“I’d like to just be Peter Wright, but it would disappoint the fans” – New walk-on song but ‘Snakebite’ denied full overhaul for final chapter of iconic career

Peter Wright walked off stage in Minehead looking equal parts relieved and bewildered — and then calmly declared he will become a three-time world champion.

Not someday. Not hypothetically. Just a matter of time.

It was a punchy vow on a night where he admitted he could barely see the scoreboard, felt his “brain went out the window,” and somehow still scraped past a fellow struggler in Joe Cullen.What followed was a raw, funny, occasionally grim post-match debrief from a man who knows exactly how far he’s fallen — and is absolutely adamant he’s climbing back up.

A strange match, an important victory

His first win at the Players Championship Finals felt strange — even to Wright himself. “I didn’t understand it,” he laughed. “The lights were so bright I got completely lost. With my contacts it felt like I was missing scores. I’d win a leg and think they weren’t changing my score. My brain went out the window.”

Yet the win came, against Joe Cullen — another player battling for form. “We’ve both had a tough year,” Wright admitted. “He’s had some magic moments and I’ve had none. So yeah, it’s good to have a win.”

Wright says the real frustration lies in the gulf between his practice game and his stage game. “On the practice board I was absolutely fantastic,” he said. “I’ve been practising a lot coming into this tournament. Really a lot. And I’m thinking: I’ll win this tournament quite easily if I can bring that up on the stage.”

But once he steps under the lights, the tension creeps in. “All that time not winning games… I suppose I’ve tightened up, got nervous. I was really nervous sometimes.”

Asked whether nerves still hit him even after everything he’s won, he nodded immediately. “Yeah, I was really, really nervous. I’ve no idea why. I felt fantastic before the match. Practised more today than I normally would. But once you’re on the stage, it feels different.”

The frustration of a missing top gear

Wright is open about how much it stings that his old, phenomenal level hasn’t returned. “I’ve been practising with Danny Noppert,” he said. “We were talking about the averages I’ve hit in the past — against MVG when he was smashing everyone for ten years, when I averaged 118 and lost, or had 120-odd against Lewis or Chris Dobey. I just remember those days and think: why can’t I do it now? It’s so annoying.”

It’s a question that bothers him, but also drives him. “I’ve still got the hunger. The two Lukes inspire me, and Van Veen, and especially the way James Wade is playing — how he dropped down the rankings, started practising again and got back up there. If he can do it, I know I’m a lot older, but I can do it as well.”

His recent drop from the top 16 to just inside the top 32 affected him — but not in the way people might assume. “It felt like a relief,” Wright said. “A reset. The next two years I’ve got nothing to defend. And on the practice board I’m playing like a top-10 player. If I can do that on stage, I’ll be straight back up the rankings anyway.”

He even warns, with a grin: “You don’t want to draw me. That’s what I’m thinking.”

Not retirement — but another chapter

There’s been plenty of speculation about when Wright might call time on his career. Many assume he’s closer to the end than the beginning. But Wright couldn’t be clearer. “I love proving all the people behind the scenes wrong,” he said. “A lot of people said I should give up — maybe they’re right. But inside here, I ain’t finished yet. When that says you’re finished, there’s a million pounds for the world champion. I’m going to be a three-time world champion. Whether I win the million this year or next year, I’ll definitely win it.”

He says it without hesitation. “It only takes three weeks. Three weeks playing darts. World Championship at Christmas. And that million pounds is coming home to me — not to them.”

One thing that didn’t go unnoticed in Minehead was his new walk-on song: “Chumbawamba”. Not exactly a classic Snakebite anthem, but there was a message behind it.

“People keep knocking me down again,” he explained. “So yeah, it was a message.” He smiled, but the point was clear: Snakebite may be bruised, but he’s far from broken.

Snakebite — or simply Peter Wright?

For the first time, there were hints that the Snakebite persona might be losing its place in his story. No elaborate hair, no extravagant look — just Wright. “Would you rather just be Peter Wright in this last chapter?” he was asked. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I would like that. But it would disappoint my fans. And the kids, especially. So maybe just show them a bit of understanding… and we’ll see.”

Finally, Wright looked ahead to his next match, against the resurgent James Wade. “I looked up before I came out — it’s five apiece in our last ten games. It’s normally 6-5 either way. Should be an interesting game tomorrow. And I felt like I was going to win before I even got here. So we’ll see.”