Scottish darts professional Cameron Menzies has issued a public apology following a distressing outburst at the World Darts Championship, which was compounded by the emergence of further footage showing him burning his hand on a firework.
Emotional Collapse at Alexandra Palace
The incident occurred on Sunday, December 15, 2025, at London's Alexandra Palace after Menzies suffered a dramatic first-round exit to 20-year-old Charlie Manby. Menzies had led twice in the match, taking the opening set and later moving 2-1 ahead, but ultimately lost 3-2. The decisive moment came when Manby pinned double one after both players had missed match darts.
As Manby celebrated his victory, a visibly distraught Menzies turned his frustration on the drinks table, violently punching its underside three times. The force caused water bottles to fall, drawing boos from the crowd. Pictures from the event clearly showed a bloody gash on Menzies's hand, for which he received immediate treatment from on-site medics.
Further Footage and Personal Trauma
Subsequent worrying footage circulated on social media, appearing to show Menzies trying to extinguish a lit firework with the palm of his hand. This compounded concerns about the player's wellbeing following his on-stage actions.
In a statement, Menzies offered a full apology and revealed he has been grappling with significant personal grief. "It's not an excuse, but I have had a lot of things on my mind and I suppose it all just became too much at the end," he said. He explained that his uncle, Gary, had passed away recently and that, had he won, his second-round match would have fallen on the day of the funeral. "I saw him four days before he died and he gave me a look which told me how much he thought of me," Menzies added.
This marks the second consecutive year Menzies has been eliminated in the first round, having broken down in tears after a defeat to Leonard Gates in December 2024.
Official Reaction and Potential Sanctions
Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) chief executive Matt Porter confirmed he spoke with Menzies and his management, emphasising that support is available from both the PDC and the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA). Porter stated that any incident of this nature is automatically reported to the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) for review.
Sky Sports pundit and former semi-finalist Wayne Mardle was critical of the behaviour, stating Menzies had "absolutely lost the plot" and "assaulted" the table. "You cannot do that anywhere, let alone on the biggest (darts) stage of them all," Mardle commented, though he also expressed hope that the player gets the support he needs.
Menzies concluded his apology by stating, "This is not how I would like people to view me," and paid credit to his opponent, Charlie Manby, for playing well.
