Luke Littler, the 18-year-old darts sensation who’s taken the sport by storm, continues to dazzle crowds with his precision at the oche, but when it comes to mastering the rules of the road, he’s hitting more roadblocks than bullseyes. On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, just two weeks after his fourth failed attempt, Littler revealed he’d flunked his driving theory test for a fifth time, scoring even worse than his previous effort. The Warrington native, known as “The Nuke” for his explosive talent, shared his latest disappointment on Instagram, where his candid post—complete with a sickly green emoji—sparked a mix of sympathy and playful ribbing from fans and fellow players alike.
Littler’s latest test results painted a grim picture. He managed a solid 44 out of 50 on the multiple-choice section, just one mark shy of his previous 45, but his hazard perception score plummeted to a dismal 39 out of 75, five points below the required 44 and two worse than his 41 from mid-July. “5th time… still counting,” Littler captioned his Instagram story, the nauseated emoji capturing his frustration as he remains unable to secure the green light to take his practical driving exam. The setback is particularly stinging for the teenager, who’s been vocal about his dream of cruising in a Mercedes A-Class, a step up from the Ford Focus he once coveted. “Last year I was looking at driving and I loved the Ford Focus, but now I’ve gone up in the world just a little,” he told reporters after his World Championship win in January 2025.
The darts prodigy’s struggles with the theory test stand in stark contrast to his meteoric rise in the sport. At just 17, Littler became the youngest PDC World Darts Champion, pocketing £500,000 and earning an MBE for his achievements. With two World Series titles, 13 PDC titles, five major tournaments, and the record for the youngest televised nine-dart finish, his trophy cabinet is overflowing. Yet, the exam room has proven to be his toughest arena. During a recent Celebrity Gogglebox appearance, pal AngryGinge teased him live on air, saying, “You can do all this, but you can’t pass your driving theory!” Littler could only laugh, but the jibe hit home as he continues to grapple with hazard perception, a skill that seems to elude the player renowned for his laser focus on the dartboard.
Littler’s busy schedule hasn’t helped. Fresh off a standout performance at the US Darts Masters in New York, where he thrilled fans at Madison Square Garden, he’s now gearing up for the World Matchplay in Blackpool, facing Ryan Searle in the first round on Sunday. The relentless pace of his career, which includes exhibitions and international tournaments, has left little time for studying. Earlier this year, he canceled driving lessons to avoid burnout, and in May, vandals damaged his van during an event in Norwich, adding insult to injury. “Scum of the earth,” he called the perpetrators, frustrated by his reliance on others to drive him to events while his license remains out of reach.
The driving theory test, a prerequisite for the practical exam in the UK, is no easy feat, with pass rates hovering below 50%. Littler’s not alone in his struggles—celebrities like Jenson Button, who failed his first test for missing a gap, and Scarlett Moffatt, who took 13 attempts, have faced similar hurdles. But for Littler, whose unparalleled focus has dazzled darts fans worldwide, the repeated failures are a humbling reminder of life’s challenges off the stage. “For a man who exhibits unparalleled focus when dazzling grounds around the world, it is somewhat understandable that he could be rather blinkered in his everyday life,” one observer noted, highlighting the irony of his predicament.
As Littler prepares for Blackpool, where he’s chasing his first Matchplay title, he’ll need to shake off this latest disappointment. His fans, ever supportive, have flooded social media with encouragement, urging him to keep trying. Some even suggested he channel his darts precision into spotting hazards, joking that he might need to treat the test like a 180. With his dream car waiting and a packed darts calendar ahead, Littler’s determination—honed through years of outshining opponents—will surely see him through. For now, though, the road to a driver’s license remains a bumpy one, and “The Nuke” is still waiting for that elusive green light.
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