Just 14 years old, Jayden Walker could have the chance to spring a huge surprise on Friday. The English darts prodigy is the youngest contestant on the new Netflix show Beat Luke Littler, where 24 challengers are competing for a top prize of £501,000.

Walker also knows what it is like to face the two-time world champion. He has played Luke Littler twice and even took a leg off him in their most recent meeting.

Walker, who is from Christchurch in Dorset, is among the young talents to have made a name for themselves in British darts in recent years. The teenager is signed to MODUS Sports and sponsored by Target Darts.

On Friday evening, he hopes to face Littler again during the live broadcast from Manchester. The challenge is clear: beat the world champion in a single leg of 501 and take home £501,000.

"I was happy to get a leg off the world number one."

Despite his young age, Walker already has plenty of experience against some of the biggest names in darts. He has faced Littler twice in exhibition matches.

“I’ve played Luke twice. I played him once in Portsmouth where he beat me 3-0 and he had a 125 average – which was ridiculous stuff," Walker told SunSport.

The young Englishman put up more of a fight in their second meeting, at Chester racecourse. “He beat me 2-1. I got the first leg. I won the Bull in the back room. I was happy to get a leg off the world number one."

Walker has also faced Luke Humphries, the current world number two. That meeting even ended in victory for the 14-year-old talent. “I beat Luke Humphries 2-1 and we both played really well. We had high averages. It was around 102 and he had a 106. It just went with the throw until the last leg."

Jayden Walker is one of the contestants on Beat Luke Littler

“Just appearing on Netflix is a huge achievement”

Walker is eagerly looking forward to taking part in the show. Even if he does not end up facing Littler, he already sees being selected as a major milestone. “I’m really excited to be on Netflix in general. Even if I don’t get to play Luke, just being on Netflix is a massive achievement.”

The young Englishman was inspired by Littler’s spectacular rise, which saw him reach the final of the 2024 World Darts Championship at the age of 16. “When I first saw him play, I was taken aback that a 16-year-old at the time was beating the likes of Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross and nearly beating Luke Humphries. I was quite shocked seeing someone only a few years older than me doing sensational things."

Walker hopes to take his place on the biggest stage himself in a few years. “Hopefully in the future when I turn 16, I might give myself the opportunity to be in the World Championship.”

First 180 at the age of eight

Like Littler, Walker started playing darts at a very young age. He threw his first darts at a magnetic board when he was 18 months old. During the Covid pandemic, aged eight, he hit his first 180 on a real dartboard.

He initially played football as well. Walker was a defender at the Generation Elite Football Academy in Bournemouth before focusing more on darts.

Two years ago, he also got an unexpected chance to show his skills at an exhibition. YouTuber Morgan Burtwistle, better known as AngryGinge, picked him out of the crowd and invited him to throw a few darts.

School friends hope for a share of the top prize

Winning the top prize on Friday would make a huge financial difference to Walker’s family. He lives with his single mother Jamie, who works as a self-employed hairdresser. Because of his age, the prize money would be placed in a fund that he could access when he turns 18.

His 90-year-old great-grandmother will also be watching, hoping to see her great-grandson in action. Whether Walker gets to face Littler will depend on the world champion avoiding defeat by another contestant first.

His participation is already a major talking point at school. His friends have even joked about what should happen if he wins the top prize. “A few of my friends at school have jokingly said: ‘If you win, can I have a tenner? Or a fiver?’ But they’ve been very congratulatory of me, in school and online – on Snapchat and Facebook. Very supportive."

Walker says Littler’s rise has also had a big influence on the ambitions of people his age. “Luke has inspired quite a lot of people. When I was younger, everyone in class would reply that their dream job when they were older was ‘to be a professional footballer’. But nowadays there’s quite a lot of people saying they want to be a professional darts player – and that’s pretty much all because of Luke.”