“I can’t believe it,” Littler told Sky Sports. “We both played so well.

“I’ve said in interviews that I needed to get off to a quick start tonight and that’s what I did.

“Everyone dreams of lifting this trophy. You’ve got to get through a tough field. I can’t believe it.”

After bursting onto the scene at last year’s World Championship, ‘The Nuke’ went on to win 10 titles and hit four nine-darters in 2024 and took that form to Alexandra Palace.

Littler averaged more than 100 in five of his six matches and led the tournament with 76 maximums to win the Ballon D’Art trophy for top 180 hitter – although he did fail to match Michael Smith’s record of 83 set in 2022.

Not that Littler will care after a tournament where he was operating at a different level to the rest.

The relentless scoring is one thing, that magical double 10 he hardly misses is another, but Littler also has that perfect timing – hitting 180s and nailing big checkouts at crucial moments that just mentally grind his opponents into submission.

A certain Phil Taylor won his first BDO world title 35 years ago this year, and there’s more than a hint of ‘The Power’ about Littler’s game.

At Littler’s age, Taylor’s record of 16 world titles could be in serious danger.