Who is English darts star Andrew Gilding?
ANDREW GILDING has gone from being housebound to a household name as one of the world's finest darts players.
The thrower- nicknamed "Goldfinger" - will be hoping he's got the golden touch at the PDC World Darts Championship.
Who is Andrew Gilding?
Andrew Gilding is a darts pro from Bungay, England, who was born on December 7, 1970.
As of December 2024, he's ranked No 21 on the PDC Order of Merit.
Andrew has made a remarkable journey from obscurity to becoming a major champion in the sport.
However, his path to darts stardom was both unconventional and inspiring.
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Life before darts
Andrew worked a number of jobs before finding success in darts, including holding down a position in a chicken factory and a stint at an abattoir in the butchery section, jointing pork.
In his early 30s, he faced significant mental health challenges that led to him becoming a recluse.
He spent most of his time indoors, isolated from the outside world.
Road to recovery
The turning point in Andrew's life came when he joined a church band.
He played guitar for the Emmanuel Church in his hometown of Bungay, Suffolk.
He explained: “They got me to join the band.
“I took the first tentative steps outside. I went from a reclusive, stay-at-home, depressed person.
“I was even singing at one point, in a group of four of us doing a cappella.
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'Most terrifying moment'
“It was the most terrifying moment of my life and also great preparation for the big stage.
“It was in front of 50 in a congregation. Just the fact that I had to get up there and sing, it was a nerve-racking experience.
“It was just a simple tune — but I’m a very simple singer. That got me started.
"Then I ended up walking into my local pub team in my mid-30s. The first time I had played in a team. That started me going out.
"A local small businessman started backing me to go to local competitions. He kept backing me until I got into the PDC a few years later.”
Darts pro
Andrew's rise in the world of darts has been nothing short of phenomenal.
One of the most unexpected major winners this century, Andrew upset three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen to claim the UK Open in Minehead in March 2023.
This victory not only brought him a substantial prize of £110,000, but also marked him as a top competitor in the sport.
Before this fairytale success, Andrew had only once been beyond the last 16 of a TV major in 25 previous attempts.
In total he has won five titles in his pro darts career, three of those coming in the PDC.
'Goldfinger'
The man himself has explained why his nickname is "Goldfinger" — surprisingly it has nothing to do with James Bond.
At the Word Darts Championship 2023, Andrew said: “Nearly 20 years ago now, I bought a set of Phil Taylor Phase Five darts and they were gold, so I thought my name should be Goldfinger.
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“My last name is Gilding as well which has got gold connotations, that seemed to fit perfectly.”
Accordingly, his walk-on music is Gold by Spandau Ballet.