The drama and delight of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace reached new heights on January 1, 2026, as two-time champion Gary Anderson powered his way into the semi-finals, ending the fairy-tale run of debutant Justin "Happy Feet" Hood. The afternoon session was filled with big finishes, emotional moments, and the emergence of new fan favorites, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the tournament.
Anderson, 55, showed the kind of class and composure that made him a back-to-back world champion in 2015 and 2016. Facing the exuberant Englishman Hood—who had captured hearts and headlines with his infectious personality and incredible quality at the oche—Anderson was pushed hard in the early exchanges. The first four sets were shared, with both players landing crucial checkouts and the crowd roaring in appreciation. But when it mattered most, the "Flying Scotsman" found another gear, winning nine of the next ten legs to seal a 5-2 victory and book his place in the last four for the first time in four years.
"I'm over the moon to get through," Anderson told Sky Sports after his win. "I know Luke Littler is the greatest on the planet now but Luke Humphries is there or thereabouts and a top-class player. Gian is very good – it's going to be a tough one." He now awaits the winner of the evening clash between Luke Humphries and Gian van Veen, with the semi-final showdown set for January 2 at 19:30 GMT.
Anderson’s performance wasn’t just about grinding out legs. He showed his trademark flair with a spectacular 161 checkout on the bullseye, electrifying the Alexandra Palace crowd and stamping his authority on the match. Hood, for his part, responded with a brilliant 120 checkout to level the game at two sets apiece, drawing huge cheers and proving he belonged on the sport’s biggest stage. The two players traded blows, but Anderson’s experience ultimately told, as he pulled away in the latter stages.
Hood, 32, may have fallen at the quarter-final hurdle, but his story has been the talk of the tournament. Unseeded, making his debut, and a 1,000-1 outsider before the championship began, Hood’s journey from night porter to Ally Pally cult hero has been nothing short of remarkable. He made history in the fourth round with a perfect 11 out of 11 on doubles—a new PDC record—while dispatching Josh Rock 4-0. After that match, Hood famously asked the crowd, "Who wants a Chinese?" referencing his dream to open a Chinese takeaway.
Now, after pocketing £100,000 for his quarter-final run—a massive leap from his previous best payout of £6,500—Hood is set to turn that dream into reality. "I was thinking of opening the place where I live in Weston-super-Mare, but I also want to get a mobile one," he revealed. "So, when we go away to the Pro Tours, we can sell it to the players. After they’ve taken prize money off me, when they’ve beaten me, they can spend it on my Chinese van. We’ve already got some names for the mobile unit – Egg Fried (Gerwyn) Price or Oche to the Wokky. Things like that. My wife and I have already thought of it all."
Hood’s love for Chinese food is legendary among fans and fellow players alike. After his third-round win, he and his entourage indulged in a £300 Chinese feast, and he’s been open about his penchant for dishes like special curry, egg fried rice, and Singapore chow mein. "How many times do we eat it a week? Two, three. Well, I’ve got a bit more money now, so probably seven. I can’t cook. I burn toast. I am not being trusted to cook. No chance," Hood joked.
But Hood’s rise hasn’t just been about food and fun. Standing at just 5ft4 (1.63m), he’s one of the shortest players on tour but boasts one of the biggest personalities. His nickname, "Happy Feet," comes from borrowing oversized shoes as a teenager, and his playful walk-ons—often sporting a penguin bucket hat—have made him a crowd favorite. Hood’s journey to the professional ranks was a gamble: he quit his job as a night porter in November 2024, spent his savings to chase a PDC Tour card, and only turned professional in January 2025. "I took the gamble, spent all our savings on a hotel down Milton Keynes for eight weeks and it paid off," Hood reflected. "It wasn't the best experience in the cheapest hotel I could find, but I said, we've got to take the gamble. I put all my time into it and it has paid off."
His approach to the sport is refreshingly relaxed. "Laziness, I've been very lazy this year, I've done what I've always done, half an hour of practice a day and then turn up to the pro tours, do my three hours and play," Hood admitted. "The last six weeks I've put a lot of time on the board, four or five hours a day and it's paying off, so next year I'm going to be doing it every day, watch out."
Anderson, who has now reached his tenth World Championship quarter-final, was full of praise for his opponent. "He battered me! I said at the start of the tournament, Justin Hood is a cracking darts player," Anderson remarked, referencing their earlier meeting on the Pro Tour. Still, Anderson remains focused on the task ahead. "I have to get past my next game. If I get to the final I've got a chance. If I don't, I've had a good run. Getting past the first round in this tournament, with the talent that's coming through, I'm quite happy with what I've done."
Elsewhere in the afternoon session, Ryan Searle continued his impressive run, dispatching Jonny Clayton 5-2 to reach his first World Championship semi-final and breaking into the world’s top ten. Searle, who lives with dominant optic atrophy—a genetic eye condition that affects his vision—was clinical on the doubles, hitting 17 of 30 (56.7%) compared to Clayton’s 10 of 40 (25%). "I can't see particularly well. Other people who try to play darts, if they can't see particularly well, try not to let that hold you back. I try to be an inspiration to them," Searle told Sky Sports.
With semi-final matchups set—Anderson versus the winner of Humphries and Van Veen, and Searle awaiting either Luke Littler or Krzysztof Ratajski—the stage is primed for more fireworks at Ally Pally. Whether it’s a legendary champion chasing another crown or a new cult hero planning his next takeaway, this World Darts Championship is serving up stories as tasty as Hood’s favorite Chinese dish.
