Luke Littler is among several elite darts stars giving the next two Pro Tour events in Wigan a miss. And 'The Nuke' has previously made clear his feelings about the lower-tier Players Championship competitions.

Despite being just 19, Littler has already conquered nearly every major honour in the PDC and secured his second World Championship crown in January. However, with the Premier League and other prestigious tournaments demanding his attention, the teenage prodigy has largely swerved floor events this year.

Littler skipped the Pro Tour's opening two German tournaments last week and joins other top names in sitting out this week's Wigan fixtures. Yet the Warrington ace is merely following through on his intentions, having suggested last year he'd be scaling back his commitments.

Pro Tour competitions serve as qualifiers for the Players Championship Finals in Minehead, a title Littler captured last November. Success at these events allows PDC Tour Card holders to climb the Pro Tour Order of Merit and secure seeding for the £600,000 showpiece.

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However, ahead of his 2025 triumph, Littler had already forecast a shift in his approach should he claim victory. He revealed in November: "The Players Championship Finals is one that I've not got yet.

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"I definitely do want to get it. But if I was to win it this weekend then who knows what happens next year on the ProTour?

"Do I go to a few or do I not? I've been having discussions behind the scenes. Do I just do the ones in Wigan and don't go to the rest? We'll have to make that decision behind the scenes."

Discussing his jam-packed schedule, he continued: "It's non-stop. I want to go back to my normal self, but I've been used to the fame for so long now.

"I think it would be weird if I isolated myself, like, for a week or something. But it's all learning curves and I'm getting used to it. It's definitely changed since that first Worlds but performance-wise I'm not stopping anytime soon."

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Earlier that month, Littler revealed exactly why he has such a strong dislike for the events, saying: "Everyone knows I hate the Pro Tours.

"All you hear is squeaky chairs and people chatting. I love the stage, I love producing it, especially when I'm playing like that."

The 19-year-old secured victory against Nathan Aspinall in Minehead and is now backing up his words by sitting out these latest non-televised competitions at Robin Park Tennis Centre. He's joined in avoiding these tournaments by Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson.