James Wade may be known as 'The Machine' on the oche, but off it, he's just a family man who isn't afraid to poke fun at himself. With no darts events on the calendar this weekend, the Englishman traded his arrows for a costume as he celebrated Halloween with his family. However, judging by his social media post, he wasn't entirely thrilled with his attire.
Taking to Instagram, Wade shared a photo of himself dressed as Lord Farquaad from the popular movie Shrek, complete with a black wig and red outfit. Standing beside him was his wife, Sammi Marsh, who appeared far more satisfied with her costume as Princess Fiona. Wade's grumpy facial expressions, fitting his real-life character, added a touch of humour to the post. The caption read: "I'm feeling I may have pulled the short straw in this family Halloween costume," with the first picture being a warning from Wade to "Don't Laugh." In the next slide, he stood alongside his two sons, both also dressed up and seemingly happier with their costumes.
But soon it's back to serious business for Wade, who will be hoping to rediscover his form after a recent blip in results. He won the Australian Darts Masters and Flanders Darts Trophy in a scintillating period between July and August before making it to the semi-final of the World Grand Prix, where he lost 5-3 to eventual champion Luke Humphries. Since then, he has won just one match in four events, losing at the opening hurdle of the Swiss Darts Trophy and European Championship before picking up a single win between Players Championship 31 and 32. Fortunately, his spot in Minehead is not under threat.
Wade will be in Leicester getting final practice at PC 33 and 34 later next week ahead of a return to the Grand Slam of Darts. A three-time finalist, Wade is yet to taste success in the event. With Premier League Darts places on the line, a deep run in the event could be pivotal for Wade to make a return to the elite after four years out.
