Luke Littler, the youngest darts world champion in history, has applied to the Intellectual Property Office to trademark his face. The 19-year-old's move is intended to prevent his face from being reproduced, including by generative AI, without permission. Littler has won two World Championship titles in a row and has had his image used legally on darts merchandise and by brands such as KP Nuts. He joins celebrities like actor Matthew McConaughey in filing to protect their likeness from AI misuse, following Chelsea footballer Cole Palmer, who trademarked his autograph, facial image, and the term "Cold Palmer" in October 2025. Littler has already trademarked his nickname "the Nuke" in the United States.
Registering a trademark allows individuals or businesses to legally protect their ideas or brand from unauthorized use and to display a registered trademark symbol on products to show ownership. Celebrities in Hollywood and the music industry, such as Scarlett Johansson and Taylor Swift, have faced a surge of fake videos, audio, and images online created using AI tools. Louise Popple, a copyright expert at law firm Taylor Wessing, explained to the BBC that part of the reason celebrities in the UK are trademarking their appearance is the "lack of any image rights law." She noted that while it's "unlikely" Littler could stop anything other than a very similar image of his face even with the trademark, the move signals he takes his rights "seriously," potentially deterring "opportunistic merchandising." She added that owning a registration can aid licensing deals by giving the celebrity "something" to license.
Joe Doyle-Ward, Senior Associate and Trade Mark Attorney at Abion, one of the UK and Europe's leading intellectual property firms, told the BBC that Littler's application is a "smart branding decision" and is becoming more common among celebrities. He stated, "The legal framework around AI and copyright is still evolving, but trademarks remain one of the most effective tools to control commercial use in the meantime. It's not about stopping everyday use, but about ensuring that any commercial exploitation is authorised." The application is currently under examination at the Intellectual Property Office.
Littler rose to prominence in 2024 at age 16 by winning the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. In January 2025, he became the youngest ever darts world champion by beating three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen at just 17. He repeated the feat in 2026 by beating Dutch darts player Gian van Veen 7-1 in the final.
