Peter Wright has assured fans that talk of him retiring his ‘Snakebite’ persona is a load of cobras. And when the two-time world champion gets the party started against Noa-Lynn van Leuven at Alexandra Palace, Wright insists that the man who plays the viper will call the tune again.
At last month’s Players Championship finals in Minehead, Wright ditched his trademark warpaint and Mohawk barnet because he was relegated to stage two – where TV exposure was limited – and he didn’t want to spend hours in the barber’s chair for a peep show on screen.
But Snakebite will be back, giving it the full Monty Python, against Van Leuven on Monday afternoon, as the sixth of nine past or present PDC world champions in the first round at Ally Pally.
So far Michael Smith, Luke Littler, Rob Cross, Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries have safely cleared the first hurdle.
Now it’s Wright’s turn – and the Suffolk-based Scot who lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy in 2020 and 2022, either side of his 50th birthday, will be full of it.
“Retiring Snakey? No, no, no, that’s not true,” he said. “I was only plain Peter Wright in Minehead because I was on stage two and I know they only show the last three darts in your match on TV, if you’re lucky.
“So there was no point dressing up, having my hair done and everything.
“I’ll still be Snakebite – unfortunately. I’ve created the monster so now I’ve got to stick with it.
“Obviously, I’m going to entertain the crowd. I’m going to be the character of Snakebite, enjoy myself up there and dress up.”
Wright tiptoed diplomatically around the prospect of meeting Dutch transgender player Van Leuven, whose participation in women’s events has not always been welcomed by rivals – including new Lakeside ladies world champion Deta Hedman.
Snakebite said: “To be honest, I just play the dartboard these days, I just don’t play the players any more. Maybe I did years ago when playing the likes of Phil Taylor and MVG (Michael van Gerwen) when they were at their peak. You played the player. But now I just play the board.
“I’ve just got to score more (heavily), hit my doubles and then I win. It doesn’t matter who I play, I’m up for it.”
Wright ended Humphries’ reign as world champion after a playful war of words 12 months ago and has often talked up his chances against boy king Littler in the past.
But he is not going to play the wind-up merchant this time, saying: “I’ll let the others do their talking about the Two Lukes, which is well-deserved. What both of them have achieved for darts is brilliant.
“It’s only gone higher and higher down to them, so just let them have the targets (on their back) and the pressure’s on them.
“I think I can win it again – I’ve just got to make sure I turn up and play darts for three weeks and build myself into the tournament instead of coming in with a 110-plus average in the first round, which is no good at all, really.
“You want to be posting that 110 in the final where you’ll need it because the calibre of dart players these days. I’m just going to sneak round the back.”
