Justin Hood, who became a fan favorite during his remarkable debut at the World Darts Championship last winter, has opened up about the darker side of his newfound fame. The 33-year-old English darts player, who reached the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace, says he now faces a barrage of hate messages on social media after every loss, taking a toll on his mental health.
From anonymous to target of abuse
Before the World Championship, Hood was relatively unknown on the professional tour. Now, he says he gets recognized constantly. 'It's been an overnight thing really from the Worlds. I used to get recognised once in a blue moon, now it's every time you go out to practise. It's nice, but it's difficult sometimes,' Hood told Metro.
But the attention has brought a dark side. 'I get a lot more hate messages now, which is not very nice to read. If you lose, some of the stuff we get, it's just horrible really, but it's part of it, I suppose,' he said. Hood and his partner are considering stepping away from social media, with plans to let her run his Instagram account. 'It puts a downer on your day when you're trying your best out there and it's not working,' he added.
Mental health impact and coping
Hood, who describes himself as his own harshest critic, says the online abuse often becomes personal. 'There's not a harsher critic in the world than a dart player on themselves when they lose. It is hard to read it sometimes, especially when they're getting a bit personal about your family and stuff like that. It does affect your mental health after a while.'
He noted that the abuse has escalated since his breakthrough. 'Last year you get the odd message, but most of them were nice ones. Now if you don't get to the quarters, you just get non-stop abuse.' Despite the negativity, Hood remains philosophical. 'We're part of the top 128 players in the world. I could go all year without winning much and I'm still playing a decent level. I still get a lot of friendly messages and people encouraging you and it'd be a shame that I don't get to see all that. But there's only so much you can take before you want to come off it.'
Financial relief after quarter-final run
Hood's run at Alexandra Palace, where he beat Nicky Kenny, sixth seed Danny Noppert (with a 103 average), Ryan Meikle, and Josh Rock 4-0 before losing to Gary Anderson, earned him £100,000. That prize money has alleviated serious financial pressures. 'It's been nice having to not go to events thinking "I've got to win this now to pay my bills",' Hood said. 'We're set up for a little bit now, which is a nice situation to be in. Last year I lost three or four games in a row over the space of two months. I was like, "How am I going to afford rent next month?" Then, luckily, you win a few games and pick some money up.'
Dream of Chinese restaurant still alive
Hood's famous dream of opening a Chinese restaurant, which he shared during the World Championship, remains on track. 'My manager is looking into all of it at the moment. It's been so busy since the Worlds that we haven't had time to sit down and sort anything out. But it's definitely going to happen. Just not 100 per cent sure when,' he said. He joked that he might get fellow darts stars Luke Humphries and Luke Littler involved as investors.
New nickname after Warner Bros objection
Hood's previous nickname 'Happy Feet', inspired by a story about borrowing oversized shoes that made him look like a penguin, had to be dropped after Warner Bros raised concerns. 'I got told it was Warner Brothers weren't too happy, apparently. It went so viral at the Worlds, with me messing about and that. I think they cottoned on and we weren't allowed it. We're not going to argue with them!' His sponsor Target helped choose a new nickname: 'Pocket Rocket'. 'We had a few nicknames thrown about from ourselves and Target, and Pocket Rocket ones seemed to resonate the best with me,' Hood said.
Looking ahead: top 16 ambitions
Despite the challenges, Hood remains confident in his abilities. 'I'm never surprised at what I do. I know how good I am. It's just it's nice to prove it sometimes. I know if I can put the time in, I can be a top 16 player in the world.'
