Darts prodigy Luke Littler splits from girlfriend Eloise Milburn but 'no bad blood' between them

Eloise, 21, who was a notable presence alongside the 17-year-old's family during his run to the final of the World Championship in January, met Littler on the development tour in Leicester in August last year. A source told The Sun: "Luke and Eloise have broken up and it is still very raw. He is naturally very upset, but they have agreed to stay friends. Luke and Eloise tried hard to make their relationship work, but with his darts schedule, he is travelling non-stop, and it has become increasingly difficult for them to spend quality time together.

“He is so focused on his sport and that is taking up so much of his time. Calling time on their relationship seemed to be the only way forward. There is no bad blood between them, and Eloise is completely supportive of Luke’s career."

Littler and Milburn began dating late last year, just weeks before Littler's rise to prominence at Alexandra Palace, where he earned £200,000 in prize money despite being defeated by Luke Humphries. Milburn, who shares Littler’s passion for darts, plays at the Walton Working Men's Club and represents the Surrey Women's darts side. The couple bonded over their shared interest in playing FIFA online.

Despite facing online abuse due to their age difference, Littler had defended their relationship in a press conference after the World Championships, saying: "We’re gonna stick together now. We have been going for the past few months. We’re going to stick together whether anyone likes it or not, we’re not bothered."

In an interview with The Guardian, Littler said: "We knew people would find out [about their relationship], but it started off very bad. As the weeks go on (the abuse of Milburn on social media) has been almost forgotten. We’ve been talking for a few months now.

“I’ve brought her along to the worlds, got to the final, and whatever people say, they can say it. It’s not going to affect me or my mental strength. I’ve got guys doing my Instagram now and they delete it before I see it.”