Abigail Davies has become one of the most recognisable faces of the World Darts Championship after trading her early days as a Sky Sports runner for a place in front of the cameras.
With her engaging style, infectious enthusiasm and deeply personal journey, Davies has cemented herself as a key voice in darts broadcasting, interviewing players before and after matches, often on stage straight after the winning double. She has also been in the commentary box at the 2025 tournament, calling matches alongside the likes of John Part, Glen Durrant and Laura Turner.
Davies detailed her journey on Twitter (now X) ahead of the 2023/24 tournament. She wrote: “Six years ago, I did my first shift at Sky, as a runner at Ally Pally. A lot of tea making and an MSc degree later, it’s a dream to be back at the Worlds for Sky Sports Darts.”
For Davies, tournaments marks a significant career milestone and it’s the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. It’s a journey she describes as a dream come true and has also seen her pick up work with the BBC, ITV and talkSPORT.
“It’s an absolute dream to be part of the Sky Sports Darts team!” she added. Her enthusiasm is clear and many fans took to social media to hail her coverage of the tournament.
While darts is a significant part of her broadcasting schedule, Davies’ talents extend beyond the oche. A regular on Soccer Saturday, Davies also covers football, snooker and pool.
Her dedication caught the attention of the legendary Jeff Stelling, who name-checked her during his final show as the long-time host of Soccer Saturday. For Davies, Stelling is a mentor, former colleague and an idol.
“Jeff Stelling is my ultimate idol,” she revealed. “When I joined Twitter, my bio read ‘when I grow up, I want to be Jeff Stelling!’ Shamefully, he was my first profile picture on Facebook!”
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Beyond her professional achievements, Davies’ personal story has been inspirational. She has been candid about her battle with anorexia, a struggle she faced since her teenage years. Sharing a powerful moment from her past, Davies once posted a picture of herself working for Sky at a Swansea City game.
“15-year-old me left a psychiatric unit for an evening to watch the Swans,” she wrote. “From that night, watching the Swans gave me a reason to fight. Today I’m covering them for Soccer Saturday. This means so much to me.”
Davies has used her platform to advocate for mental health awareness, a cause that resonates deeply with fans and colleagues alike. She fully embraces the positive influence she can wield through the platform she has worked so hard to build.
Speaking after the 2024 World Championship, she bravely opened up about her troubles before the tournament. She wrote: “Went to The Priory the day before the World Championship started. Final q [question] before I left: ‘Can you promise you’ll keep yourself alive over Christmas?’
“So yeah, proud for doing what I needed to, to deal with anorexia/suicidal thoughts. Posting this for everyone in the same boat. We’ve got this.”
She recently posted on her LinkedIn images of herself working at the Grand Slam in November and reflected on her progress: “Grand Slam 2023 – body was shutting down. Anorexia & suicidal thoughts controlled me again.
“GS 2024 – learning to accept weight gain, don’t feel numb & continuing to work on self worth/esteem. Relapses can happen, mental illnesses can torment but taking back control is possible.”
Davies’ professional life also intersects with her personal life through her fiancé, Dan Dawson, a darts commentator and reporter for Sky and the PDC. The pair frequently collaborate, bringing their shared passion for the sport to projects like Sky’s Love The Darts podcast.
Their engagement, fittingly, took place at the German Darts Championship in September 2024. Davies joked on social media: “I think he bought this ring to propose to Steve Beaton [Dan’s favourite player], but I’ll take it… Of course it happened at a Euro Tour.”
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