Luke Littler was searched on Google more than any other sports star in the UK in 2024.
The 17-year-old was also the third most searched person of the year, surpassed only by Kate Middleton and Donald Trump.
It comes after his extraordinary run to the final of the World Darts Championship before winning the Premier League Darts title, the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Series Finals.
Littler also had a high-profile relationship, breaking up with Eloise Milburn, moving his parents into a Warrington mansion, befriending Sir Alex Ferguson and James Maddison and going viral for eating kebabs.
Keir Starmer and Imane Khelif complete the five most searched people in the UK, according to Google’s ‘Year in Search 2024’ report. King Charles came in seventh, behind Liverpool legend Alan Hansen, who was hospitalized with a serious illness but was discharged earlier this year.
“Being recognized on two Year in Search lists is a huge honor,” Littler said.
Luke Littler (above) was the most Googled athlete in the UK in 2024, ahead of King Charles.
Kate Middleton was the one that most interested Google employees in Great Britain, ahead of Donald Trump
King Charles came in seventh place in the ranking of the most searched person in the United Kingdom.
‘It has been an incredible year for me personally and for the sport of darts in general. I can’t believe I am above the Prime Minister and the King in the “people” category.
“In a year of great sporting achievements, it is a proud moment for me to be the top trending athlete in 2024.
According to Google analysis, the five most searched athletes in the UK this year have been Littler, Spanish star Lamine Yamal, Simone Biles, Jude Bellingham and Adam Peaty.
It is not explained how Khelif, who controversially won an Olympic gold in women’s boxing, is the fifth most searched person overall in the UK, but is not even in the top 10 athletes.
The boxer, who was at the center of a dispute over gender eligibility, was the most searched athlete on Google globally, ahead of Mike Tyson, Yamal, Biles and Jake Paul.
Littler was the only darts star to place in the top 10 athletes, while there were five footballers.
Along with Yamal and Bellingham, Ollie Watkins (seventh), Cole Palmer (ninth) and Euro 2024 winner Nico Williams (10th) cracked the top 10.
There was also a lot of attention on Anthony Joshua, who lost his IBF world heavyweight title fight to Daniel Dubois, and on Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic medalist who in October revealed his diagnosis of terminal prostate cancer.
Lamine Yamal (left) and Jude Bellingham (right) were among the top five athletes in the ranking.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer came fourth, just behind Littler in the search rankings.
Boxer Imane Khelif was the most searched athlete on Google worldwide after her Olympic gold
No British sports club made the top 10 searched globally, and baseball teams the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers won in that department.
Littler hopes to launch his assault on the world rankings with victory at the upcoming World Darts Championship, which begins on December 15.
He made a notable run to the final in his debut in the 2023-24 edition, but lost to Luke Humphries in the final in January.
This time they could clash in the semi-finals due to the nature of the draw.
It’s been a big year for Littler, whose antics have seen him pocket more than £1million in winnings and made him a household name.
The youngest player to win a DPC Darts title is also in the running for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
She will compete against Bellingham, 800m gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson, England’s leading Test scorer Joe Root, 30-time para-cycling medalist Sarah Storey and Olympic and world champion triathlete Alex Yee.
‘This is MADDDD. First young sports personality and now sports personality of the year. Many thanks to BBC Sport for nominating me; I never thought I’d say that,” Littler said.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are among the five most Googled athletes in the world.
Littler takes on the likes of Keely Hodgkinson for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2024
The BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year program will have an all-female line-up for the first time after Gary Lineker’s departure from the event.
Lineker, 63, will not be replaced as co-host of the sports awards on December 17, according to the corporation.
Instead, it will be shown by Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott.
For years, Lineker co-hosted the show with Balding and Logan. Scott became the fourth presenter in 2020.
BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski described 2024 as an “exciting and emotional year of incredible sport”.
The annual sports awards will take place on December 17 at MediaCityUK, Salford.