English darts star Justin Hood is facing a major change to his identity on the oche, as he has been forced to abandon his iconic nickname "Happy Feet" due to copyright issues with the animated film of the same name. Hood, a crowd favorite from Glastonbury currently ranked world number 53, earned the nickname years ago after forgetting his dart shoes for a county match and having to play in borrowed size 12/13 shoes. In an interview with talkSPORT, Hood confirmed the change, stating: "We've got stuff going on with my nickname that's got to be changed. So, we're going through all of that now. Happy Feet has got to go unfortunately, so we are sorting a new one out now. We haven't settled on anything yet."
Hood's playful and energetic stage presence—marked by funny faces, sticking out his tongue, and exuberant celebrations—had made the nickname a perfect fit. His sporting rise was highlighted by a recent breakthrough run to the quarterfinals on his World Darts Championship debut, where he ultimately lost to Gary Anderson. However, it's his off-oche behavior that has also drawn attention from the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).
The PDC has repeatedly warned Hood for lifting his shirt and showing his bare chest to the crowd after victories. After doing so following his match against Nick Kenny, he received a warning. But when he repeated the act after his clash with Danny Noppert, the tone turned more serious. Hood revealed: "He said if you do it again, it will be the biggest fine you have seen. I'm not gonna say what I said back to him because it's a kids' show." Despite the warning, Hood hinted he might not fully curb his antics, adding with a wink: "I said if I get to the final though, I will do something very bad. Then you can take it out of that prize money."
With "Happy Feet" soon to be retired, Hood and his team are now busy devising a new nickname that suits his vibrant personality. As the darts world adjusts to the change, one thing remains certain: Justin Hood is unlikely to stay out of the headlines anytime soon.
