Former world champion Mark Webster is temporarily stepping back from his broadcasting duties due to a personal medical condition. The 42-year-old Welshman, who works as an analyst for Sky Sports and ITV, will not be present at tournaments or on broadcasts for the time being, including the upcoming UK Open next weekend. His management company, MODUS Sports, confirmed the news on Wednesday in a statement that read: "On behalf of Mark Webster, MODUS Sports Management can confirm that Mark will be taking a short break from his broadcasting duties, due to a personal medical condition. We please ask that you respect Mark’s privacy at this time."
Webster has been a mainstay as a commentator and analyst for Sky Sports, covering events such as the Premier League Darts and the World Darts Championship. Fans responded en masse on social media with messages of support, with one follower writing: "Hope he's ok, him and Mardle are brill!!" and another adding: "Be better soon Mark, commentary wont be the same without you."
During his playing career, Webster was crowned BDO world champion in 2008 after defeating Simon Whitlock in the final. He later switched to the PDC, where he twice reached the semi-finals of the World Championship, losing to Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis respectively. Known by the nickname 'The Spider', he ended his professional career in 2019 after struggling with dartitis, a mental block that severely affected his game.
Last year, Webster spoke candidly about the impact of dartitis, revealing that he was emotional backstage after a match against Daryl Gurney. He said: "I’m really anxious playing darts now. So for example, if you wanted me to come to your local club and play in some players, I’m just not interested. I don’t want that sort of appearance anymore. I’ve probably fallen out of love with playing the game now, which is a shame. But it’s because of the dartitis, it lingered for ages. It brought me to tears after games because I thought, ‘This could be the end.’"
