An amateur darts player from South Africa has spoken of his anger and hurt after spending around £2,000 travelling to the Beat Luke Littler auditions, only to be rejected while established names such as Fallon Sherrock and 15-year-old Mitchell Lawrie made the shortlist. John Steele, 44, known as "Dominoman", told Sporting Life he now feels the process was stacked against ordinary players: "Some of these are Target-sponsored players, and I now feel like this was a predetermined case. I have the feeling that I was taken for a ride."
The Netflix show, announced for a live broadcast on 30.10.2025, will see 24 contestants get the chance to win £501,000 by beating Luke Littler in a single leg. Steele, a financial planner who has lived in South Africa with his family since 2010, travelled to Manchester specifically for the auditions, bringing his children Rebecca, 24, and Aiden, 19. The trip cost him around £2,000 in flights, accommodation and other expenses. While in England he attended a Manchester United match and played a tournament at Hindley Social Club, where former World Championship finalist Kirk Shepherd was also present.
In the first selection round, candidates had to finish a leg of 501 within a maximum of 24 darts. Steele recalled: "When I attempted my leg of 501, I had a TV camera, PDC Referee, Target Referee and the Production manager watching me. I went 125, 85, and 100 and thought, 'OK, John, you got this.' Then I threw 11!" He added: "After 12 darts I had 180 left and threw just 44 and now had nine left to take out 136, which I nearly did with my next three darts, wiring the double eight before getting the job done on my next visit." His performance earned him a place in the next round, where he met players with experience on the MODUS Super Series, in WDF tournaments and on the PDC Development Tour, including Dan Coates and Llew Bewan, and recognised Mike Warburton, whom he had seen play against Littler on the MODUS Super Series.
After hours of waiting, Steele had an interview with the programme's producers, who asked about his darts experience, his performances under pressure and his reasons for taking part. He was then put through to the third selection round, facing a panel of darts legend Phil Taylor, former PDC chairman Barry Hearn and darts analyst Laura Turner. "I was only in there 10 minutes before my name was called, and I almost cried when the crew guy told me I was through to Stage Three! I was mic'ed up and interviewed by Phil Taylor, Barry Hearn and Laura Turner!" he said. "It really did feel like X Factor. I walked in, stood on an X and had to introduce myself to the Power! I couldn't believe my eyes." After introducing himself as "Dominoman John Steele", Hearn asked where the nickname came from. Steele said the conversation was relaxed until Taylor asked him to demonstrate his darts ability. "If I was nervous before, I was crapping it now! Thankfully my first three darts scored a solid 60, and then I managed a tonne." Taylor was pleased with what he saw: "Phil then said, 'Well, you can definitely throw.' To hear the GOAT of darts say that to me was the stuff of dreams."
After the auditions, Steele returned to South Africa and waited for Netflix's decision. "It was a long wait, and I was continually checking flight prices. Every time my Gmail went off I felt the dread and excitement, but weeks went by with no news." Eventually he was told he had not made the final 24. "Obviously my first reaction was disappointment, followed by relief that it was finally over." That relief turned to frustration when he saw the selected names. "However, as I found out the list of names that had been selected, such as Fallon Sherrock, Mitchell Lawrie, Ashley Coleman and Jayden Walker, my mood changed to anger and hurt. It's like a who's who of semi-pros, future stars and established names."
Steele finds it especially hard to understand why several contestants have already played on major darts stages and, in some cases, even faced Littler. "What happened to pub amateurs who get the chance to play the best player in the world? Some of these play against Luke Littler in exhibitions, while Fallon has played in World Championships several times!" He added: "Look, I understand it's entertainment – but these are not ordinary amateurs. The show is not 'The Next Luke Littler'. If they were looking for the X Factor of darts, then advertise that. I would never have entered." Steele stressed that he saw himself as exactly the kind of player the show was intended for: "I'm just a 60-plus guy who can bang in a 15 darter here and there. That's what I thought they were looking for."
Lawrie's selection in particular has raised questions about the nature of the show. The 15-year-old Scot is one of darts' biggest talents and has already won several international titles. Although he is technically an amateur because he does not hold a PDC Tour Card, his standard is considerably higher than that of an average pub player. According to the figures provided, Lawrie has averaged 96.93 points per three darts since the start of September, compared with Littler's 96.70 over the same period — averages from the tournaments each player entered individually. Players such as Sherrock, Coleman and Walker also have considerably more match experience than many recreational darters.
Despite his disappointment, Steele does not look back on the experience entirely negatively. The audition gave him special experiences, including meeting Taylor, Hearn and Turner, and the chance to tell his story and draw attention to the growth of darts in South Africa. "Do I regret it? No. I don't do regrets. Everything happens for a reason." He now hopes to qualify for the World Darts Championship, perhaps through a qualifier, or to achieve enough results to earn a place at Q-School. "Who knows, maybe I go on to win our PDC World Champ qualifier next weekend – or win one of the tour events and get my Q School space. Maybe I win none! Whatever happens will be for a reason."
