 TV interview, Phil Taylor snapped at pundit Wayne Mardle, accusing him of asking a question designed to "put me in the s***." The confrontation highlighted lingering tensions from their playing days.
Perhaps the strangest moment of all came from former world champion Ted Hankey. During a match, microphones picked up his bizarre self-talk: "Who's in charge, me or the devil?... I think I'm in charge." Hankey, who in 2022 was jailed for two years for sexual assault, provided one of the sport's most unsettling soundbites.
From fists and foul smells to floorboards and the devil, darts has consistently proven that the drama is never confined to the treble 20. While Cameron Menzies may have provided 2024's most visceral image, the history books show his moment of madness is part of a rich, and utterly chaotic, tradition.
