Kind-hearted Luke Littler invites adoring ten-year-old fan hit by meningitis to play darts with him in classy gesture

KIND-HEARTED Luke Littler felt “inspired” to invite a little boy to attend Monday’s World Darts Championship draw after learning about his medical drama.

Ten-year-old Josh Billingham was recovering from a bout of viral when he first saw Littler throw on TV at Ally Pally two years ago.

Luke Littler invited a ten-year-old boy to the World Darts Championship draw after learning about his meningitis ordealCredit: Supplied Littler gave Josh Billingham a signed shirt and threw some darts with himCredit: Supplied

Watching , then 16, race to the final of the on his debut appearance “just ignited something in Josh,” according to mum Lisa.

In Josh’s eyes, Littler, now 18, is his “idol” and the youngster from Halesowen, Dudley, has become an “absolutely huge” fan of the sport.

Disappointingly, he missed out on meeting the world No.1 and getting a signed shirt when he made an appearance at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

When Littler learned about this after scrolling on his phone, he asked his management team to get in touch and work out the best way to get him to Central London for the draw, which was broadcast live on Sky Sports News.

Littler says the story “honestly really inspired me” and in the original text he sent the family, he wrote: “I know you’ve been through a really tough time and have spent a lot of time in and out of hospital.

“Hearing how darts helped give you strength and play such a big part in your recovery was really amazing.

“I also heard you’re a big fan of mine and missed out on getting a shirt signed in Wolverhampton.

“So I wanted to reach out personally and invite you down to throw a few darts together, see how your practice is coming along and, of course, give you that signed shirt.”

Josh, who turns 11 in January, was backstage as , Wayne Mardle and Mark Webster conducted the 2025-26 World draw, in which the defending champion Littler was drawn to face Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas in round one.

There were some nerves when he met Littler but now, with a signed shirt in his hand, Josh will be the talk of the playground this week.

He told the youngster his story “inspired him”Credit: Supplied

The news was broken to Josh live on BBC Radio West Midlands that instead of going to school, he would be heading to the capital for a day he will never forget.

Lisa Billingham, who works for the NHS, said “We had to keep it a secret the whole weekend. Then we broke the news to him on the radio this morning.

“He was just shocked. I think he’d have been happy with a piece of paper in the post with an autograph. But for what he’s experienced today is another level beyond anything.

“He has a Luke shirt that I’ve had to stop him wearing because it’s more like a crop top now! He’s worn it to death.

“Josh had viral meningitis. It was around the sort of time that Luke Littler was making a name for himself.

What he’s experienced today is another level beyond anything.

NHS worker, on Littler visit

“He was in hospital for just over a week and a half, nearly two weeks, and then he had quite a bit of time off school.

“Josh plays football as well. That all had to come to an abrupt hold. He just wasn’t strong enough. He lost almost a stone in weight.

“In that time, he just started to jump on the darts. So he was watching that a lot, and then gradually he started to play. Now he plays every single day.

“Josh has had to have a lot of ongoing appointments, because he’s still got pressure on the optic nerve, which was picked up in a routine eye test after the meningitis.

“There has been no long-lasting damage. We’ve had to keep an eye on headaches and things like that. Anything unexplained.

“But he’s been fit and well since, and it hasn’t affected him at all in the long term. So we’re very lucky.”